1300 Exhaust: Clayton Mod, Gasket Cross Reference, Pair Valve Removal

[Chicago-Spike]

Drilling Your Stock Pipes (Clayton Root)






Drilling your stock pipes

Before you spend a lot of cash, might I suggest you try drilling. I did mine last Saturday and think I've completed the job tonight. It is incredibly DEEP, like a Big Block V8. In fact, I went too far and it became so deep and mellow, I had to plug a couple holes to add a little bite. I had carried out the same treatment on my Suzuki Volusia, which also has Fat Pipes, and achieved what for me was the best sound possible. Loud enough and pleasant enough for me on the bike without unduly pissing off the folk who don't care for motorcycles at all. I may be one of those rare motorcyclists who actually believes other people have rights too. I know I for one get ticked by those Rice Rockets with a 1,000 watts and 10 sub-woofers in the trunk so I try to respect the neighborhood a little. On both the Volusia and the VTX, I've had SO many positive comments at stoplights by motorists. Also, on the Volusia, I've had two acquaintances who'd opted for aftermarket pipes and hated them. When they heard mine, both commented that this was exactly what they were looking for. What's to lose but about $25 for drill bits and taps if you're already prepared to lay out the big bucks for aftermarket pipes anyway. Give it a shot. You may be very pleasantly surprised.

There is science to this process or the result will be a failure. Too few holes or too small holes will give you a tinny sound. 3/8" is too small to let the lower frequencies escape. Although there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between 3/8" and 1/2", the surface area difference is substantial.

You will need to work through at least 3 drill bit sizes or you're unlikely to end up with round holes. Since smaller drill bits are generally shorter, I had to buy a 6" long 1/8" 135 degree pilot bit to avoid scraping the chrome outer surface with the drill chuck. This bit worked well and didn't walk around much when trying to begin a new hole. Because of the tapered end of the exhaust pipe, center punching first is a challenge, especially at the top. My final drill bit of choice is 15/32" rather than 1/2". This can be followed with a 1/2" National Fine Tap so that fine threaded 1/2" bolts can be screwed in tightly to give you a route back to stock or allow you to custom tune the sound. I've found on my VTX that Black Allen Head bolts don't even look bad. If you don't jump ahead and overdo it like I did, you won't even need to thread any holes. That 1/2" tap was the most expensive item at $15. The 6" long 1/8" bit was $4 and I forget how much the 15/32" bit with the 3/8" chuck size cost as I had it left over from my Volusia work.
SO, this was my process. When you look inside the end of the pipe, the black plate has some notches on it. Starting on the bottom of the pipes, I centered a hole on each of these threenotches.


Went for a ride. Sounded like *****! This is when you really start to get worried but don't give up yet. Came back and drilled two more holes centering each of them between the center one and the outside two. So now I have a half circle of 5 holes looking something like a smile at the bottom of the black plate in each pipe. Went for another longer ride with my 23 year old on board. "It's awesome" says he. "It's not" says me, "but it's getting closer". Five holes was getting pretty deep and that Single Crankpin Character was beginning to be unleashed but there was a bit of a higher pitched poppiness to the sound. After our ride, I drilled a 6th hole up around the 2 o'clock position. The look is no longer symmetrical but its hard to see up in there anyway unless you're crouched right down. Went for another ride. "This is getting pretty close to what I want" says I. I came back home and figured what the heck. Eight holes sounded good on the Volusia (its a much easier job to form a perfectly concentric ring because their backplates don't have all these stupid notches) so let's try 9 holes on the VTX. Three more holes went in the top of each backplate at approximately 11, 12, and 1 o'clock. Go for another test ride. Man this thing is REALLY deep now. Now it's time to reduce the idle speed, oh yeah, lower, lower, no oil pressure light yet, lower, oops, can't blip the throttle without stalling, back up a little. SWEET! Let's take her out on the highway. At least I can now hear the exhaust at 65 mph without a windshield. BUT, it's a constant purr and I'm having a hard time distinguishing the separate firing pulses of the two cylinders. I could hear them with 6 holes. Time to experiment. Got out the Tap, threaded, and plugged the bottom hole with a 1/2" bolt. Yeah, that added just a little bite. Took the screw out and plugged the top hole instead. Nothing much too speak of. O.K. But what if I plug both the bottom hole which made a difference as well as the top hole. That will increase the velocity of gases through the remaining 7 holes and should sharpen the tone a bit more. Time for another test ride. Yeah baby, yeah! It's still got a very DEEP rumble at idle with enough edge under load to retain that wonderful Single Crankpin burble. It sounds especially sweet when pulling away from a stop. Actual volume is definitely a step up from stock but is not obnoxious at all. My wife and son love it now. This was one case where jumping ahead of myself cost me some time and aggravation but it was a good learning experience. There will be NO aftermarket pipes in my future for my VTX. For those who absolutely have to have more sound, I've heard a 12" drill bit through the 2nd plate will give it more bite but think that will also introduce some frequencies I don't care to hear and there's no easy way back. As it stands now, I can put my VTX back to absolutely stock exhaust sound with the purchase of an additional fourteen 1/2" bolts.

