Help with Pipe Question
 

I have a 2003 Heritage Springer, I put Screaming Eagle slip-ons on it the day I bought it. I want to know if I can have the baffles taken out, and if I can what else do I need to do to the bike. It does have EFI. And would it be better to do the original pipes vs. the S.E.'s?

Michael

You can have the baffles taken out, or take them out yourself. If you do that, you should have the EFI remap for those changes.

I have the same setup, but put the baffles back in after removing all the packing. They sound much better now. As with most changes, you may want to have the bike remapped. I bought a PowerCommander so I wouldn't have the pay the dealership to do it each time.

Thanks for the repy, how do I take the baffles out?

There should be three screws holding the end caps on. Take them out after using masking tape to designate top/left/right. I used the rubber coated handle of a hammer to tap the baffles out the back. Note the "top" hole with masking tape again on the baffle so you can replace it later. Then remove all the insulation. Then put the baffle back in and screw the end cap back on.

I need help understading what the baffles look like. With the end cap off I see a thick walled tube just on the inside of the chrome outer wall. This inner tube has alot of drilled holes on the inner part. Then about 10" in there is a flap looking piece covering about half of the pipe opening. Am I removing the entire piece that is next to the chrome outer wall??

Thanks again for the replys!!

Mike

Yes. It's all one piece, starting with the tapered end you see now, and extending inside the chrome for about 12 - 18 inches. Like I said, use the handle of a hammer (rubber coated), and tap from the other end (end that slips over the header pipe), until the baffle starts coming out.

Sorry it took me awhile to reply, I had to fly a 3 day trip, but when I got home from Chicago tonight, I did as you said. The hammer trick worked real well!! So now that I have the inside tube out, what do I need to do with it to remove the packing?? It appears to be one piece with a weld on the front end, and a cap like end on the rear end. I tried to remove the rear end part but no luck. While I was going to wait for your replys, I decided to put the pipes back on without the baffles just to see what it would sound like, holy s**t! a little loud, LOL, but it sounded good, deep and throaty, but a little loud. Also there is no way to attach the fishtails, as they screw into the baffles themselves. So anxiously await your replys, as they haven'y lead me astray yet!!!

Michael

The packing is inside the pipe now. You'll have to yank it out by hand with a little help with a long screwdriver. Then you can put the baffles back in and see how it sounds (before replacing the tips).

If that isn't loud enough, then you'll need someone with some welding experience so remove some of the baffle (preferable from the middle section).

Post back if this doesn't make sense.

The pipe, after I took out the baffle tube out, was clean, minus a little rust!! It was just an empty tube, the pipe I mean. The tube I took out is about 16" long and just smaller than the pipe. I can put some pics on my haome web address if that might help explain what I'm looking at!

Michael,
again ty for all the help Clay!!!

Nope, no need. It sounds like the packing has already been removed. My other suggestion stands, however, which is to cut down the baffle to change the sound. As well, I heard talk that wrapping the baffle in steel wool will change the sound as well, although I'm not sure to what extent.

Is your baffle straight? Mine was larger on both ends and smaller in the middle.

I've modified baffles quite a few times during the years trying to "adjust" the sound. Take a hacksaw and cut about 3 inches off of the baffle, put it back in and listen to the results. You can whack off as much as you like till you get the sound you want. But remember there's no going back :p . If you don't like the results you will just have to buy a new set of stock baffles.

I currently am running a set of SE Double Barrels on my FatBoy with the stock baffles removed and a set of "Thunder Monsters" installed. They give it a deeper, and louder sound while retaining proper back pressure so I don't lose any performance. I swear by the Thunder Monsters, after tinkering with baffles on my bike and friends bikes for years I have finally found the sound I always wanted.

Here's a link for the Thunder Monsters if you are interested....


http://www.bigcitythunder.com/index.shtml


FBR :cool:

I was just about to cut the end off, then I thought I would wait for your replys. They are one thickness for the length of the pipe. FBR TY, are you say that you can buy baffles to slid into the SE's?? and that you can buy stock baffles also?? I think I will cut the ends off and hack a little at a time to get the sound. I spent most of the afternoon putting engine guards and highway pegs on, so I will wait till tomorrow. FBR, I will visit the Thunder Monster site tonight, TY for the replys!!

Mike, I let you know how the sound is!!!

FBR I went to the site and I like what I see. Although my slip ons are pretty wide, so I will measure ans email them to see If they have something for my pipes. Thanx for the info!!

Mike

Mike, yes you can buy replacement baffles. By the way most of the SE pipes are made by Vance & Hines. Also if you measure the ID of the mufflers you can order baffles from after market catalogs such as J&P, and Drag Specialties. Any Harley dealer, or Indy has these catalogs to look at and order from also.

When I called to order my Thunder Monsters the lady asked what pipes I had, and she already had the info for all the ID's of the various brands of pipes.

