Tips on heating and bending Fatty?

[Tyl3r]

Well, I noticed that the outlet of the pipe is a little closer to the air box and spring than I thought would it was.

My initial thought is to heat up an area of the pipe with a torch, put a bar in the outlet of the pipe, and bend it away from the shock. Am I going to kink the pipe? Can I use MAP gas or should I use oxy/acty? Is there a better spot to heat than another? Should I get it glowing?

I was thinking at first to heat it where it turns into a cone just before the outlet. Then after looking at it, I may be able to twist the first bend where it comes out of the jug and bends downward. What do you think?

Anyone have experience with this? Any input would be much appreciated!

[canamfan]

I have a little experience with a pipe I bought used that was tweaked.I think it was on the FMF website. They recommend you clamp the pipe in a vice by the mounting tabs and then bend it with whatever ever you need to get enough leverage on the pipe. Like a piece of pipe or tubing slipped over the head pipe. I haven't had much luck with trying to heat the pipe as far as bending, it seems to just kink or distort where the hot spot is. I'd try it cold. I have had good luck popping out dents with heat by plugging both ends. One end with a shrader valve, for air pressure then heat the dent and it pops right out.

[Tyl3r]

I'm glad you said that, I didn't even think to hold it by the mounting tabs when bending it. Also, I could see it kinking too where the heat it. I'll try it out cold first and see how it goes.

[Tyl3r]

I put it in the vice, upside down the with the top mount being clamped. I then put a jack handle into the pipe inlet and grabbed the pipe outlet with my other hand. With a friend holding the pipe to stabilize it in the vice, I spread the pipe apart some if you will (no heat involved). I did it a few times just a little at a time to get it right, probably ended up moving the outlet over towards the frame about 1/2" or so. It now ends up being perfectly centered between the airbox and frame.

Since that was fixed, I could then deal with the set of problems that created... which was none of my exhaust mounts lining up any more haha

I had to make a custom pipe hanger for the top mount to the frame. The stock one was bout 1/2" too short now. I'll take some pics and put them in my build thread and further explain. I also had to re-do the adapter plate that I made to slide the silencer back into the pipe. The bottom mount doesn't line up either, but I was able to bend/tweak it enough for it to work so I could ride this weekend. I need to address that though asap before it breaks on the trail. Like I said, I'll post pics of that in my build thread after I take some.

[canamfan]

I forgot to mention that once a pipe has been tweaked out of alignment things never seem to fit quite the same. It sounds like the bending it cold method worked pretty good for you. You might give it a few more tries, you just might get it to line up better.