Topic: Replace Header Studs With Allens?

[MCRider]

I think Sebatje's procedure is the winner here, use your allen bolt like a stud and tighten the exhaust with a nut, hows that for simple and smart, and when it comes time to pull the engine, no scratching the frame. Perfecto! Cheers, Terry.

Not to put too fine a point on this but I posted that earlier in the thread, with photos. Glad you like the idea.

That happens to me all the time too. Sometimes it takes repitition before something clicks. His allen heads were different from yours and had the aaah factor. But you're right both ways conceptually the same.

[Terry in Australia]

I think Sebatje's procedure is the winner here, use your allen bolt like a stud and tighten the exhaust with a nut, hows that for simple and smart, and when it comes time to pull the engine, no scratching the frame. Perfecto! Cheers, Terry.

Not to put too fine a point on this but I posted that earlier in the thread, with photos. Glad you like the idea.

Oops, sorry mate, my bad, it was your idea, and a bloody good one at that! 

[bikerbart]

yeah,its the pipe,I need to put the bike on a table and have a couple of buddies help twist and wrestle while I tighten them in place.F@#* that.For now I put the original 4-4 341's on it and I love it.the problem is the yosh replica pipes are much thinner at the head so if you dont get it just right it leaks.Until I do some headwork,I will leave it alone.

[sebatje]

I think Sebatje's procedure is the winner here, use your allen bolt like a stud and tighten the exhaust with a nut, hows that for simple and smart, and when it comes time to pull the engine, no scratching the frame. Perfecto! Cheers, Terry.

Not to put too fine a point on this but I posted that earlier in the thread, with photos. Glad you like the idea.

My bolts are without the head so you can screw them in, put on the exhaust and then screw on some nuts. Its great when you have not a lot off clearance between the pipe and the exhaust flange. We always use this on competition engines.

[Terry in Australia]

Yep, and they look cool too!

[754]

Finally read this..
 My immediate thought on how to cure this, is shown in post #20

 I truly am having a hard time believing, that so many of you are not familiar with(or even know the name of) the commom setscrew....

 We have been using them for years, fixed/ converted many an H-D head with them. I learned long ago with H-Ds to convert to setscrews if you want any kind of reliability.. have redrilled many to oversize, stock thread and oversize threads.

 Swellguy, your partsguy should have shown you the CCI or Drag kit to change these, been around for 25+ years.. if you want a clean look, use an acorn nut, or allen nut.

 Constant re & re of a bolt into aluminum is not good for thread life, worse if there is constant heating and cooling cycles.

 Maybe someonme can get a box Quantity, then resell in sets of 8 with a bit of markup..hopefully in bright plated.

[swellguy]

My first post actually showed the exhaust setup on my 54 Panhead which has an old metal gasket along with liquid gasket. It's not the cleanest look but for the period of bike that it is, I like it. I agree that a setscrew, especially with an acorn nut would not only do a great job but look much nicer.

On my cafe project, I got lucky in that I had a set of stainless metric socket head cap screws that were the perfect length for the exhaust flanges, so I'm pretty happy with this detail:

[754]

Didya mean 2nd last year of the no timken pans with  heads converted to shovel flange.. model..??

 I'd like to see that.. . I can conert them to outside oiler BTW..
 If you are ever up this way, come check out the shop...

[swellguy]

54 bottom end with STD jugs.