Help Remove OEM muffler (2016 Freewheeler)

[SGMJRamos]

Greetings,

I have reached my wits end...

I am trying to replace my original slip on muffler.

There are two 1/2 nuts towards the back on each slip on.

There is one 9/16 bolt that holds a clamp on to the muffler on towards the front.

My problem is I cannot for the life of me, remove the last 1/2 inch nut nothing fits in the tiny space...

Does any one have a secret to share with me please... I gave up after two days.... and three arguments with my wife... LOL

[gerald martin]

The best and easiest way is to remove the body. Takes about 15 minutes
As Quoted from the service manual
1. Remove seat.
2. Remove trunk liner in the following order
Bottom, bulkhead panel, wrap around
3. disconnect rear lighting harness connector
4. Remove 4 screws inside trunk on floor
5. Remove 2 screws again inside trunk top front
6. Remove side panels
7 Remove screws 2 screws under side panels
8 lift front of body slightly and slide back to lift off (takes two people)
Install
Put body back on same as you took it off
1. Start lower left screw and washer
2. start two screws and washers under side panels
3.

start all the rest of the screws
4 Tighten all screws inside body to 14 to 17 ft.-lbs..
5 tighten screws under side panels to 23 to 28 ft.-lbs.
6 reconnect lighting harness
7 install liner wrap around, bulkhead panel, bottom
8. Install side panels
9. Install seat

[HDB0B]

http://www.searsoutlet.com/1-2-x-9-1...49&mode=seeAll



Sears 43363 offset ratchet wrench 1/2" and 9/16"

Bob

[Keystone]

Hey SGM, It's your first post! Welcome to TT!

Yeah, they are a PITA to take off. I was able to get mine off with out removing the body, but it might have been quicker to just remove the body.

[Fearless]

If the mufflers on the freewheeler are the same as a triglide... I purchased by advise of Screwball a flex head box end wrench and it is so easy to get those little half inch bolts out of the mufflers. And believe me I would not consider doing anything without them. wrench safely fearless

[SGMJRamos]

Hey SGM, It's your first post! Welcome to TT!

Yeah, they are a PITA to take off. I was able to get mine off with out removing the body, but it might have been quicker to just remove the body.

The best and easiest way is to remove the body. Takes about 15 minutes
As Quoted from the service manual
1. Remove seat.
2. Remove trunk liner in the following order
Bottom, bulkhead panel, wrap around
3. disconnect rear lighting harness connector
4. Remove 4 screws inside trunk on floor
5. Remove 2 screws again inside trunk top front
6. Remove side panels
7 Remove screws 2 screws under side panels
8 lift front of body slightly and slide back to lift off (takes two people)
Install
Put body back on same as you took it off
1.

Start lower left screw and washer
2. start two screws and washers under side panels
3. start all the rest of the screws
4 Tighten all screws inside body to 14 to 17 ft.-lbs..
5 tighten screws under side panels to 23 to 28 ft.-lbs.
6 reconnect lighting harness
7 install liner wrap around, bulkhead panel, bottom
8. Install side panels
9. Install seat

http://www.searsoutlet.com/1-2-x-9-1...49&mode=seeAll

Sears 43363 offset ratchet wrench 1/2" and 9/16"

Bob

Thank you for all of your advice... I will give it a try tomorrow and post if I am successful...

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Welcome to the Gang.

Try a ratcheting 1/2 wrench ... worked on there tri. If that doesn't work, take an open end 1/2" and grind/file it down until it fits. I had a wrench from an old motorcycle kit (can't remember what bike) but it had a 1/2" combination that was really thin. Used it to break the bolts free on the tri, then the ratcheting wrench to remove them.

[Gorilla]

You got the heads up on the way its done Welcome aboard.

[Recycledteen]

As others have said- ratchet wrench works great!

[1dn5up]

When reassembling those bolts, I use anti-seiz so the next removal is not a struggle .

[cigarman]

Thought I'd add this so when someone does a search. My dealer service department changed my mufflers and they took the body off to get to these bolts and do the install. That may be the easiest way.

[Fearless]

Thought I'd add this so when someone does a search. My dealer service department changed my mufflers and they took the body off to get to these bolts and do the install. That may be the easiest way.

