Cracked Silencer

  • Thread starter Thread starter laverlesmains
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laverlesmains

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so my left side pipe cracked at the weld, and has spread about halfway 'round the pipe.  The bike didn't have the original double stud rubber blocks, just a double hole rubber block with a couple of bolts.    I gather there just isn't enough dampening with that set up and it's caused the crack.

So...
1) If I drill holes at either end of the crack will that stop further propagation of the crack?
2) can this be welded?
3) Anyone else had this happen?

thanks, Tim

IMG_1163.JPG
 
Chrome or stainless?
Either way it's always going to be visible.

Just goes to show the proper rubber mounts are needed.
I've never seen a silencer crack there before.
 
they're stainless...  ugh.

and thanks for the link Phil  >:(

so should I drill to stop the crack from propagating?
 
Yes, Ive had it happen on my Jota. Took them off and round to the local race car builders who tigged them back again..
Just to put in perspective for all the doubters, Ive had them crack just about everywhere since 94.  I blew the end caps off by 1996. Had new ones made from billet, you're not going to convince me that one was down to how the silencer sat on its mountings  ...

Cheers, sorry about your misfortune, bike is tucked away but I can probably try and take some pics if it will really make you feel any better.

Also stainless steel silencers, Keihan.

Rob
 
thanks for the response Robjota..  will look into a good local TIG welder.

in the meantime, was finally going to crash the monthly Ducati gathering at a local pizza place tonight.  organized by the folks at BevelHeaven.. 

Guess I'll show up with cracked silencer
 
There's a fair chance it will crack off completely so I'd keep your ears open and a watchfull eye on what's left. They do crack at the mitred join behind, but no reason why it shouldn't weld up nicely and with the correct mounts you will probably have no more problems, unless you're throttle happy .. :D
 
Keihan 10 yr guarantee sent my one back when it cracked ,sorted it within a week, also Malcolms" would be a fine replacement.
 
interesting on the 10 yr guarantee...  dropped a note to our dear friend in Canada who supplied it, and he didn't mention anything.  will follow up with him, he always does right by me.
 
Yes I hear that but I also feel for the dealer who has to act as an intermediary. I bought mine off a UK dealer who I'm friends with still, I couldn't blame him for not wanting to take it back a second time, especially if clearly so many other folks have such success with the same products. They simply are not as resilient as the mild steel stuff and if  you are really hard on the bike they are more likely to fail.
 
Mild steel / chrome sounds so much better too ...

Back to the point, TIG is the way ahead for a neat repair.  Stop drilling is an appropriate temporary measure for (generally smaller) cracks in stressed thin sheet material, but it won't help with such an extensive crack - the silencer shell has already lost too much strength/rigidity.  You can even get S/S wire for a MIG, but it's hard to get a good clean weld unless you change your gas to pure Argon, which makes your MIG expensive to run (2 bottles and all that).

All the best!
 
I just used a cheap as chips stick welder with small (1.5mm I think) stainless rods to repair the crack in my stainless muffler. No need to muck about with inert gas. Ground it smooth and polished it afterwards so the repair is invisible.
 
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