Posted by Witch Doctor on October 27, 1999 at 04:45:25:
In Reply to: Muffler posted by hogryder on October 27, 1999 at 03:25:59:
OK...
If it is a late model muffler, you should be able
to pull off the rear of the unit. Or the whole casing
will slip off of the guts. Inside is a tube full of
holes, usually wrapped with a fiberglass or similar
mat. The baffles will either be welded to the casing
or the inside tube. The baffle may be made of
stainless steel, but you can bet the weld wasn't.
At any rate, heat will ruin any weld on any
material over time.
Factory mufflers are cheaply made, so you can't
expect them to hold up. Remember, low bid gets the
contract. HD does not make these in house. 1968 on
are usually Taiwanese (same with the lights, tires,
stock chain, vinyl parts, wiring harness, basically
everything except the motor and frame. Hell, the
stock forks and brakes are Japanese).
The last HD I had the misfortune of owning, a truly
ragged out 1963 Panhead in a Knucklehead frame, the
mufflers could only be worked on by splitting the
body casing. If you have this type (generally 68-84),
just junk them and put on a new set. They aren't
worth the hassle of trying to repair.
WD