[whaler]

Back in it's dirt days, I ran a 120 dirt tire, which always rubbed on the stock silencer a little bit. (pictured below). I had hoped that with the smaller diameter Supermoto wheel, it wouldn't be as bad.....well I was wrong!

The subframe is good and straight, and I even spaced the silencer out using a couple of 1/2" nuts as spacers, still rubbing, bad. I even stiffened up the shock a little bit, and it's still rubbing.

Outside of making the rear so stiff that I'll hate it, anybody out there have any suggestions? Of course, me losing weight, or spending more that $7 is out of the question :laughingr

 

[whaler]

A little heat and a pair of vice grips on the welded tabs should do the trick. Just don't bend them too far outward!

Right now I have 1/2" nuts between the tabs on the subframe and the mounts on the silencer, so it is shimmed out. Although I think I see what your saying, If I bend the tabs on the subframe, rather than simply moving the silencer away, it would twist the silencer, giving me more clearance down low.....right?

 

[whaler]

Thanks!
I'll try that tonight. I just love trying to bend aluminum!!

I'll either be singing your praises tonight, or cursing your very existence. Either way should make for a good post tomorrow morning!!

 

[whaler]

Wait?!?!?!

Should I be bending the tabs on my subframe, or the silencer? (or both?)

 

[whaler]

ahh, now I see! That's why you mentioned using the torch. It all makes sense now.....

I've already fell for the heat the aluminum until it's cherry red trick. Ended up with a puddle of aluminum that used to be a brake lever, and several amused friends......

 

[whaler]

OK, time to revisit this one....

After trying several things, my tire is STILL rubbing. I've heard from several people that "they do that", but I just can't accept that.

I know that it rolled off the assembly line intended to be a dirt bike, and running a 160 rear on it was not what it was made for (like a SMR), but there has to be a way to get the pipe to clear the tire, be it conventional or a little "inventive".

I currently have two 20 mm spacers that I made pushing the can away from the subframe, while it has helped, it's still hitting.

Questions...

I have read that the SMR header has a different bend to address this issue, my bike is an '04, I don't think they made an SMR in '04, so my closest option would be an 05 SMR header. Would that one bolt up? You guys think it would help?

I have looked at the FMF speed slip on. From the pictures, it appears that that the pipe itself is shorter, and it uses a mid pipe to go to the header. Anybody out there have one? FMF doesn't post specs on it, and the guy I got on the phone didn't have the info I needed. I'm thinking if the pipe is shorter, and with a mid pipe, that it might be enough to clear.

Here are some pics I snapped off...what do you guys think?

 

[whaler]

I think the head pipe and subframe is all where it should be, it just wasn't designed with a 160 tire in mind.

The two thoughts I had was to try to make an offset bend in the head pipe, or make a small offset bend "mid pipe", then shorted the stock silencer the length that the new mid pipe would take up.

I just don't want to kink anything trying to tweak it. I've heard of guys filling pipes with sand, than heating them and bending them, the theory being that the sand inside the pipe will keep it from collapsing and kinking.... I dunno....

 

[whaler]

Hmmmm :hmmm:

What about this? Just crazy enough to work...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OEM-full-exhaust-system-from-2005-KTM-SMR-supermoto_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2em14Q2el1318QQhashZitem140248533934QQitemZ140248533934

 

[whaler]

Problem solved!!

I bought a complete exhaust from an 06 SMR and installed it last night. The head pip has the proper offset in it, and the silencer came with all the right spacers. Bolted up to my 04 SX no problems. Everything looks like it will clear OK now.

Just wanted to bring closure to this, as somebody may be searching the threads and looking for the answer to the same problem!

Thanks for all your help guys!

 

[whaler]

Damn you for pissing in my corn flakes!!!:laughingr

Got the bike in the back of the truck for some track time tonight. Thanks for ruining the last few hours of euphoria I had before I would have learned this myself!:lol:

Well, it's still 10x better than how it was rubbing before, so I guess I'll take it!

Just an FYI, the tire rubs even on a stock SMR- check the marks on my 560 (and those were just from compression loads when cornering since I had not jumped the bike at that point yet).
View attachment 45701