Hi all,


Here's my story: I've bought a Metal Mule 2-1 exhaust in January and it took ages for it to arrive (just last Friday). Paul from Metal Mule just kept hiding behind a third party supplier which makes the heat shield. But okay that can happen.
After a lot of e-mailing and broken promises the exhaust finally arrived.
I was really happy and the exhaust looked amazing... that is until I tried fitting it.

I followed the instructions perfectly but the exhaust kept hitting the frame where the exhaust passes through the engine and the frame. I tried everything to get the required space between the exhaust and the frame but I can't manage to get it right. I started over multiple times using different ways to work for over 10 hours but still failed to get it right.

I then called a friend who has worked for a long time at a local motorbike shop as a main mechanic and he started from scratch and couldn't get it to work. The exhaust flange on the right side of the bike looks to have too much free play and it doesn't fit snug into the engine exhaust port. Even if you try to bolt it in the small left pipe doesn't align properly with the engine. The radius of the small pipe is like 2mm to big to fit and if you try to fit it you push the exhaust to the frame.
My friend said the fitting looked like the guy who made it was still drunk from the night before...

So my friend concluded that the exhaust would never fit the bike properly without making serious modifications to it, which I don't intend on doing as I payed a lot of money for it.

I've just send Paul another e-mail. I will let you know how this ends but I was curious if other people had the same issue?

Sorry if my English sucks by the way

Its a real shame when something you have waited for and looked forward to getting is not right, especially when it also costs a lot of money. All I can say is my MM exhaust was a very easy fit, probably less than an hour and I dont recall getting the pipe to fit round the frame was problem. The most difficult part was the inner exhaust manifold nut on the left hand side.

I have dealt with Metal Mule a couple of time and they have been very good with me so I am sure they will sort out your problems.

Good luck with it all.

Mate - sorry to hear of your issues with Metal Mule (MM). Your English is fine - no problems.

I recently installed the MM 2 into 1 system and I certainly didn't have a fun time doing it! I knew this to be the case before buying as there are a couple of threads on the issues:
http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?...ght=metal+mule
http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?...ght=metal+mule

I'm no mechanic and have access to limited tools only, so I thought my issues may have been exaggerated. However, with quite some patience, profanities and a third hand, I got there in the end. In summary:
- I don't have clearance issues
- The left side exhaust port was impossible to line up
- the link pipes could not connect due to the amount of "weld" inside the pipe that I had to remove - not a problem if you have a dremel tool - I don't.

Once the pipes got red hot, I could re-tighten all of the bolts and it has since settled into place.

On your other point regarding MM not delivering on time; I too have had that same issue. I ordered the exhaust, radiator guard, bashplate and rear rack mid November and was told at the time that everything was in stock except the rear rack, which would be delivered in one months time. I received the radiator guard and exhaust within 5 days, the rear rack in February and I have just cancelled the order for the bashplate as it was confirmed that it won't be delivered before my departure date.

I'm trying to keep the post rational, so I won't comment on the communication from MM.

Good luck with resolving your issues as the only other "bolt on" option for exhaust that gains ground clearance is the Off The Road system that is almost double to the price.

I bought and fitted the Leo Vince pipes to my XTX (I also have one on my XJR) and I found the fit and finish truly excellent and even a total non expert like me managed to fit it quickly and easily so it was surely fool proof!!! Good luck!!

__________________
(Now sold on, sob) 2011 Blue XT660X with gold wheels, was 26,500 km.
Engine mods: K&N Stage 1 filter, DNA Stage 2 filter, snorkel removed, Kev fuel mod fitted.
Plus: smoked Puig screen, Yam aluminium sump guard, Yamaha / Acerbis handguards, Givi Trekker aluminium side cases, Leo Vince X3 cans plus Kev front fork mod and Fender Xtender. Just fitted Michelin Road Pilot 3 tyres.

SOLD the XTX for a Super Ten 1200. And just bought a Raptor 700 so staying on here for some tips....

I've had mine for over a year now and haven't had any issues apart from the difficult to reach bits during install. Perhaps there was a dodgy batch?

I finally managed to get the exhaust mounted.

After some emails back and forth Paul from Metal Mule suggested to cut 5mm off the end of the small downpipe because the guys at Scorpion thought it might be to long.
I tried that but it didn't fix the issue.

But when I looked closer into the pipe I found this:



I contacted Paul and he confirmed that those 2 welds shouldn't be there so he advised me to file them off which I did.

So that fixed the issue I had and now I was able to mount the exhaust with about 2mm of play so it don't hits the frame

I don't have pictures yet of the exhaust mounted completely but here's one with the small downpipe not connected.



Looking good I guess

nice man, glad you got it sorted

__________________
Plough on

Did you get the other part of the pipe on??

Sorry to hear about your problems. I bought a used MM exhaust like yours and had the same problem. I am quite handy with the spanners but I needed to fit it about three times to get it to clear the frame and even then ONLY JUST. The pipes also wanted to rest on the engine oil filter housing.

I got it to fit by pushing it away from the engine and frame and then tightening it all up and finally the silencer. Its not really how I think you should fit an exhaust as I have always been taught to work from the front back to make sure there is no tension in the system when it gets hot etc. As my system is used and NOT mint and is on my bike for off road so cosmetics dont worry me - I bashed a bit of a flat on the link pipe to clear the frame a bit more. You cannot see this at all when fitted.

I was also disappointed to learn from two other members of this forum that their cans had been bashed by their brake calipers when the suspension had bottomed out.

Lastly, the exhaust is meant to run without any fuelling mods. Mine pops and bangs badly on the over run when the throttle has been shut off abd the bike is still moving. I have fitted the Kev fuel mod which has slightly improved it but it is still annoyingly bad. All in all it is probably the worst quality and running exhaust I have ever used. Unfortunately as someone else has mentioned the only alternatives are more than double the price and there is no point me paying that to use it off road!!

I have the same issues than you. My MM exhaust had been bashed by the brake caliper and the swingarm touches the lower part of the exhaust at full compresion of the shock.
If I fit the exhaust from the engine to the back, it touches the oil filter housing and the gap between the exhaust and the swingarm is 2cm, too much close. I had to fit it from back to the engine, it�s not the proper way but...
The bangs in the exhaust is something from the ECU, kev explains it in some post, if you have a '04-06 XT it�s harder to fix than if you have a '07-'13. I have a '04 and fixed mine with PCIII and custom fuel map with more fuel at 0% and 2% throttle opening between 1750rpm and 6500rpm. But still bangs sometimes.