At this point, the only bikes I've heard that I like better are the Police Spec Harleys and the Polaris Victories. For double the money of my VTX 1300 Retro, I'm not about to go there and put up with their other shortcomings just to satisfy my lust for sound quality.


Here are the tools used:



Clayton

Last update: 2004-12-17 12:47
Author: Ceetro

[Chicago-Spike]

Exhaust Mod. II 1300C
(The gutted rebaffle version)

On the 05 model you have to cut the welds on the edge of the chrome. Take the chrome strap off. Next take a rubber mallet and tap on the end caps at showing edge to remove. Once the chrome is off mark 7" from the end of the muffler. Cut the muffler with a bandsaw,die grinder or anything that gives a narrow cut. At the front of the muffler cut after the weld for the front cone. Cut off the cross connect pipe. I am using a O2 sensor at this location on the upper muffler, so I welded in a 18mm O2 bung. On the lower muffler do the same except weld a plate over the hole. Next using a torch, chisel, plasma cutter or anything you can think of remove all the baffles. I you use a hammer and a large drift you can drive the inside canister toward the front. Once gutted make up 2 disk 1/8" thick by the ID of the muffler. In the center of the plate make a hole large enough to hold your baffle. In my case I made my own out of a 1 3/4" tubing. To do so I cut a 18" long pipe with a 45 degree cut on one end. On the straight cut end I measured in 3 1/2", this is were I started to cut slashes in the pipe ever 1" for 10". I made 6 rows down the pipe. I took a small drift and indented on the back side of the cut. This made a small half moon dimpple. I then took a 2" pipe 10" long and placed it over the indentation. I made up large washers to fit over the small pipe and butt up to the large pipe. I then welded the edges up with the pipe centered in the outer pipe. Leave some air gaps to allow gasses to escape.
I took the end cap and cut around the exit pipe and removed it. I cut a larger area around the hole to allow the baffle pipe to stick out 1/2". I then welded it in place. I then tack welded the end cap back on. I set the disk which holds the baffle into the muffler about 1/4". I then tacked this in place. Once everything was good to go finish welding the baffle and plate in place. Again leave some areas open for gasses to escape or drill a hole in the plate. Weld the front cap on. Smoothen the welds around the muffler and install the chrome. You can weld it on, or drill and tap the end cap and use a ss button head bolt. If you use a O2 sensor Summit Racing has air/fuel gauges for $27.00. I will be mounting the gauge in the front to keep an eye on the mixture. It sounds like a set of HK when done. I do have a sound clip and pictures if you would like.
Pictures are at: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8BcNXLJm3cu1g
Last update: 2005-12-02 09:48
Author: iwantsnow

[Chicago-Spike]

What other exhaust gaskets fit the 1300?