But, if I were you I would modify your baffles before doing anything else.....you might just get the sound you were wanting without spending anymore $$$

good luck, and let us know how it turns out...by the way, hang on to that Heritage Springer...cool retro bike, I wish they would have kept making them.

FBR :cool:

Thanx all for the help!! I cut the baffle right in the middle, and removed the oter shell and the packing. I put them back in and they sound pretty good to me, and I had a few compliments on them form some other riders!! So I will run these for awhile and see how I like them. So, no do I need to have the EFI remapped?? I have the stock filter on and will be replacing it later. But for this littl mod do I need to have it done now?

Mike, and I have wanted a springer for a long time, when they said it was the last year, it gave me an excuse to get one!! LOL

Sorry for the bad spelling!!

Mike, how is the bike running?.....what I mean by that is, does it backfire on decelleration? And I don't just mean the popcorn popping that most bikes do.....but serious backfiring. Or, is it farting or belching out the air cleaner anything like that ?

If not, I would just ride her....leaving most of the baffle in you still should have adequate back pressure. And with the air box still stock your air & fuel mixture is probably still in a good range.

Once you replace the air box with a free flowing one, then you will need to look at getting a reflash cause you will be running way too lean on fuel....I would recommend the SE system, or equivilent (Ness, Kuryakyn)....anything using the K&N filter.

Glad you got some rumble now.....enjoy !!

FBR :cool:

No more popping then I had before, It runs as well as it did before the mod. i had read that it maight backfire on decel. but I have just the same as I previously did!! I will ride it as is, and enjoy. Again TY for all the help, and I look forward to chatting on a different subject!!

Michael Foss
malvern, IA (by Omaha NE!!)

Do you have SE twos?

I dont know if they are two's. When I bought the bike new I just had them put SE's on before I picked it up. They are the only one's they said they could get for the 03' Heritage Springer! (screaming eagles that is)

Mike

The p/n for mine is 65116-98a. FBR, when you said that the lady at Thunder Monster had the ID already, does that mean she had a part that matched the part number you had for your pipes? Sorry for the late response, I was away riding all weekend.

Clay, I just told her what pipes I had. I didn't have to give her a part number.

FBR :cool:

Cool, then I may just have to call and ask "the question" LOL

Thanks.

I'm runnin cycle shack M pipes and through comparison on the dyno against other pipes we have dyno which is a shitload including Thunder Monsters the M pipes are the best bang for the buck. Its about cashing in on a old technology. But any improvment is better than stock and SEII's are probably the worst upgrade you can make. The dealers almost give the II's away. For about 100 buck's more you can go with the Bassinis they also produce great results but not enough for me to change. If you are just intrested in sound and dont want to send 200 bucks the Thunder Monsters are good and if you dont dyno it youll never know. Also the Vaince and Hines and Sampsons that we have dynoed have had weak bottom end results but no matter what they tell you you cant have sound and torque. Pipes have to have the same length to produce good power also. Oh well just felt like falppin my yap
Ride On

All good comments/information, fatster. I can worry about torque when some engine mods are done, at the moment, what I want it sound and back pressure so I can get the mileage to a decent number (42 - 45 mpg).

I guess I'm getting too old to feel the "need for speed" :D
It amazes me that guys spend thousand, and thousands of dollars on major engine mods on their Harley, and countless hours at the dyno worring over the curve.

And the only thing they can out run is another Harley ;)

A stock 600cc crotch rocket with a skinny 19 year old kid on it will leave them in the dust......not trying to offend anyone, but Harleys are made for cruising, not racing.....and I am content to just rumble down the road with a big ass grin on my face :D All I've done to my bike is a stage 1 upgrade, pipes, air box, and carb re-jet, and that's all I will ever do.
If I ever do feel that "need for speed" again, I will get a stock Hyabusa and out run every Harley on the road ;)

just my .02

FBR :cool:

FBR, I'm kinda' with you on that rant. I gots the plastic fantastic sittin' next to my Kinger for when I wanna haul almighty ass. BUT, I still am forced to recognize my friend's wishes to make their Harleys fast because they have made a choice not to ride anything else. That is their choice, I have tried for years to enlighten them on speed and handling, even going as far as to loan them my gix for the day, but they are Harley riders and Harley-only riders. That's cool I guess. Each to his/her own right? Now how much lower can I make my Kinger so it handles even worse? snicker.

WooHoo, I agree with you totally....I'm not really ranting, as much as observing. And your right, it's their bike to with what they wish, and I ride with guys that have thousands invested in their "stroked" Harleys. And I have spent hours helping them build the fire breathing beasts......"it's all good" !!!

As for lowering that King.....my FatBoy is stock height and my floorboards are like razor blades on the back ends from grinding them down in the twisties....hell I would be afraid I would "high center" it if I lowered her anymore :eek:

FBR :cool:

I have a new not used white bro's lowering kit for a 02-03 FLH- FLHT if antone is intersted if not I list it on E-Bay this weekend retails for $125. Let it go for 100 bucks with shipping included. Save a little but I cant eat it all.