[Indian-Corey]

I’m very strongly considering changing out the stock decatted headpipe with a Jackpot before changing out my Vance and Hines turn downs to something else. My 2018 Vintage has a little over 5000 miles on it. Is it a problem to spray the nuts securing the head pipe with a penetrating oil? I’m concerned mainly on the rear head that all that heat even at 15 ftlbs of torque may be a pain to remove. I have a shop manual for it and I’ve done a head pipe replacement on my 14 HD Streetglide so I have some mechanical inclination. Also those of you who done this what did you do to get a good angle in the bottom rear headpipe bolt? And did you replace your gaskets?

 

[spykez]

Mine actually wasn't that bad. I mean it's tight and I did it in a parking lot and the head bolts were the easiest part of the removal. That xpipe was a mother fucker.

And yes, you take those pipes off, replace the gaskets. They're crush gaskets so you really should replace them.

I had like 6K miles on mine when I did the change

 

[Indian-Corey]

Thanks for the reply

 

[CraigB1960]

Is it a problem to spray the nuts securing the head pipe with a penetrating oil?

No, it will burn off on first start.

Also those of you who done this what did you do to get a good angle in the bottom rear headpipe bolt?

Use a swivel extension or swivel joint

And did you replace your gaskets?

Always...always...always replace the gaskets. My dealer stocks both Indian exhaust gaskets at $20 per and a lower cost Cometic for $5 per. The Cometic are the ones Rinehart supplies with their header.

The key is to re-torque at first engine cycle, again at 50 miles, 150 miles and finally at 500 miles. The gaskets compress with each engine heat cycle and seem to compress to a final state by 500 miles.

 

[TigerGA]

I put a little high temp anti seize lube on the exhaust studs. Just rechecked them a couple weeks ago, and after 15-20k miles, none were loose. What I found to be a muther#%&er was separating the exhaust header at the joint near the floorboard. When it went back together, that got anti seize lube too.

 

[Indian-Corey]

I guess since I’ve not heard or seen anything about the gasket seating that I need anything special to seat the gaskets like I did with my HD? I watched a video and made my own tool out of a carriage bolt, washers and a locking nut. Worked like a charm.

 

[CraigB1960]

I guess since I’ve not heard or seen anything about the gasket seating that I need anything special to seat the gaskets like I did with my HD? I watched a video and made my own tool out of a carriage bolt, washers and a locking nut. Worked like a charm.

No, just place/push them in. Not a tight fit.