Has this happened to you?

[arkives1]

Riding my OCC in a 4th of July parade this morning when half way along the route my muffler broke and fell off. Suddenly the bike sounded like a big chainsaw and I had a lot more power. Luckily speeds were low so it wasn't as screaming as it could have been. On the ride home however I kept expecting a cop to stop me, none did.
It looks like the muffler just came undone at the top weld.It was supported by a strap to the frame. Now I have to bend another muffler to fit around the pedal bracket.
If I ever doubted the value of porting exhaust and intake, this made a believer out of me, the difference in power and speed were very obvious. Pics are attatched.
Woody

 

[Lazieboy]

Never herd of this happening. until now. poor weld and bad luck.

 

[AussieSteve]

Hello Woody. Hasn't happened to me, but I've heard of it happening to others. Read about it here, somewhere.

 

[arkives1]

Hi Steve,
I thought I had read something about it too but couldn't find it. I seem to recall someone saying theirs had stripped the studs out of the engine jug, most likely by vibration and bouncing of the muffler. It does have a good bit of leverage with it's length. Mine had a support stap from the frame to help support it. Probably just a bad weld job and pure metal fatigue. Strangely, alot of people watching the parade apparently thought the bike was supposed to sound like that.
Woody

 

[AussieSteve]

It's a pain having to bend another to suit. You could take the easy way out like I did and take it to a muffler shop.

The extra power when that crappy muffler is off is a good argument for an expansion chamber, in my opinion.

I have a dilemma - it looks like I can only fit the expansion chamber OR the generator.
I hate having to choose. Have to think harder.

 

[arkives1]

That's exactly what I do Steve. This time it will only take one trip since I have the busted one to copy the bend from. Last time I went to the shop about 4 times. Luckily, the manager of the shop is a friend of mine. He also did some welding for me on the pedal arm which was extended out away from the frame by about 1 1/4" to clear the pull starter. I'm lucky to have some good friends with skills and knowledge that I lack. Of course when they need something made of wood, they call me, that's what I do.
Woody

 

[AussieSteve]

I removed the chain from mine and pedalled it to the muffler shop to get mine done. He ground the weld from the flange, re-aligned it perfectly then re-welded. No actual bending necessary. He refused to take any money, too.

 

[arkives1]

Ahhhh that would be the easy way to do it. Have you ever tried to pedal an OCC Chopper set up with a 5 speed shift kit? It's possible but it will take a far younger, stronger man with better lungs than mine. I can pedal it about 3-4 miles an hour on level ground, on hills--forget it. That's also why it has a pull starter. If that fails, I'm pushing it home. Somehow we always manage to get done what we need done though.
My friend wouldn't accept any payment either, but I took him a 6 pack of his favorite beer and let him ride the bike.......BEFORE he drank the beer.
Woody

 

[AussieSteve]

Yeah, it was hard work, but as I say, I took the chain off. (2 miles each way - nothing else got done that day.) Also, it's an alloy MTB, not an OCC Schwinn.
Great minds think alike - I took my muffler guy a 6-pack of my home brew - no ride though, he didn't ask & I didn't offer.

 

[arkives1]

Steve
Here's a pic of the OCC I'm talking about. I've neatened up the wiring and encased it in conduit since this pic was taken, I've cleaned all the water spots off the chrome and I put the front fender back on after getting the front brakes added and adjusted. I need shocks under that big saddle seat. I put 35psi in the tires(they were low) and now the ride is really hard and harsh, a real bone shaker. But the bike is definitely faster with the harder tires. I like the bike alot but don't ride it very far for those reasons.
Woody