Removing exhaust baffles

[bpeck27]

OK, I'm guessing that you guys are going to tell me to get a bigger hammer, but I'm going to ask anyway. What's the trick to removing the muffler baffles on a GT550?

I've owned the bike since it was a year old and the baffles have never been out. Now, after reading various posts in this forum, I realize that it's something that should be maintained periodically. So I took the screw out of one, grabbed it with a pair of pliers (as depicted in the owner's manual) and it wouldn't budge. Not knowing how fragile these things are, I don't want to start beating on them to try to loosen 'em up, unless that's the prescribed method.

By the way, thanks to Alan H, tz375 and everybody else who weighed in my carburetor and oil pump issues. Since we got things sorted out the bike's been running like a Swiss watch. Even did a 3 day tour (800 miles) through the Catskills and Berkshires back in September and it never skipped a beat!

[yeadon_m]

They do get carbon'ed in and heat can help a lot. Try riding it till hot and then try (with screws out) holding the cross piece and gently twisting back and forth. The baffles on the outers are tough but the plates they run through are only tack welded on the inner face and can be pulled off and then the pipe rattles and is spoiled IMO.
Caustic will also work but its dangerous.
On an inner I once had success with a blow torch up its jacksie until it poured smoke but I was a close run battle!
Good luck,
Mike

[bill in okc]

I wonder if the pipes could be soaked in a tank to clean them out? You wouldn't need to remove the baffle and the whole pipe would get a cleaning, not just the baffles. It would take a few gallons of cleaner but you really do not want to ruin those pipes.

[Alan H]

Heat, patience and a lot of swearing usually works.
Don't force too much or you'll knacker the plates as Mike says.
Heat, twist, twist swear, etc until it surrenders - pipes off!

[Coyote]

The baffles need to come out to re-pack them. The baffles MUST turn before you start pulling. My method (not always successful) is to grab the cross bar with a pair of vise grips. Then straddle the vise grips with a large crescent wrench. Using the wrench for leverage, try to make the baffle turn just a little.. If you can get the baffle to turn, you are probably home free. Rotate the baffle back and forth until you can easily turn it 1/2 turn or so. Then start pulling as you rotate the baffle. It will eventually come out. Have a beer and repeat 3 times.
Running the engine to get some heat will help. A full can of swear words will come in handy.
DO NOT use a slide hammer. At least not until the baffle is free to turn. Starting with a slide hammer will ruin the inner support plates rendering the pipes junk. The inner baffle pates are the weak point as they were only tack welded in place at the factory. That plus they are very prone to rusting out. New packing can be found at any bike shop catering to dirt bikes.

[bpeck27]

Thanks guys. I'm glad I asked!

[GT750Battleship]

Hi,once out & clean don't repack with any wadding,this stuff causes more trouble than it's worth,gets saturerated with oil & starts to break up etc.The bikes run better without the stuff wrapped around the baffles..in my opinion
Cheers,
Roger

[oldjapanesebikes]

Hi,once out & clean don't repack with any wadding,this stuff causes more trouble than it's worth

+1 to that - my opinion also.

[bpeck27]

OK, they're out. Yup, all 3 of them! Imagine my surprise to find that one of the center pipes was missing its baffle! I can't recall whether it was there when I had the pipes off this spring, or if I just didn't notice, not knowing what it was supposed to look like. At any rate, there was nothing in that pipe except an oil-soaked mass of old wadding. The good news is that all 3 baffles appear to be in good condition. I removed the wadding and cleaned them up and they look solid.

The bad news is that in the right side pipe, the sheet metal bulkhead that the baffle slides into has broken loose and is floating around in there. I was able to position it so I could slide the baffle in, but I'm concerned that exhaust pressure will push it back from its proper position. I'm thinking of installing a couple of small sheet metal screws in the baffle so the heads will hold the bulkhead in place. Also the ring at the back of the pipe (the one that the retaining screw goes though) is about 3/8" closer to the end of the pipe than the other three pipes (3/4" vs. 3/8"), but otherwise it's solid. I don't think it will affect the performance of the pipe (i.e. increased back pressure), but it makes it a P.I.T.A. to get the screw in as the access hole doesn't line up with the screw. Before I take a rat-tail file to the access hole I'd welcome any thoughts on the issue.

One question: The baffles for the outside pipes have a plug about half way through. The baffle for the center pipe is open all the way through. Is there supposed to be a plug in this one also? If so, I'll have to order two of them.

[yeadon_m]

Your baffles are right, some are 'straight through' and others have a plug which forces the gasses to divert out of the side holes to bypass the plug.
Mike
ps: the baffle designs differ between the 380, 550 and 750 in this respect (as well of course as size differences) though I can't recall which was which. Evidence of a lot of design and thinking by Suzuki!