Oh what a pain . . . .CAT removal

[NorthAlabamaSpyder]

Replaced the CAT with a pipe from Lamont. Easy to install but that top spring was a PITA. I hope I never have to take that off again. An tips?

[Chupaca]

don't know how you went about it but with a good spring hook or a piece of broom handle and some cord it is very easy....but you got it done and should not have to go back there for a long long time.... congrats...

[SPYD3R]

BIG MUCHA NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS......
i feel your pain my friend.... that's one nasty spring...
i had to redesign my FLOOR BORDZ around that *&%$ Spring...
LIFE IS GOOD however... just turned 41,000 miles of smiles on my '15 F3....
Dan P
SPYD3R

[sprdmx]

I found it easier to remove the header pipe along with the cat and swap it while they're both off.

[cptjam]

With practice, it is a 15 minute job. Hook a 6 foot piece of strong cord (like parachute cord, 550 line, thin cable) over the spring, and have your helper pull aft. Do all 3. We normally leave the cord on the top one, so as to get it first when we put it back together. Ann wraps it around the socket extension, sits, and pulls. I direct the angle to catch the loop. We broke my spring tool on it, and devised the cord trick. Works great!

[Roadster Renovations]

We sell a tool for that. $15 includes shipping. You use a pair of needle nose pliers with it to leverage the spring. Very easy.

PM me if you need it.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I became frustrated with the spring also, so I made a tool ..... a 12" piece of 1 inch angle iron drilled a hole near the end and put in a 3/16th dia. nail which I bent into a hook ..... this gave me leverage to PULL the spring onto the loop .... Mike

[Yukonf3]

Replaced the CAT with a pipe from Lamont. Easy to install but that top spring was a PITA. I hope I never have to take that off again. An tips?

Even when you have the right spring pull tool, the problem is that there is not enough space to pull the spring out and away from the pipe as you stretch it, so it catches on the edge of the pipe. Put a one inch scraper at the pipe joint and the spring pulls easy across it. Once the spring is attached, pull the scraper out.

I change my exhaust config fairly often and it is easy peasy that way.

[Ryan12]

OK I'll bite: What is the purpose of the cat removal???

[No 2817]

OK I'll bite: What is the purpose of the cat removal???

Takes care of the kitty litter and that annoying meow noise. Some say its a catalytic converter some say it is a muffler resonator. It is between your engine and the muffler. If removed (I did it) it will make your bike louder. I almost put it back on, a little too loud. Which ever function it is people remove it to get more noise. You get less low end power (off the line) but better mid range power.

Chris

[NorthAlabamaSpyder]

Wow guys, excellent ideas.

Doc, I just ordered the tensing form you yesterday. Is that tool on your website somewhere?

[SpyderF3]

Replaced the CAT with a pipe from Lamont. Easy to install but that top spring was a PITA. I hope I never have to take that off again. An tips?

I used a long thin screw driver and if you look from the right side of the bike behind the rear top spring there is a slot in the frame, I put the screw driver thru the loop in the spring and into the slot in the frame and used the screw driver as a lever and it was easy off and easy on.

[jcthorne]

I use a spring hook. After you have done a few dozen of them you know just the right facial expression required to get the spring to go on....

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I used a long thin screw driver and if you look from the left side of the bike behind the rear top spring there is a slot in the frame, I put the screw driver thru the loop in the spring and into the slot in the frame and used the screw driver as a lever and it was easy off and easy on.

That's exactly what I did with my angle iron and hook ....easy-peasy //// Mike

[Roadster Renovations]

Wow guys, excellent ideas.

Doc, I just ordered the tensing form you yesterday. Is that tool on your website somewhere?

For some reason it only got listed on Ebay. Here is the link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/122078638074...84.m1555.l2649

Here is a video where I show it's use:



I developed this for the Rock Armour install. Look at about 45 seconds in the video. I have used the original many, many times at rallies and have yet to have it break.

[NorthAlabamaSpyder]

I used a long thin screw driver and if you look from the left side of the bike behind the rear top spring there is a slot in the frame, I put the screw driver thru the loop in the spring and into the slot in the frame and used the screw driver as a lever and it was easy off and easy on.

yes, that is what I finally did

[MrBones]

Wow Doc a 10 dollar item that cost 7 dollars to ship? Sounds kind of stiff to me.

[Wildrice]

BIG MUCHA NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS......
i feel your pain my friend.... that's one nasty spring...
i had to redesign my FLOOR BORDZ around that *&%$ Spring...
LIFE IS GOOD however... just turned 41,000 miles of smiles on my '15 F3....
Dan P
SPYD3R

Are U saying U put on over 20,000 mi per year. good weather--bad weather, etc? Wow !!!

[Roadster Renovations]

Wow Doc a 10 dollar item that cost 7 dollars to ship? Sounds kind of stiff to me.

No worries. We don't set the shipping rate on Ebay. They do. We are a very small seller with them. (imagine that) We can probably save you a couple of bucks if you PM me an email.

[fatboy]

you need to put baffle in and get your low end back also quiet down a touch

[Wildrice]

Prior to this I always believed I had a strong mechanical aptitude . Not so sure anymore. I had a heavy spring hook from Brocks exhaust installation. The springs removed with minor difficulty--fairly easy. Installing the Cat bypass pipe was another story. It appeared the distance between the exhaust pipe & bypass pipe hooks were farther apart. None the less I got all 3 springs hooked up. The F3's sounds terrific----to me.
Lamont--the neighbors would like to have a little chat with you
Darrell

[No 2817]

Replaced the CAT with a pipe from Lamont. Easy to install but that top spring was a PITA. I hope I never have to take that off again. An tips?

Upper Bounce Trampoline Spring Pull Tool (T-Hook)

https://www.amazon.com/Upper-Bounce-.../dp/B004CAI2NG


WOW! $2.84 and free shipping. This is what I use.

Chris

[trikermutha]

After messing with them dam springs I decided to use my brake tools for my car. Used the spring tools to install all springs and worked perfect. Even the back spring which is a PITA.

Made the job way easier.

[Schwingel9]

My spyder did not like the cat delete. Poor mid and lost around 30/40 miles per tank.

[trikermutha]

I have run the cat delete pipe with the baffle wrapped and found its very close to stock sound and the MPG has not suffered that I can tell.

Have noticed a bit more power so far. Want to drive the Spyder more for further evaluation.

Glad I got a great deal on one from the WTB section