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Just received my Vance and Hines Header for my 77' KZ1000A today. Excited about installing it. I think I pretty much have figured it out but wanted any additional advice if available.

I believe you use the stock exhaust mounting collars since the header didn't come with any mounting flanges? Is that correct? It came with the split pipe inserts ( 2 per pipe ) and those appear the same as the stock ones?

Any help before I start the install tomorrow would be appreciated !!!

OK, putting those thing on by yourself can be a pain in the a*s. Do yourself a favor and lay it out next to the bike. If it is still in two pieces, you have it made. If not have some blocks to support the tail end. Use the new collars (mine didn't come with them. Get the exhaust ports lined up and in. Get all you mounts in place before bolting anything. Start with the two inner ones. Be sure they're tight (no slop) then fit the two outer ones. If they won't tighten down, then you may have to use the old collars.
Old trick. (I wish I had remembered it when I installed mine), Coat the inside of the pipes with grease before installing and running for the first time. That's to keep them from bluing. Mine did the minute I fired it up. Lean jetting will do this too. Good luck.
Steve

i like to use masking tape to hold the split keepers on the head pipes .i coat the inside of the head pipes and megaphone with high temp header pain like VHT. works better then grease.snug all bolts up make sure megaphone is attached to braket then tighten all bolts .recheck after you run it for a while when the engine is cold.

i forgot to mention use new copper exhaust gakets.hold them in place with a dab of grease.make sure the old ones come out .they get stuck in there from all the carbon.

Exhaust is heavy and awkward to move around the bike. I still have the factory exhaust on my 1979. When I remove it I use a strap with a cam, over the seat to hold up the back end while I unscrew the mounting bolts. I find using straps even more useful to install the exhaust back on

The 2 split collars or inserts that came with the header appear to be the approx. 1 mm longer than the stock ones which isn't much but maybe would be better to use?

And I don't this questioned was answered but seems to be obvious. You use your stock exhaust pipe holders or 1 piece collars to mount the header?

The aftermarket headers likely have a thinner flange thereby requiring slightly longer split collars to maintain the same clearances when tightening the clamps.





Good Fortune!

I had to re-use my split keepers...new ones with V&H header ARE too long...I actually uploaded a pretty nice set of old school header install instructions to the documents section a while back...MUCH better than the ones V&H provide! A daub of grease on the copper washers to keep them in place, masking tape on the split keepers...do yourself a favor, and put paper towel/TP tubes over your frame tubes to protect, & pull front fender! Make SURE that you only have ONE copper washer in there! Plus one on the exhaust paint inside, also!

Everything everyone said !! try to get a helper to make things easier, lay down some bath towels underneath the pipe /bike, they scratch easy, & after install, BEFORE you start the bike, get some windex & clean the whole pipe down, otherwise you may get blue fingerprints where ever you handled the pipe from the oil from your skin

Pete

When putting those split keepers on while installing pipe. I wrap a small rubber band around the keepers. Once running the heat will burn off the bands or you can cut them off once header is mounted. Anything that sticks them in place will work though.

And to think I've been doing it the hard way all these years.