Part numbers for more readily available gaskets:
Midas - New part number 521817, old# EN1837
NAPA / Victor - F12329 or F 7283
Felpro - 60569

Last update: 2006-03-16 13:21
Author: Larry McKenna

[xotrdr]

b ready to spend $25 to $30 for a good 3/4" drill bit at least 8" long and have a drill motor strong enough to pull it. when u look inside pipes from rear it seems that honda already marked places to drill 3 or 4 holes in each pipe. use a center punch to locate drill point. baffles are not really hard metal.i went with 3 in each pipe . sounds smooth and mellow.
ps: doesn't hurt to have some black paint to swab the new holes with.

[big jake]

Originally Posted by hihosilverfz1

I have a 2008 VTX1300C and my pipes look nothing like those on the any photos of the clayton method . They funnel down and get smaller at the end all the others I see are slash cut and flare out. Does anyone have the same pipes as mine and have you tried drilling them out.

the new 1300c pipes (08 and up) are the same as the older shadow pipes, simply take a hole saw and saw the end of the pipe without scratching the chrome and the baffle will slide out, see the hole saw mod on the shadow boards

[Chicago-Spike]

1300 Pair Valve Removal Site


http://www.myvtx1300.com/

[mark_1bx]

Originally Posted by big jake

the new 1300c pipes (08 and up) are the same as the older shadow pipes, simply take a hole saw and saw the end of the pipe without scratching the chrome and the baffle will slide out, see the hole saw mod on the shadow boards

Could you provide a link? That would be a interesting read.

[drugar]

I just went to the Vesrah site & found that #VE-1012 is their replacement Can be bought from Dennis Kirk at $2.98 per.

[fardnarger]

Get ready for a lot of backfiring if you do the Clayton mod

[GoldenKnight]

I did this mod before I got my Vance & Hines Big Shots (awesome pipes & sound) and never had a back-fire problem. This mod doesn't give you any more performance, and you're not changing the carb or the air box. Maybe there's something else going on with your scoot and this mod amplified the situation. Anybody else had a problem with the back-firing? I did this mod for 4 other VTX riders and no problems or back-firing.

Somebody chime in if they have. I don't want to discourage anyone from doing this mod. In today's economy, C.R.A.P. mods and other "poor man's solutions" (PMS) are great things to have available.

[ghost rider]

mine backfired and went to V&H no more backfire

[klemmy]

Originally Posted by ghost rider

mine backfired and went to V&H no more backfire

I have a 1800R and I removed the chrome caps, then cut off the end baffle and drilled five 1/2" holes in each pipe. Sounds great. I'm not sure if more holes will sound better or not, I'd like some advice on that. I have no additional back firing, etc. Only difference is a louder, deeper tone. Great, cheap mod that took all of 15 minutes.

[Gonzo1970]

Originally Posted by Jim-Eye

It seems that the muffler baffles are slightly different through the years, or the different models. I just did mine, ('07 1300R).

The question I have is about the ‘going deep’. After drilling 6 half inch holes I looked in using a flashlight. At about the ‘5 o’clock’ position there seems to be a tube with an end cap. Through the rest of the holes I see a baffle further back. Drill through the back baffle, or the endcap tube?

I did 7 holes, 4 of them Deep in each. Sounds excellent.

The positioning of the Deep Holes does matter.

The point here, is that youre drilling into one of two "baffles" (Theres 1 baffle in there, and 1... "baffle-like-thing")

They are located at 5 o'clock and about 10 o'clock.

Do one at 5, and see how you like it. I went 4, like I said... 2 each.

An atrist, I am not... Its not to scale, etc... But gives you the idea.



This is the one youre after, mainly... but the other guy can be tapped also.



I have had no problems, no back-fires... no nothin... just sounds Deep, and a little louder, but not overly-obnoxious.

-Gonz

[Fred Owings]

Can anyone tell me the sequence and diameter and number of holes to drill in stock single muffler 2002 1800c exhaust. I would love to get that low mellow V 8 sound with out buying a custom exhaust. Do you drill the holes in the very backend plate of the muffler?
Thanks
Fred O