[Skint enthusiast]

Hi there, newbie here, I'm going to attempt a tutorial on a budget rebuild of my micron pipes from my crash damaged (lowside) ZX10R. Not done this before, so be gentle if it makes no sense. Here goes......

Prior to removal of the pipes, loosen the small allen bolt under the tail exit pipe and the allen bolt that's inside the tailpipe.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419655&thumb=1
https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419653&thumb=1

Now remove, the pipe, it's held on by four allen bolts and a simple strap. I had to heat the bottom ones up, as they were well rusted from repeated hot/cold and of course gravity makes sure that that's where all the condensation gathers. Don't use oxyacetaline as this can quite easily go above the melting point of aluminium, I used a small hand held mixed gas burner. Get the pipe on the bench. Remove the 2 allen bolts that you loosened earlier and wiggle and pull the exit pipe until it comes out. Dont, pry it out, just keep wiggling and pulling.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419657&thumb=1

Now get an 18" plastic ruler, or similar and slide it down the pipe, inbetween the wadding and the pipe, all the way round the pipe. This will loosen the wadding, so it comes out in 1 lump, rather than a big ball of fluff! It,s actually cellotaped together and its the tape that sticks to the inside of the outer pipe. The Micron badges are rivited on, so you'll have to work around them a bit.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419659&thumb=1

Now you can pull from the other end and slide the entire baffle tube and wadding from the outer. Keep an eye on what you're doing, if you start to pull the tube out and the wadding stays put, then slide the ruler back down the side and double check that you've released it all the way down. If the tube comes out separately it'll cause you aggro, so make sure it comes out in 1 bit.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419661&thumb=1

If you have the extra baffle tube fitted, you can choose now, whether it stays or goes. You need it in the UK to meet noise pollution levels and because we don't have any crime other than vehicle misdemeanor, the police will take an £80 interest. Don't know about other countries though.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419663&thumb=1

You should now have an empty (damaged) tube.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419665&thumb=1

If you want to retain your Micron badges, remove them now. Drilling them out from the outside is risky, so use a dremel and grind the rivits down from the inside.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419667&thumb=1

These outers are made from 110mm x 0.5mm stainless tubing. Guess what, that's exactly the size that gas flue pipe is made from, so straight onto Ebay for me and £24 later I had secured a metre of pipe.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainles...var=462049968609&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419669&thumb=1

Measure your pipe and cut the new pipe to length. I taped the pipe and then drew round it with a sharpie, removed the tape, thus leaving a perfect line around the pipe. I used a 1mm cutting blade on my grinder as the chop saw is probably a bit aggressive for 0.5mm steel. Do a few practice cuts first, so you know what to expect when you cut for real, don't let £24 spent, rapidly become £48.

 

[Skint enthusiast]

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419671&thumb=1

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419675&thumb=1

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419675&thumb=1

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419677&thumb=1

Remember, measure twice, cut once. Now debur and check for flatness, trim where needed.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419679&thumb=1

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419681&thumb=1

Now you need to make the pipe oval, so gently roll it backward and forwards slightly, whilst pushing down evenly and all the way along the length of the pipe. I done it on a towel, so it acted as a form of suspension. Remember, it may be stainless, but it's on half a mill thick and will dent easily. Check regularly until it's the correct ovality, although if you go too far, its easy to "squash" it back a bit.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419683&thumb=1

I decided not to refit my Micron badges, but if you do, then simply mark where you want them, drill and rivit.

Now you can start the reassembly procedure, which is really just a reversal of the strip down. Peel a small amount of the plastic film, from each end of your new pipe, now slide your baffle/wadding assembly carefully up the tube, ensuring that the rubber lip is fitted correctly. If you're fitting the extra baffle back, then do this now, as it cant be fitted when the rear end cap is on.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419685&thumb=1

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419687&thumb=1

Now refit the end cap, again making sure the rubber is fitted in its correct position. Replace the allen bolt and tighten, pull the extra baffle into position (if you refitted it), refit the stainless allen bolt and tighten. Clean the threads on the four main silencer mounting holes, they're M8.

 

[Skint enthusiast]

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419691&thumb=1

You can renew the gasket if you wish, but I'm skint, so applied a little exhaust mounting paste, renewed the bolts (with hex heads) and refitted.

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419693&thumb=1

If you're going to other stuff to your bike then leave the protective plastic on. I was too excited and had the "peel and reveal".

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419695&thumb=1

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419697&thumb=1

I think it looks better without the Micron badges, so I'm happy with that decision. Here's what it used to look like. Not a bad repair for £24 and I bet that the pipe will be cheaper in the states, everything is!

https://www.zx-10r.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=419699&thumb=1

Well I hope this helps someone save a few quid, which means more money for petrol or beer. I also hope this gets approved by admin, as it took longer to write, than it did to do the job. Lol.
Cheers.
Rich.

 

[mr_honez]

Merged threads

 

[renais]

Congratulations , breath of fresh air to see someone take the time and effort to do something like that :notworthy:

 

[michael4012]

Yes that's my type of enthusiasm ??

 

[Skint enthusiast]

Thanks guys, i'm not great with computers, so it took ages. I tried to put the pictures in between each corresponding section but fluffed that up a bit, but I'm kinda more proud of the thread than the job.

It's quite often found that a newbie joins a forum, puts 1 post on (what tyre pressures does my Datsun Cherry have) and then they're never seen again, so when I joined I thought I'd even things out a bit. BTW does anyone knoe what tyre pressures my Datsun Cherry has? :biggrin: