Clearance between muffler and axle

[DSA]

Hi,

1976 GL1000 here - I've painted the muffler and headers and am looking to re-install the exhaust. Everything is stock. For some reason, when I attach the headers to the muffler and mount everything up, I find that the muffler is touching the axle on the left hand side of the bike. Please see pictures below. I included a picture of the right hand side, but no interference issues there. The only thing I have not yet done is add the left had side clamp between the muffler and the header (it is installed on the right side) - but I can't see how that would make all that much difference?

Grateful for any thoughts!

[Lucien Harpress]

Looking at the left hand muffler mount (to the rear footpeg), it looks tweaked to the right. The clearances in this area are super tight regardless (thanks Honda), so that little bend might be enough to kick the muffler over like you see.

[robin1731]

Looking at the left hand muffler mount (to the rear footpeg), it looks tweaked to the right. The clearances in this area are super tight regardless (thanks Honda), so that little bend might be enough to kick the muffler over like you see.

Also, you have the bike on the center stand. The swingarm is at full "droop" there. Once the weight of the bike is on the rear wheel/tire the clearance will be a lot more.

[pidjones]

Yes, this is fully unloaded. Bike's weight (even a little of it) will give clearance.

[DSA]

Lucien - sharp eyes! I assumed that bend was intentional. Will straighten it out on the vice and see what happens.
Robin and Pid - agreed, but this basically suggests that there would be contact anytime I reach the end of travel, right? Granted, the odds of reaching the end of travel in rebound do seem low. I'd be curious to know: do either of you see contact between the muffler and the axle when on the centerstand?

[Old Fogey]

There is another, remoter, possibility. When you you bolted the shocks to the swing arm, did the second one line up after you did the first? The swing arm is none too strong and I have personally had to change one because of a twist.

[robin1731]

Lucien - sharp eyes! I assumed that bend was intentional. Will straighten it out on the vice and see what happens.
Robin and Pid - agreed, but this basically suggests that there would be contact anytime I reach the end of travel, right? Granted, the odds of reaching the end of travel in rebound do seem low. I'd be curious to know: do either of you see contact between the muffler and the axle when on the centerstand?

The only way you will get full extension is if the rear wheel comes off the ground.

I have aftermarket mufflers on mine so no, I don't see any contact. Don't have a stock bike handy to look at.

[Lucien Harpress]

I can confirm that there is no contact with the bike on the center stand. It's fairly tight, but there is about a 1/16" gap at the closest.

Any dents on the left side of the muffler at all? I'm curious if it got hit and tweaked to the right at all.

[DSA]

I unbent the left side hanger, and now there's no longer contact - but still nothing like your pictures, Lucien. No obvious dents, but there is some roadrash on the chrome panel that bolts into the side of the muffler.
Fogey - I really hope that isn't the case (bent swingarm). No issues getting the shocks to line up, so I hope not.
It'll be interesting to see what happens when I put the wheel on - wonder if there will be more interferences.

[redglbx]

One thing I found when I was doing my 76 LTD basket case is that there seems to be at least 2 different lengths on the hanger brackets. I don’t know which is which or what years have which but I had the swingarm making contact like yours. Once I found the oe brackets for it (chromed) then I had clearance.

I’m sorry that I can’t tell you what year/model you may need but there are different lengths.

The lh one in your photo’s is definitely bent and should just be straight, also I leave everything loose until it’s all assembled and then tighten it all up, but as said above the brackets should be a straight “L”. Good luck !

[cfairweather]

As I looked at the pictures, it looks like you may have swapped the right and left muffler mounts. I think that is why you had to do some bending to make things fit. In other words, you have 9 where 18 should go. Look at the picture:

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/honda ... -a/muffler

Also, I noticed you have the spacer on the axle on wrong, but without a wheel, it doesn't matter.

[redglbx]

Cf, you are correct on the brackets, good eye !

[DSA]

Whoa! Ok, will give that a try! Thanks :D

[DSA]

Actually hang on - why do you feel that they're reversed? Honestly, I thought they were identical brackets, and when I reassembled, I just made sure that the slit which is picked up by the passenger footpegs was ahead of the bolt hole - that seems to be the case in my setup, and is also what the fiche you shared shows. If I reverse them, then wouldn't the slit now be behind...?

[redglbx]

Dsa, that is correct, what I was looking at is the bolt holes are offset to the rear but as you stated the “slots must be oriented to the front for the foot peg brackets. Either way they shouldn’t be bent as you found out just a straight L shape.