Anyone put LAF pipes on a 2005 Chopper DT frame?

[No H2O]

As shown, the bottom (where exhaust exits) of each pipe has a small open "tube" that allows the pictured bolt to go through. This bolt, when the spacer shown is placed in between and the nuts are tightened on each end, secures the pipes together but in order to secure the pipes to the frame, the frame would have to have a similar hollow tube to accommodate the bolt with spacer. Which the 2005 Chopper DT frame doesn't have.

The instructions do not match the items shipped. The items shipped are what's shown in the attached picture. The instructions reference an "M" shaped piece that is neither on the bike nor in the package.
Radii LAF Exhaust System - 30-0544 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle | Dennis Kirk
The Dennis Kirk tech said it would fit.
I feel like I'm missing something.

Has anyone successfully placed these pipes on their Daytec frame or would know how to do so? No videos or picture posts online that I could find.

Thanks in advance

 

[roadie1389]

I have on my 04 (little different) but there is no piece that attaches to the frame. The pipes just hang off the motor.

 

[No H2O]

they seem light enough.
so basically they attach to the cylinders at the top and then they attach to each other at the bottom but no where on the frame?

 

[john sachs]

I have on my 04 (little different) but there is no piece that attaches to the frame. The pipes just hang off the motor.

Usually not mounting somewhere on the frame, is a recipe for braking the exhaust studs out of the cylinder heads. It's all about vibration, and support.
John

 

[HMAN]

Fwiw I have run the last two sets free floating. The MLB Twisteds kept breaking when I had them mounted to the trans. Drag racing buddy said free float em. Havent had any breaks or cracks since. Jm .02

 

[No H2O]

I was told on a solid mounted motor, the exhaust needs to be bolted to the frame but on a rubber mounted motor the pipes should hang. So the question is whether a 2005 chopper DT has a solid mounted motor or a rubber mounted motor?

 

[Mickmorris]

I was told on a solid mounted motor, the exhaust needs to be bolted to the frame but on a rubber mounted motor the pipes should hang. So the question is whether a 2005 chopper DT has a solid mounted motor or a rubber mounted motor?

Eric @ HDM Inc. will know this info. Give him a call. 1-620-680-0395.

 

[Mickmorris]

they seem light enough.
so basically they attach to the cylinders at the top and then they attach to each other at the bottom but no where on the frame?

I don’t think you are going to need them to mount to the frame. Free floating is ok as long as they are hooked together you should be good .

 

[Th3InfamousI]

I was told on a solid mounted motor, the exhaust needs to be bolted to the frame but on a rubber mounted motor the pipes should hang. So the question is whether a 2005 chopper DT has a solid mounted motor or a rubber mounted motor?

Other way around. Solid motor free floating is okay, rubber mounted you need to go to trans. as that will break the studs like John mentioned as that motor vibrates all day long.

I am pretty sure those LAF are free floating only by design. There is no bracket as there is really no where to attach it. I never use that exhaust because it doesn't have heat shields, so they will blue and chrome will fade in no time at all.

I have run the FSD pipes free floating (designed that way) on my 04 Rigid for over 20k miles and not a single issue until I installed the Blow exhaust just to test fit. Blow exhaust for the 04 & Earlier bikes are free floating by design as well on the solid mounted engines.

 

[john sachs]

Rubber mount engine, ALWAYS to engine and/or trans.
Solid mount engine, Always to frame, engine or trans. You need a second mounting area!
Any other way, you will break the exhaust studs, or have the pipes come loose frequently.
I don't know if any Big Dogs come with rubber mount engines, and I never recommend short pipes, especially with S&S carbs. A tuners nightmare, without back pressure.
John

 

[Mastiff Rider64]

I was told on a solid mounted motor, the exhaust needs to be bolted to the frame but on a rubber mounted motor the pipes should hang. So the question is whether a 2005 chopper DT has a solid mounted motor or a rubber mounted motor?

