A small project turned big...

[TL_Music]

...it goes like this.

The right-side Micron can on my '99 TLS was loose. The beast effectively wore out the rivets holding the can together! I first noticed it during a ride with my guys after we did our traditional swapping of bikes. I pulled the left side can apart to find torched packing, big holes and torn rivets. Damn! According to Micron you should change the packing in the cans every 10k miles, but it's been at least 20k on my TL. So, packing destroyed, gaskets destroyed, can in pieces. I'm taking the can to a machine shop to get it re-riveted. Since I was doing the right side I took the left side apart too. Same story torched or flat missing packing and destroyed gaskets. All in all it won't cost much, something around $200 for all the packing, gaskets and machining. So.....bottom line is if you've gone as far as I have without checking them out I would recommend it. Mine were so bad that I'm surprised the gaskets did blow out completely!

Now onto repacking the cans. Should be fun...not. Anyone got any suggestions?

Before I get it....I know I don't have pics. ...Getting a digital camera soon.

[Wondertwin]

Why does a machine shop need to rivet it? Doesn't it use standard blind (pop) rivets like most cans? :dunno A rivet-gun is pretty cheap from Sears (or about anywhere really) and the rivets can be had cheap from a building supply or hardware store.

[TL_Music]

Exhaust

I'm taking the can to a mchine shop because I don't have a rivet gun, because it's also going to need new holes (since they were elongated to twice their size) and I want it done right. It's pretty bad.

[N2wheelies]

when i thought my microns were loud i contacted them about a repack. they said the packing lasts a long time and swapped me some reduced end caps.
it quieted things down enough.
ive got 40k miles now....

??

[wreckah]

be sure to get the good wool (pretty heavy compacted, packed in sheets) in stead of those plastic bags with cottonball-like wool, it lasts longer.

my rene's need a repack every 10.000 miles (no rivetting tho, which is very handy), but i've done it last month, and there was not much wool gone...

[Stabber]

there is a article in the new motorcyclist on repacking cans

[Wondertwin]

A rivet-gun is about $20. To rivet over enongated or oversized holes, a backing washer may be used. I can understand the urge not to want to jack with it yourself (though never manage to follow that urge), but if someone did want to fix it themselves, that would be the way.

[Jokertlr]

Originally posted by Wondertwin
A rivet-gun is about $20. To rivet over enongated or oversized holes, a backing washer may be used. I can understand the urge not to want to jack with it yourself (though never manage to follow that urge), but if someone did want to fix it themselves, that would be the way.

I got a really nice rivet gun with a swivel head (I would never buy any other kind again) for about $15 dollars. Riveting is so simple that if you just try it you would want to do it yourself in the future. You can buy rivets in a wide variety of sizes to make up for elongated holes as well.

[Wedge]

Yeah, rebuilding the can's isn't hard, I tore my zyclones apart, and cut the extra baffle out, making them RS-3 race cans.

[Guest]

aren't the microns made to use screws not rivets? or did i miss something?

-

[Wondertwin]

Never bought Micron, so I couldn't tell you... The vast majority of cans use rivets, though I believe many Kerker's use 1/4-20 buttonhead capscrews.

[TL_Music]

My Mircons use rivets. I just took the cans to the machine shop and since they're aluminum they weren't willing to use the existing elongated holes. They're going to drill new ones and re-rivet them. They're only charging me $20 to do it.

As soon as I get 'em back I'll be onto replacing all the seals/packing. Should be fun!

[TLR67]

Pick up the latest issue of Motorcyclist Magazine... There is a how to section on that this month!!!! Looks easy. Just need a drill and a rivet gun.

[reddrider]

you got me thinkin` `bout doin my Vance and Hines now (they`re very loud, but i like `em like that). I`ve got a similar article in performance bikes mag and it looks pretty easy...couple of question though: Will it damage anything if i don`t repack them? and, what and where are the gaskets your talking about?

[TL_Music]

The packing in my cans were totally toasted. I mean toasted! The cans didn't seem loud to me. It'll be interesting to hear the difference after I repack them. Since I've never done this before and I don't know about other cans I'm not sure if one could get the old packing back in after you've taken it out. It's a pretty tight fit. From what I've read thus far you don't want to make the packing too tight when you install it....and based upon how hard it was to get the old packing out it must expand a bit. The packing is pretty cheap. Less then 60 bucks for both sides.

I've only got bolt-ons and I was kinda surprised how bad the left side can was. I figured it wouldn't be nearly as bad as the right becuase of that pinch where the exhaust goes under the chain.

In retrospect I probably should have bought a rivet gun and done it myself, although I wouldn't have saved any money save the fact that I would now have a rivet gun. Live and learn.

My suggestion would be....If you cans are loud check them out. It's probably because your packing is toasted too and may be ready to blow somthing.

The gaskets I'm talking about are on both end of the can and seperate the internal tube from the outer cannister. (At least on my Mircons).

BTW Micron was very helpful in this matter. They told me exactly what was wrong before I even opened them up. Nice guys.