Help installing V&H exhaust--how to orient the clamps for the rear cylinders?

[TheFleshRocket]

I'm installing a Vance and Hines exhaust on my Gen2 and am having a heck of a time figuring out how to orient the clamps for the rear cylinders. It seems like no matter which way I turn them, they either interfere with each other, or I can't get the rear pipes installed because the clamps contact the frame. (Of course I didn't take a picture of my Optimal Carbone before I removed the clamps from it.) And of course I can't find an installation manual either. Any recommendations on how to orient the clamps, please?

EDIT - It's a Hindle 4-1, not a V&H! Silly me.

 

[Itgoes]

Flip the one on the right over.....then spin the bolt head to the same orientation as the one on the left

 

[Traumahawk]

Flip the one on the right over.....then spin the bolt head to the same orientation as the one on the left

Exactly.

 

[Itgoes]

 

[Itgoes]

Exactly.

Actually Eric now that I look at it again his photo is looking from the front.........so maybe not exactly right but hopefully my photo helps. They should both be the same angled toward the right rear of the bike so that you can access them more easily......that's the way I do it anyway.

 

[Itgoes]

The manual install manual is here........not sure it's helpful though.

 

[Itgoes]

Did you have the Optimal installed with the stock mufflers and just want to change the look?

The V&H looks nice I think, but it's not really an "upgrade" to the Optimal X-Pipe otherwise IMO.

 

[Traumahawk]

Turn them around so you can reach them thru that opening in the pic that Mark posted. These should do the trick. I cant remember if I had a 3 inch extension on it or not, but flip both clamps around and angle them to the right side about a 45 degree angle.

 

[Traumahawk]

https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in...kDwmhcpJEr1xsJsWsh763540bJ1hoqqAaArOFEALw_wcB

 

[TheFleshRocket]

View attachment 73002

That's the money shot, right there. After orienting the clamps like that, I was able to get the pipes up into place.

 

[TheFleshRocket]

The manual install manual is here........not sure it's helpful though.

Alas, that is the manual for the 4-2 slip ons, not the 4-1 "full" system. I haven't been able to find the instructions for the full system. I even got on chat with V&H, who directed me to email some other person at V&H. That person replied asking me for the year of my bike and the type of exhaust (even though I'd said "Gen2 Vmax" in the email sent) and I am awaiting their reply.

 

[TheFleshRocket]

Did you have the Optimal installed with the stock mufflers and just want to change the look?

The V&H looks nice I think, but it's not really an "upgrade" to the Optimal X-Pipe otherwise IMO.

I hate the look of the stock mufflers. I would have just gotten a pair of aftermarket mufflers, but it seems like every manufacturer that sells slipons for the Gen2 bundles them with a cat-delete mid-pipe, and the inside diameter of the slipons doesn't match the stock catalytic converter or the Optimal Carbone x-pipe, meaning that I'd have to install the 4-2-2 collector pipes too.

Also, I don't think the Vmax sounds "v-fourish" enough.. my '99 VFR 800 sounds much better, and it's got a 4-1 Two Brothers slip-on. I am hoping that I'll like the tone better with the V&H 4-1 system.

 

[TheFleshRocket]

Turn them around so you can reach them thru that opening in the pic that Mark posted. These should do the trick. I cant remember if I had a 3 inch extension on it or not, but flip both clamps around and angle them to the right side about a 45 degree angle.

View attachment 73004

I "made" a tool like that by cutting off the L part of an allen key, the last time I tinkered with the exhaust. Probably should have just bought the set like you suggested. LOL

 

[TheFleshRocket]

I got the rear pipes slid into place, and the front pipes loosely fitted as well. The problem I've got now is that the frame mount point for the collector is about 1/3" higher than the mount on the collector itself. I'm not sure how to rectify that. The rear pipes are up as high as they'll go.. when I pound on it by hand, I get the solid "metal against metal bottomed out" feeling. I put a jack under those pipes with a piece of wood and lifted on it, just in case. No change. The front pipes are slid over the studs on the head, but not tightened.

As far as I can tell, the only way to get the collector higher is to push the rear pipes higher where they mount to the rear "headers" but as I mentioned above, I'm just about positive that they're as high up as they're going to go. What to try next?

EDIT - Well, looking at my last pic, maybe the rear pipes should go up a little higher?

 

[Itgoes]

Alas, that is the manual for the 4-2 slip ons, not the 4-1 "full" system. I haven't been able to find the instructions for the full system. I even got on chat with V&H, who directed me to email some other person at V&H. That person replied asking me for the year of my bike and the type of exhaust (even though I'd said "Gen2 Vmax" in the email sent) and I am awaiting their reply.

I didn't know V&H makes a 4-1.

Are you sure it's not another pipe with a V&H muffler?

 

[Traumahawk]

On mine to get everything to fit, I have to use my jack 2 ways. First with a block of wood, right where the 2 rear pipes are, so that as I raise the jack, the wood would be higher, and push directly on the rear pipes. With those snug, then I moved the wood, to push on the exhaust pipe on the right side of the bike, to push the mid-pipe, muffler into position, then then BACK to the rear pipes, just to make certain that it was all in position. This is inbetween using a rubber mallet to coerce the front pipes into position....LOL.

I havent done a lot of motorcycle exhaust, but this is the worst one that Ive ever done. I pray that I never need to take it back off again. One thing that made it bad, was everything was jet-hot coated, so everything was VERY snug.

 

[TheFleshRocket]

I didn't know V&H makes a 4-1.

Are you sure it's not another pipe with a V&H muffler?

OH SHIT, it's a Hindle. LOL

Well now I feel like a dumbass.

To be fair, I bought it (here on the forum) and the muffler has been debadged, so I forgot what brand it is.

 

[TheFleshRocket]

I found the Brock's Performance 4-1 system installation instructions. Looks like I did some things out of order.. I'll start from scratch and follow these instructions and see if I have any better luck.
https://brocksperformance.com/content/Instructions/VMAX/994328.pdf

 

[Traumahawk]

Most ...if. not all of the of Gen 2 4-1 exhaust are hindles with different cans on them. Even brock's is actually a hindle. I was disappointed with the instructions that I got from hindle. They were for a generic I line 4 cylinder....not for a V4 or even Vmax specific.

I just looked at brock's directions and they are for a Gen 2. I will squirrel those back in the electronic files. Thanks for posting.