header removal - the cheatin' easy way
first off: days in advance, soak down your header stud nuts with PBlaster, or your preferred penetrating oil. snapping a stud is no-fun.
1. Remove the chin fairing and muffler.
2. Remove the left and right side air scoops
3. Remove the engine cradle bolts so you can move it to the side (this is the
sub-frame in front that holds onto the engine and oil cooler). Don't take
it off -just let it hang there.
4. Remove the seat.
5. Loosen -but do not remove- the rear shock upper and lower bolts. Use a small diameter pipe on the hex
key end to gain leverage. Loosen only at this time.
6. Loosen -but do not remove- the front header tube-to-cylinder head nuts.
7. stabilize the bike.
(if you don't have a lift, improvise but keep the bike from falling over).
8. Remove the rear shock upper and lower bolts. Remove the shock but just
lay it on the 'seat' area, out of the way.
9. Remove the fan and front screen -unplug the connector by pushing the
little tab(s) in so the lock won't bind when removing it.
10. Pull the fan back, you might have to tilt and rock it but it comes out
thru the back.
11. Using a 7/8" wrench, remove the O2 sensor -remember to
unplug the wire connector.
12. Remove the rear header tube-to-cylinder head nuts. a universal socket or joint would come in handy on this one.
13. Remove the front header tube nuts (you loosened them previously).
14. Now comes the fun part. Pull the front tube outwards -slowly- and
carefully rotate the header collector (big end) towards you and up.
Rotate the whole thing to the rear of the bike and slowly pull it outwards.
The trick is, the header won't just come straight down and out. You have to
'unscrew it' counter-clockwise so it should be upside down by the time it finally
clears the engine and frame.
15. If you want to replace the exhaust gaskets, now is the time. Look at the ones on the motor. Then, decide if it's worth
your time to try to remove them and install the new ones. Chances are, your
old ones are fine.
16. Installation is the reverse of these steps. please don't Call me if you get stuck or
have any questions.