I have a 06 Mastiff its a solid mount, and I have a 09 Bulldog Bagger which is Rubber mounted. My Mastiff has a set of FSD exhaust built for these bikes they were designed to free float there is nowhere to mount anything to mount to the trans or frame. My 09 Bagger has a set Of Martin Brother Daisy Cutters on it, they free float also. But they did come with a piece to mount to the trans, but it didn't fit with the pipes mounted it came up a little short and didn't match the mounting holes on the side of trans.

But what I was told and what I've seen, the mastiff (solid mounted motor type bikes) and most all these bikes came with a bracket that mounted the stock exhaust to the frame somehow. Now my 09 Bagger mount that came with the bike (stock exhaust) had a rubber dampener made into the mount that connected to the frame. You can mount a pipe to the frame on a rubber mounted motor but you'll break the pipes or studs, the pipes have to be able to vibrate with the motor without restriction which means it needs a rubber dampener to connect the pipes to the bracket that connects to the frame.

On a solid mount motor you can mount to the frame because in theory the frame vibrates with the motor, you just don't feel it because of your suspension and your handlebar dampeners. But John is right too, exhaust should be mounted to something somehow trans or frame, or in time you may have an issue. I've recently noticed on my bagger the exhaust nuts at the head are backing off. I know for a fact I torqued them down last time installed and I did some work to it last week and had to remove the exhaust (free floating), the bolts were finger tight. So I will be sending that piece that i said didn't fit correctly to Mr. Wright to have him make me something that will work to mount to my trans. So rubber mounted motors either need to be mounted to frame by wat of rubber dampener or trans, solid mounted motors to frame or trans with a solid mount. just my .02 tho.

 

[john sachs]

Rubber mount engines have to have their exhaust mounted to : cam cover area, or transmission first, before even thinking about mounting them to the frame.
Look at Harley Davidson models, solid mount, or rubber mount, exhaust systems, and you will get the idea.
Free floating exhaust systems to me, are like "Hen's Teeth". I won't use them.
John

 

[No H2O]

After searching through this mounting issue more extensively I don’t feel comfortable letting the pipes float freely.
There really is no way that makes me comfortable of bolting those pipes to the engine.
The technical person at Dennis kirk said that they would fit my V twin but I’m starting to question that and when I called back the nextTech told me I needed to get a Harley part for an Evo engine on eBay so I think I am going to take them back,
I asked the bike mechanic and he said those pipes will only produce a minimal amount of gains in decibels over the super traps that I have on now (I don’t have baffles in mine)

 

[Jwooky]

This is free floating. Made that way, been running it for 3 years no issues.
Ive seen many examples of pipes that small free floating.

 

[Mickmorris]

Rubber mount engines have to have their exhaust mounted to : cam cover area, or transmission first, before even thinking about mounting them to the frame.
Look at Harley Davidson models, solid mount, or rubber mount, exhaust systems, and you will get the idea.
Free floating exhaust systems to me, are like "Hen's Teeth". I won't use them.
John

I actually forgot the Blow exhaust I got from HDM Inc. does mount to the transmission. The 2000 is rubber mounted model.

 

[1 B.M.F.]

This is free floating. Made that way, been running it for 3 years no issues.
Ive seen many examples of pipes that small free floating.


View attachment 86753

Post up a full picture of your bike that is a great looking bike.

 

[john sachs]

This is free floating. Made that way, been running it for 3 years no issues.
Ive seen many examples of pipes that small free floating.


View attachment 86753

That deal will put some undue stress on your top motor mount. Prolly why yours became a problem, when it got loose.
John

 

[Mastiff Rider64]

This is free floating. Made that way, been running it for 3 years no issues.
Ive seen many examples of pipes that small free floating.


View attachment 86753

I love that pipe.

 

[No H2O]

I guess now the question becomes: are there any pipes out there that will fit the 2005 chopper (with the Daytec frame) that are much louder than the super traps (no baffles) that are on there now?