IP2 and Commander exhaust manifolds

[gripper]

Cracked balance pipes seem to be the norm on these bikes. I cut mine off and got a local fabricator to patch the hole. it is easier to remove the silencer and manifold as one piece then beat it to death on the bench to get them apart.

[commando-rotary]

hi Dave I found (by accident) that by not clamping silencers to manifold and just sealing with copper grease the manifold doesn't crack I did it just to make disassembly easy but the bonus was no cracks I assume that this allows silencers to move freely and takes the strain off the manifold. happy xmas etc

[kanonkopdrinker]

I too never replaced the clamps on my IP2 .... and it never seemed the worse for it.I reckoned along similar lines to you Dave that it allowed a little sliding of the silences as the metals expanded; certainly there was no leak of gases.David

[johnbirchjar]

Quite a number of years (and many thousands of miles ago) I had the Classic develope a "blow" on the manifold(where the exhaust and balance pipe are welded) and knowing what an absolute pig of a job it is to remove the silencers from the manifold,I took the whole lot off as one and had the "blow" welded, off the bike,BIG MISTAKE ,when I tried to fit the manifold,(still with the silencers attached) back on the bike,the heat from the welding had distorted the manifold so that none of the holes on one side would line up(nore the hangers for the exhausts)after much head scratching I decided to cut about 2" from the centre of the balance pipe,get a piece of stainless tube that was a "snug fit" diametre,cut some slots in both ends,now I had some "wriggle room" on the manifold, any way,it worked a treat,couple of s/s exhaust clamps on the tubing,job done ,J.B.

[kanonkopdrinker]

JBThis story deserves a wider audience!Can you write it again and email it to Rob for a future newsletter?Even better, send him a piccie too!DC

[johnbirchjar]

Hi Dave,Will do,(exept for piccies,no camara&no knowledge )rgds,J.B.