V&H header pipe breakage

[ringadingh]

I patched mine up about seven years ago, and its never broke again.

[voyager]

Originally Posted by kawvoy

Hey Kevin, I might take those ultimate baffles off your hands. Could you bring them with you to the rally? I'll see you in Salmon Arm if not somewhere along the way.
Andy

Will do!

[roadhawg]

Obviously a very common problem, and VH is trying to downplay it!
Had mine welded like the others, and it is still going strong, knock on wood!

If I ever replace any pipes it will be Cobras as I hAVE NEVER HEARD OF THEM CRACKING.

[voyager]

Update: Installed my new Cobra's with the billet tips and right off I hated the sound. Reminded me of a sewing machine. I missed my old V&H with the ultimate baffles. So, I decided to start modifying the baffles. I removed both sides and tried running the engine with straight pipes. Egad! that's way to loud. So, now what, start hacking away at my new steel baffles and experiment? Then I decided to look at my old V&H and the ultimate baffles to see, by some rare hope, that I could adapt them. Well, wouldn't you know ( because I thought they were engineered for the V&H only ) They are the same diameter and slid right in, bolted up just fine and still left room to install and bolt up the billet tips. Started it up......... sweet, my old sound is back again. Now I'm a happy camper. Okay, it's still loud but I'm on the side that knows that loud pipes make others aware of you on the road. I had a friend and his wife killed on their Harley's a few years back ( they had stock exhaust, so it was quite ). The farmer that hit them told the cops " I didn't even hear them coming......" When I'm in city traffic you can bet that everyone knows I'm there so no erratic changes into my lane that's for sure.

[seawolf]

Glad it all worked Kevin. I like the V&H sound too. Did u get my pm?

[roadhawg]

Update on old thread, vh pipe cracked again but it lasted over 2 years, so will weld it again, or look for a used set. From what I am hearing, vh pipe cracking is much more common then they would like you to believe!

[Top Cat]

Oh they believe it, they just don't want to admit they have a problem.
But why should they, guys keep on buying them

[redjay]

Known issue that V&H does not want to acknowledge.

[thebierguy]

Reading this makes me want to go with Cobra when i upgrade my exhaust some day. Any difference in sound between Cobra and V&H? And benefits associated with each brand?

[DragonLady58]

Some bikes never experience this problem, others it happens repeatedly. Might not be a design flaw, it might be a lot of piping they used from a certain pipe co. But, it always happens on the rear pipe. When it does, you can tell, it looks like the pipe has been superheated.
All my experience, I drill a small hole at the ends of the cracks, then I tig it up....but can be mig'ed up, too.
Wise thing to do is to add a support piece over it to help hold the pipe together, usually a cut piece from the next size tubing up. a support patch....
Theres a few diff. pipes for the big Vulcans, I like the V&H Sound with the ultimate baffles. Great to know that the baffles fit the cobras!
When I repaint my bike, I'm adding the SS Flextube to the front/rear pipes for the nostalgia look of the old bikes had....
The RoadGlide fairing, the big front wheel, and the black chromed duals will go on my 1500 trike....

[MAS Tequila]

It's not as common as a few make it out to be.

If the truth be known, it's a very low percentage.

And how can you expect a company to warranty a product that may or may not have been installed properly.

I've had 4 different sets of V&H Baggers and only 1 has cracked a pipe.

Now before you go and say that's 25%, it cracked because the bolt holding the muffler to the bag support, I knew there was only 1 instead of 2, backed out on I-95 outside of Darlington. I heard this weird noise, and pulled over. The muffler was dragging and the rear pipe cracked as a result.

No manufacturer can be blamed for that one.

So out of 4 sets not 1 cracked on it's own.

Now no one, nobody complains about the straight or long shots cracking, and they're made the same way.

I still believe that they are stressed by improper installation causing the pipe to flex with the movement of the engine.

If the bolts through the bag support are difficult to line up, then something is WRONG.

I've heard guys talk about putting screwdrivers through one of the holes to move the muffler, or the bag support so the other bolt will line up.

Think about all of that stress on the pipe, and over time something has to give.

That's my theory.

[roadhawg]

Had it welded again, this time with a heavy metal sleeve, so if cracks again it won't be in the sleeve!