V & H Baggers broke

[watchman]

The rear head pipe on Liz's bike broke yesterday. As normal is it 2 to 3 inches away from the rear head right in the first bend. I am told that this is a common problem with the Vance and Hines Baggers with any age on them. These pipes are the ones she had on her 04 Nomad and they have almost 70,000 miles on them. Of course this could not happen just down the street we where 30 miles north of Alton, IL., about 150 miles from home. We accessed the problem and she decided to go ahead and ride it with the broken pipe. So on to Alton to Fast Eddies we went and then returned home after lunch.

So I am going to call Vance and Hines as soon as they open this morning and just see about getting a replacement pipe. I went back and read the archives on the VROC site and a guy there said you could get a replace pipe for $49.95 and shipping. I intend to do a little bitching and see if they will do any better given the fact that this is a common problem with the baggers that have any age on them.

The pipe can be repaired, the fix is to weld the crack and then weld a sleeve over the crack leaving about an inch of sleeve on each side. This will be a sleeve of about 3 inches on her bike as the crack did not break very clean.

So this morning I removed the pipe by covering the bike up as much a possible. Removing the heat shields, wedged the pipe together and made some spot welds on the crack. Then unbolted the muffler and header flange and remove the pipe. If I have to make the repair to the pipe at least the it will have the right angle on it and fit back OK.

[cactusjack]

I wouldn't expect much sympathy from V&H. From what I've heard, they deny that such a problem exists.

[moenko]

Breaking pipes from such a renowned manufacturer - unreal !!! Good luck, bud!

[watchman]

Just got off the phone with V & H. Yes, they have NO SYMPATHY!!! I was honest and told them how old the pipe where are way out of warranty. So this is a special order, cost is now $76.05, plus shipping with 3 to 4 weeks delivery. I told them if I placed an order it would be with a different company. I got the old, "well that is your decision" answer.

So I guess it is off to the shop for repairs.

[moenko]

Time to inform the Better Business Bureau !!! I have no compassion for a company that sells faulty designs and then denies it. If we just get enough people to testify to this conditions, I think they should be reported somehow ... just MHO.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by moenko

Time to inform the Better Business Bureau !!! I have no compassion for a company that sells faulty designs and then denies it. If we just get enough people to testify to this conditions, I think they should be reported somehow ... just MHO.

If the pipes are out of warranty, they have no legal obligation here. Whether it's morally or ethically right is irrelevant. Of course we'd all like to see companies repair or replace items out of warranty, especially when it involves us, but from a business standpoint, they have to draw the line somewhere. As someone here pointed out last week, V&H has no control over the installation and maintenance of their products once they are sold.

Notify the BBB if a company doesn't perform under warranty, but to complain about an out of warranty product is fruitless.

[moenko]

Scott, that is all correct, but if they knowingly sell products that have a good chance of becoming defect for no apparent reason, don't you think there's something wrong and should somehow be brought to someone's attention? Seeminly this is not an isolated case.

[mikesth]

BBB won't help - it is an organization that members (vendors) pay to be listed in the BBB listing

that may be state wide, city wide or country wide


I still think these failures go back to the fact that the coupling with the muffler on the back jug isn't properly deburred - choice is to deburr or cut 1" off.

[bobzinger]

I've been told the key is to not tighten them down at the head until they're completely installed. I didn't do that. I installed the head pipe and tightened it down and then installed the muffler. It really preloaded the headpipe. Someone told me that that is a big reason the headpipes crack...so I took everything apart and re-tightened it all.

[Blue Rebel]

I did the same with my V&H, I cut 1"off. I pre-installed everything prior to tightening anything.
So far, all is good, knock on wood!

[bigdave]

think ill go with the cobra true dual slash downs

[rewindgy]

Knock on wood - pipes not broke yet! Muffler baffles fell apart less than one year old - no sympathy from V & H. Will never buy another V & H product. I've got Roadhouse on Drifter, Supertrapp on KLR, soon to have Supertrapp on Nomad. Had Jardines on Venture!

[rewindgy]

Knock on wood - pipes not broke yet! Muffler baffles fell apart less than one year old - no sympathy from V & H. Will never buy another V & H product. I've got Roadhouse on Drifter, Supertrapp on KLR, soon to have Supertrapp on Nomad. Had Jardines on Venture!

[Top Cat]

Is it me or is there an echo in here. ;)

[rewindgy]

Echo Echo!! This has happened before!