To save me having to trial fit the Akrapovic headers before ceramic coating them, can anyone tell me if the uppermost tubes into the head are an interference fit, or would I have room for the ceramic coating on the outside? If I won't have the room for the coating, I'll just leave them out of the coating process.

* Last updated by: sweetfa65 on 9/5/2013 @ 7:08 PM *

Are you talking about the connection between the set of 2, "2 into 1" headers that connect into a "Y" pipe (another 2 into 1 collector)? All of the connecting pipes were really tight when I installed them onto my 08 and you need to use a compound that ships with the pipes. I'm assuming the ceramic coating is pretty thin and you might be okay, but personally I'd skip it on those parts just to be safe.

I thought ceramic coating was done on the inside of the pipes, not the outside.

I'm talking about the smallest tubes that insert into the head, and the flanges and nuts go over them. It's the actual bit that goes into the head that I'm concerned about. The header pipes then slip over the top of them with some Permatex Ultracopper. Compound didn't come with these. Probably because it's the dual optional header for slip-ons.
This is the ceramic coating I had done on my 07. They stayed like that until I sold my bike.

* Last updated by: sweetfa65 on 9/5/2013 @ 9:24 PM *

That is the sexiest shit!!!! Hey FUCK YEAH! I want Kawasaki green headers on Priscilla! WOT do you think sweet??? Blacked out, murdered out, GREEN headers winkin at ya...
More power please.

Does ceramic coating come in color other than shades of black!? If so then I might have to come up with something for mine someday as well!

Comes in whatever we want man!

As I recall, there was some play in there when I installed mine two weeks ago.
Remember to put the thick edge into the ports/cylinders.

Zx, did you have to do any modification to either the two brothers or the akra to get them to mate up? Or was it basically plug n play.? I'm interested in getting the akra header and mateing it up with m4 Megaphone slips. Just trying to figure it out.

* Last updated by: smatlock42 on 9/6/2013 @ 11:40 AM *

So just to be 100% sure, the part/flange that actually connects the headers to the engine? Yeah there was some play in there on mine, the seal is between the front tip of the headers and the exhaust gasket, not the sides/walls.

Thanks guys. I checked this morning with the coaters and found out that I can simply tell them which bits to mask off and that takes care of it. I got the headers on Friday and checked them out on the weekend, and the contact flange is removable, so I was worried about nothing.
Yeah, you can get almost any color. Nasty, I had my 07s done silver, as per the pic up top. Comes out awesome & you can pretty much polish them like alloy and it stays that way for months.

* Last updated by: sweetfa65 on 9/8/2013 @ 6:06 PM *

Thats awesome

I was going to ask you to speak to zx beast, but he has already chimed in.
Good!

I should be getting the headers done this week, so I'll post up with pics when done.
I think I got things a little ass-backwards from watching the Brock's header install vid. The Akrapovich part of the headers that goes into the exhaust ports is a little bit different to the Brocks. Anyway, I've got it sussed now. Thanks guys.

* Last updated by: sweetfa65 on 9/9/2013 @ 12:28 AM *

I'll be replacing the OEM header pipe gaskets just as a matter of over-kill given that they are not expensive. I've looked everywhere but could not find any torque settings for the header flanges?

* Last updated by: sweetfa65 on 9/9/2013 @ 12:27 AM *

by hand. find the smallest 12mm wrench. Hold the header at the back, hand tighten the nuts as you shift the header up and down till your hand tightening homes it where it wants to sit. Next is to think of how you could tear those threads out of the studs they sit on. That's way too much torque. An 8mm stud takes about 12ftlbs. But using a hand torque wrench way out there is the handle, that means way too much torque. If you can hand spin the nuts off after hand torquing, you have the touch.

Ok Hub. So what are we saying here. I usually do small bolts like that by choking a ratchet handle with a socket on it with the head in my palm and the handle in the soft part between my thumb and index finger. That's my "hand gauge torque wrench". I have some little ratchet ring spanners that a similar technique would work on. Just so that the nuts are pinched-up, but not mad tight pulled down. Is that around what your suggesting? I know "by hand" is really hard to explain. I appreciate your input.

It's that cinch down tight once snug triple check now leave it thing. I always go over everything 3 times. You feel thy header bolt come tight by finger and wiggle align, then wrench to what, 1/8 turn more maybe? It'll feel like a tight down then one notch further kind of thing. Ur makin me jealous man! Now I am dreaming about tightening down the header bolts on a custom muzzy full system with Kawi green ceramic coated headers! :)) I want! Lol

sweet, yes, on the lines of what C is saying. Go to the bike now. Turn a few nuts by hand. You'll see how loose they set those up. With the new crush washer being round, you'll move the nuts into that copper ring, flattening part or sealing the spigot part again. That's one reason you want the header to float as you hand tighten those nuts back up. So each spigot sort of homes itself to the sealing part of it.

Something like this. You'll know you've gone far enough by hand say. Couple of rides later, go to the nuts and create a load at it, but don't move it. If your load is constant, you'll be moving a few nuts, not all... It settles in. I find the short 12mm wrench does it, rather than a more powerful turning socket/extension/wrench setup.

Rodger guys. Got it. I'll probably get a better idea too when I remove the OEM header nuts. I sometimes get things a little premature because I like to get all my prep and info together before I start the job. No surprises then. I had little to go on when I did my 07 headers too, and just winged it. It's great to get a couple of perspectives though just as a confirmation, or correction.
Oh yeah C.... about the colors thing. Seems there's only 2 available. I was asked if I want black or silver (that's it). Maybe it's different at other places? Maybe different products are used?
I know you can get "header paint" / "header coat" in different colors in a can by VHT, but it doesn't look or last anything like ceramic coating.

Before I installed mine, I asked Akrapovic about the copper gaskets. Their reply was these are not needed for the akra headers. I used new ones anyway as I did not want to have to do this job twice.

Tools you will need.

A spring puller.
A 3/8 ratchet with at least a 12" extension.
A universal for same.
Lots of time/patience.
The instructions say to remove the bottom radiator bracket completely, I found this was not necessary.
Make sure you pick out the old gaskets before installation of the headers.

Neil

Thank Neilp. Was only $23 for new gaskets, so I'm the same as you. I'm NOT doing it twice. Thanks very much for the heads-up. I'll be sure to take my time and NOT damage anything, and get it all right.

I also suggest a swivel socket... it will help a lot. Ask me how I know LOL