Topic: How difficult is it to weld a new header onto a new exhaust pipe

[Tews19]

Not sure if I am explaining this right but here it goes. I have some new to me 341's for my k1 to replace the beat up 300's on it. Now the headers on the 300 are great. 341's header are really nice minus one that is pretty dull. Chrome can not be brought to life. Now, how difficult is it to have a header removed from the same side pipe on the 300 and have it welded onto the good 341 exhaust??? Is it worth the hassle? Willl it effect the bike being since the header from a 300?

Also, the 341's do not have baffles. Will this cause rejetting or will it give it the same growl the 300's have?

[chewbacca5000]

Tews,

I have thought about doing this and it might be possible if you have a friend who is a skilled tig welder.  You would need the friend price or it might not be worth it.

[ekpent]

You will never get the K1 growl if you graft a 300 header pipe to any 341 muffler cone.Am I reading that correctly Nick? Also you may have some serious discoloration from a graft weld and the guy better be good at rigging it up considering the angles and the mounts it has to fit with on the other pipes etc to make it all work and look good at the hard mounts..I know its Halloween but what are you building over there in cheeseland  Frankenpipes  ---   Damn I wish we could get some good new pipes without a mortgage on the house for these bikes 

[phil71]

that header goes in pretty far .. so you'd have to carefully cut the original weld, and you'd need a real surgeon of a welder to re-attach it, and even then it would prob look like dog$#!t. You'd do better having the beat up one replated

[Tews19]

Yeah I was thinking of the possibility of discoloration. I think I will leave them as is. Now I will need to find baffles for them. I will take pics tomorrow of the pipes mounted.

[754]

 Check spigot length as well..

[lucky]

Very difficult.

I am a skilled TIG welder and that was my job most of my life. Production TIG welding.
Do not cut and weld those pipes!!! It is not worth it.
Welding together two tubes that thin is very difficult even with a good TIG welding machine and a top notch welder.
I know because I spent 11 years welding .049 and .065 tubing every day.

There is almost no way to to get them to be the perfect angle and so forth and then where you welded them will be a HAZ( heat affected zone) on each side of the weld that is degraded and that weld and seam will always show. The protection of the base metal will have been wrecked (chrome).

The back pressure of the two different style exhausts is very minimal and NO rejetting will be needed.

[lucky]

I would like to add. Tricks

When welding one tube to another (butt joint) the tubes need to be clamped and set into a piece of angle iron. aluminum angle is best. NO GAPS!!
The first tack weld will make the tubes out of round. Let it cool until the tube becomes round again, THEN make your second tack weld. Repeat this so that you end up with 4 tack welds. Let it all cool down. Then fully weld.

I still do NOT recommend this. It never looks good. Always 2nd choice.

[Tews19]

Thanks all for the input. I left the pipes alone and installed them as is. Not the prettiest but I like.

[Stev-o]

You'll want baffles for the 341's, I believe they are available, but cannot remember where off the top of my head. I need a set too...going "shopping" now.

[Tews19]

Are those the diffusers on eBay? If so I think I have those on the 300s I have and possibly swap into?

[Stev-o]

Yes, theyre on eBay for $100/set. Not the same as the 300's.

[Tews19]

Did you order a set? I'm thinking I may.

[Stev-o]

Did you order a set? I'm thinking I may.

No, I won't need them til I start on the K6 project bike next year. Shop around first, maybe you can find some cheaper?