First "real" TIG welding project coming up.

[225]

I need advice on welding stainless exhaust tubing. I bought a exhaust system that belongs to another bike. I needed the mufflers off of it. And that was the cheapest route.

Here they are:


Here is the header:


See the bracket right after the coupling? That's where I will cut it. Then build a Y pipe.

Now, I am buying a new header pipe. So all I have to make is a mid-pipe. I also have to buy exhaust pipe expanders, and a second regulator for purging.

I saw a video where the guy was running about 45 amps. I will be using a foot pedal, so it will be all by feel.

Any tips?

[Rambozo]

Use as large a cup as you can manage to keep the shielding over the cooling weld puddle. Keeps the amps low to control your travel speed, too. How thick is the tubing? Are you going to make this two piece, or all one piece? Be sure you have excellent fitup and unless you know the exact alloys, use 309L for filler as it will handle a wide range of alloys, even if they are not the same.
I bought an exhaust system off another bike expecting stainless, but got titanium instead. Something to watch out for.

[225]

Use as large a cup as you can manage to keep the shielding over the cooling weld puddle. Keeps the amps low to control your travel speed, too. How thick is the tubing? Are you going to make this two piece, or all one piece? Be sure you have excellent fitup and unless you know the exact alloys, use 309L for filler as it will handle a wide range of alloys, even if they are not the same.
I bought an exhaust system off another bike expecting stainless, but got titanium instead. Something to watch out for.

The largest cup I have I think is a 10. The tubing is .065.

The exhaust header is made of Ti. So is the mufflers. But as you know, I just need to make a mid pipe that will connect the two.

I need to order a few exhaust pipe expanders. Once I get home ( at work offshore), I will fit everything up, then start ordering stainless pipe.

Do you know where I cold find some locally? Like maybe a exhaust shop or something?

[Rambozo]

I'm sure a good exhaust shop would sell you some stainless tubing and they could bend you some U bends to cut up for your pipe and do the expanding as well. Maybe look for a place that makes headers as they would have the smaller sizes that you need.

[225]

They have a website I might buy from: www.stainlessheaders.com.

My buddy measured the OD of the 2 exhaust ports of the engine head. I am kinda thinking I might get bold and build a true dual system. I haven't bought the headers yet because I can't make up my mind if I want to buy Ti or stainless.

Here are some pics of a true dual system, not Akrapovic though:





What do you think? I think I might give it a go. Most of the welds will be fusion welds too.

[zoama]

Is there any real gain to a dual system on a single cylinder ? I would think a properly sized single mid pipe and muffler would give the best performance with the least weight and ease of maintenance.

[youngnstudly]

I agree with zoama about running a single instead of duals! Twice the headache, twice the welding, more weight, more to fail later, etc. Your fit up will have to be darn near (if not) perfect for fusion welds on that thinner material! I don't remember who gave me this tip, but somewhere along the line a friend or coworker clued me into taping latex (or vinyl) gloves onto the ends of tubing as "caps" when purging (or at least one end so you can see if you need more or less pressure to keep the glove inflated). I normally use rubber expansion plugs, but thought I'd throw that out there. It's easier to visualize the pressure inside the tubing with a glove taped over the opening, plus it's a one size fits all. Of course this may be common knowledge to people who weld tubing and fancy exhaust systems all day long....that person isn't me!

[X83]

You might want to read this thread over on the welding web: http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?p=1095581#post1095581

These clamps work well to spot weld your elbow angles into position: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ice-Engine-W...item27ccc8800d

[youngnstudly]

I also have to buy exhaust pipe expanders

Did you have a particular brand of exhaust pipe expander in mind? I was thinking of getting one for myself and was looking for feedback from someone who has one. There seems to be quite a bit of difference in price on some of these, as well as a few different styles of this type of tool. You can get (what appears to be) the same tool in a range from $10 all the way up to $70 with no name stampings on the tooling, or any distinguishing marks to decipher one expander from another. I'd hate to think that someone could make a profit on a tool by selling it for $10, while the competitor of that someone is charging 6 times the expense for the same ("no-name" brand) item! If you're going to screw me over royally, at least have the class to do it with something made entirely in the United States so I know it won't bend or break anytime during the next 100 years!