My mufflers won't come off

I've got the stock 1985 mufflers on my bike, they are not welded to the collector but they do have years of rust. I've PB'ed them, I've WD-40'ed them, I've whacked them with a rubber mallet, I've taken the bolts out of all the connector brackets, and still they will not come off.

Any ideas?

 

Wrap a wet rag around the header next to the coupling, then heat the flange of the muffler with a blowtorch, get it good & hot, & give it a twist.

 

Sadly I'm a poor college student with a novice work shop and do not own a blowtorch. Is there a way I can do this procedure with poor, ghetto college student tools, short of holding my microwave up to it with the door open?

 

blowtorch is like $7 at ace hardware.... and they're fun party toys too, if you have something good to set ablaze.....

just kidding, no arson on my watch.

 

I swear by "Kroil" for loosening stuck, rusted, frozen hardware. Use ity at work all the time. I work on 40+ year old steam pipes and fittings and this stuff has never let me down. It 'creeps' , if you will, into a one millionth inch gap to dissolve away corrosion and free bolts etc. I see no reason why it would not work in this case.

You can pick it up at Ace hardware or any automotive parts store.

HTH

GReg

 

Kroil has a "Google special" right now, 2 cans, shipped, for $12. http://www.kanolabs.com/google/ I think I need to try this stuff on my fork caps.

 

Is "Kroil" safe on gaskets and rubber? I know that PB Blaster and WD-40 sometimes will cause gaskets to expand and make you face the fun task of replacing them.

 

Good question. But the exhaust gaskets aren't made of anything damageable by solvents so it could be used for that without worry.

 

Kroil is AWESOME stuff. I use that in my garage CONSTANTLY. IIRC it literally eats rust, rather quickly. Also various rubber things. Wouldn't use it anywhere any gaskets or anything like that are important. Now, for your exhaust? I doubt you're gonna hurt anything there with it. Kroil is amazing stuff, we used it on my motor when we couldnt get some of the bolts loose during disassembly, didn't break a single one after using that stuff. Bolts that hadn't been moved in 28 years.

 

It shall be put to the test. The fork cap/spring seats on BOTH my 550 Secas are solidly rusted in place; I have applied all manner of penetrant and managed to "tap" them down a bit, (just to clear the circlips) they won't come back up (one did, but not all the way.) I repeatedly applied penetrant and rode the '81 the last half of the season hoping the jarring from going over bumps would pop them---to no avail.

Kroil shall be evaluated.

 

If the Kroil works for the fork caps let me know. Mine are the same way.

 

I don't want to hijack this thread, but let me just say if it doesn't, my next step is to drill and tap the fork caps and pull them out. Then put screws with sealing washers in the resultant holes so I don't have to disassemble the forks the next time I change the oil.

Just ordered my Kroil.

 

I'm excited to see if this stuff works. If it does I might just hose my bike down with it. :lol:

 

Has anyone used KROIL to free up a seized piston?

 

Ive poured some chuck norris sweat into my cylinders, it made the engine run, even though the key was off, powerful stuff

 

Schooter that is without a doubt the most profound thing you've said since joining and I bow to you for it.

Wiz, if this stuff will free up the fork caps it will free Northern Ireland.

 

I haven't, but I have no doubt that it will free it up, unless it got welded in there. I'm telling you, this is absolutely incredible stuff!!!

 

We gonna find out.

 

Unbolted all the screws, hit my mufflers with Kroil, walked into the next room for 20 minutes and heard a clunk as one of them actually fell off on it's own!

PB, WD-40, a screw driver, and a rubber mallet didn't move it. 20 minutes of no work at all got it off.

Way to go Kanolabs. Kroil will always be on my shelf from now on!

 

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are!

Well, "witty" for sure, maybe not funny.........