The easiest way is for someone else to do it, not the most cost effective. Mufflers come off in about 15 minutes with common tools by yourself. I have no Idea what a shop would charge, glad to see you are good with this I would scream well you know. ride safely fearless

[FuzzyWuzHe]

http://www.searsoutlet.com/1-2-x-9-1...49&mode=seeAll



Sears 43363 offset ratchet wrench 1/2" and 9/16"

Bob

+1

- - - Updated - - -

Or ... I found a wrench from an old motorcycle repair kit ... really thin ... worked okay, but the thin ratcheting kind are awesome

[screwball]

You really don't need to remove the rear bolt to get the stock mufflers off. Remove the front one, WD40 the rubber grommet that the bar passes through (vibration isolator) and take the clamp off. A little WD 40 at the joint. Jiggle, wiggle, and a few taps with a rubber mallet and it should slide off.

Solution #2, for about 10 bucks you can get a set of SECURITY Torx wrenches at Harbor Freight. these will remove the rear valance and give you plenty of clearance

Solution #3, I found a cheapo 1/2 inch wrench and took a grinder to it. Grind it down thin enough where it fits.

A ratcheting box wrench may or may not fit over the hex head, but will be a bear to get off when the bolt loosens.

Take your time, have fun, every new motorcycle needs a little blood and knuckle skin to christen it.

Wife's '14 Tri and my Freewheeler are our 3rd and 4th trike. I have changed the mufflers on all of them, practice practice practice

[Sunman]

I have had the mufflers off and on my Freewheeler several times. Remove the muffler clamps, spray WD40 where the muffler slides over the exhaust pipe and the rear bracket bolts and rubber bushing. Remove the front bracket bolt and work the muffler towards the rear. This will allow more room to get a short, offset 1/2" wrench on the rear bracket bolt which you can then loosen and remove with the short wrench. Usually after loosening the rear bolt with the short wrench I can unscrew it with my fingers after soaking it with WD40. When re-installing, put the rear bolt in the bracket then slide on the muffler and loosely install the front bracket bolt and then start the rear bracket bolt. Tighten it first then slide the muffler all the way up on the exhaust pipe and tighten front bracket bolt and install muffler clamp. I can have the mufflers off in 15 - 20 minutes. A lot easier IMHO than taking the body off.

Sunman

[52edub]

I am going to change out my headers to fuel moto ceramic coated headers. Do I need to remove the mufflers or will I have enough wiggle room to get the header off and the new one installed. THX

[BillR]

I am going to change out my headers to fuel moto ceramic coated headers. Do I need to remove the mufflers or will I have enough wiggle room to get the header off and the new one installed. THX

Matt, I don't think so. I believe the headers are the same as the Tri-Glide and I had to remove my mufflers. They were kinda hard to line up anyway without fighting the mufflers. too. I had to go with the Fuel-Moto header gaskets. I also had to replace the gasket going to the crossover pipe to the left side muffler.

[gerald martin]

screwball. I had an accident at Sturgis last year that some one left his truck in gear and it rolled into my freewheeler, which broke the trunk. Long story short. The insurance gave me a new body and let me keep the damaged body. The valance was not destroyed in any way so I thought I would take it off and keep it in case the new one got damaged in some way then I would have a spare. It does not come off. There are some bolts there but the rest of the valance is permanently fastened to the body with some type of glue. I checked with the factory and was told this does not come off without destroying the rest of the body. I then tried to get it off any way and destroyed the valance because of the epoxy glue
PS
I have removed the body several times. It is just six bolts to take off then lift the body off takes 10 minutess

[HDB0B]

Just curious ..... can the square bracket (holding the rubber isolator) be taken off any easier than getting to the two 1/2
" bolts? If yes .... then it would allow the mufflers to drop down making easy access to the bolts.

[Red59]

Just curious ..... can the square bracket (holding the rubber isolator) be taken off any easier than getting to the two 1/2
" bolts? If yes .... then it would allow the mufflers to drop down making easy access to the bolts.

The other side of that bracket is welded to the frame. It's just a plan old pain in the rear getting to these!!
I considered removing the body but instead am just using what Sunman described above. I've had the best luck using a small 1/4" drive breaker bar and ratchet, couldn't get any of the other suggested tools to work for me.
Red