Cut and weld to fix, or spend the big $$...??

This a result of KZ1000 vs. mailbox post....
Now, with access to exhaust tubing, good steel plate, and welder....couldnt a financially-challenged (BROKE!!) guy cut/weld/cuss/recut/weld and get this back into shape...PROPER shape, that is!
Am considering it really hard.....more time than $$ if I go this route. 3 bills for a new V&H just IS NOT in the budget......What y'all think??


Post edited by: indykaw77, at: 2007/01/24 08:16

Being an auto mechanic, part of my job is custom pipe bending, welding and fabrication. Sure it could be done, will take some time, heat and patience. Remove pipe from bike, cut out damaged section and go to work on the bench. With some time it could be brought back. When your satisfied that it's as good as it's gonna get, hang it back on the bike and tack weld. Remove again and complete weld. After painting it will still look a little rough but you just saved $300. Good luck.

WOW, how fast do you have to be going to do THAT kind of damage to a mailbox pole?

Wow. That's pretty ugly. Especially being right at the collector.
Any chance of finding an old header off of an old car and splicing in the collector? Might be easier than trying to reshape that one.
Just a thought anyway.

As a guy who's built a few custom exhaust systems, I'll tell you that it's harder than it looks. However, if it was easy, everyone would do it.
I say wade right in and give it a go. What do you have to lose?

I'm gonna say don't waste your time.

If you're not used to doing this kind of work, that will be a REAL bugger.

Why? Because it's right on the collector. You've got to rebuild an entire collector for the 4 mani's to come together in, AND worry about cutting the mani's ends to piece together.

See if you can find a collector, but something tells me a 4-1 for a KZ sized tubing is gonna be tough.

Well, too bad you are not too near- I could fix that right up for you in a jiffy. You wanna mail it to me, remember I am in Alaska, I will fix it for nuttin' except shipping. But I don't know if you save your three bills or not!

every thing 2 gain nothing 2 loss I say go for it.

indykaw77 wrote:

This a result of KZ1000 vs. mailbox post....
Now, with access to exhaust tubing, good steel plate, and welder....couldnt a financially-challenged (BROKE!!) guy cut/weld/cuss/recut/weld and get this back into shape...PROPER shape, that is!
Am considering it really hard.....more time than $$ if I go this route. 3 bills for a new V&H just IS NOT in the budget......What y'all think??

<br><br>Post edited by: indykaw77, at: 2007/01/24 08:16

Can you e-mail me a better pic of that to wldthing67@hotmail.com please if you are considering sending it up here- I want to dig through my pile of scraps.

How would you like it stainless past the pipes,meaning, the collector to be stainless? I am welding alot of stainless right now, and have some scraps around- but it might not blend together good with the pot metal they use on some exhausts.

not to sound negitive, but when you unbolt that thing its going to move in just about every direction you dont want it to, you can take it off fab a new section , mock it up on the head , tack it together, then weld it.
I would spring for a new one, keep the old one around and look in some boneyards for a header that is trashed on the down pipes, probably get it for next to nothing , then mate the two

I see a ratty but useable Mac on ebay right now for $30 incl. shipping with a day left and no bids. FYI I bought a decent Star off ebay for about the same $ so useable stuff is out there for cheap.

HERE