need help installing slip on exhaust nw suburb, IL

[The Spaceman_imp]

Here's the steps:

Look at the heat shield on the exhaust by the right-side foot peg. There's a small hex bolt holding it on. Remove the bolt. Push the shield forward and it will pop off.

Look underneath the bike where the heat shield was. You'll see a band clamp that holds the muffler to the end of the headers. There's a 12MM bolt. Loosen the bolt completely so the band is easily moved around the pipe.

On top of the muffler by the right-side passenger peg there's a bolt and nut that "hang" the muffler. Take two 12MM wrenches and/or socket and remove the nut. Leave the bolt for now.

Get a beer and drink it.

Grab the muffler and support it's weight. Remove the "hanger" bolt. Now start pulling and twisting the muffler straight back. IT'S HEAVY. It won't take long until it pops off. Grab one of your wife's best towels, wrap it around the muffler, tape it up, and stash it for when you decide you don't like the noise from the new pipe anymore.

Installing the new exhaust will be virtually the same process in reverse.

If the new exhaust came with it's own clamp, slip it over the small end. Orient it so the bolt or hex-head is facing out where you can put a wrench on it. If it uses the OEM clamp, slip it on.

Locate the new exhaust's "hanger;" which will probably use the same bolt and nut the OEM pipe used. Line up the new pipe with the end of the header and gently push and twist it on until the hanger bracket hole lines up with the hole on the pipe's bracket.

Put the bolt through the holes and snug up the nut. It needs to be tight, but not stupid-tight. Pull your wrench until you feel it get tight, and stop there.

Line the clamp so it bumps against the flange at the end of the header pipes. Again, rotate it so the bolt or hex-head is easy to put a wrench or hex-key on. Tighten it up. Like the hanger bolt, it needs to be snug, but don't overdo it. Tighten until it's snug, then stop.

Some of the kits will come with a new gasket that fits between the muffler and the header; some kits re-use the OEM gasket. It looks like a section of tube, and it should be obvious where it goes. It's silver, so if you aren't looking for it, you may miss it. Usually the gasket will stay inside the OEM pipe when it comes off, so read the instructions with your new pipe and see if they provide one. If not, make sure you get the OEM out of the factory pipe and onto the header end before you put the new pipe on.