It’s a tight fit and you will use a lot of cuss words. Best way is to remove interior plastic firewall panels.
You can do it without but you will use every 10mm long and short socket you own plus every true and size of 10mm wrench. And that’s just to get the heat shields off near the exhaust flange.

then you need long Allen sockets to get between the header pipes. I would suggest a new exhaust gasket while you are at it.

I just removed the exhaust off my 18 RS1 which is same motor and exhaust. And I did t remove all the panels, took alot longer than it should have.

If you are any where near Mesa I’d gladly donate my whole exhaust to you just to get it out of my way. It does have a gutted out cat for better flow and was only on the machine for 1000 miles.

 

It’s a tight fit and you will use a lot of cuss words. Best way is to remove interior plastic firewall panels.
You can do it without but you will use every 10mm long and short socket you own plus every true and size of 10mm wrench. And that’s just to get the heat shields off near the exhaust flange.

then you need long Allen sockets to get between the header pipes. I would suggest a new exhaust gasket while you are at it.

I just removed the exhaust off my 18 RS1 which is same motor and exhaust. And I did t remove all the panels, took alot longer than it should have.

If you are any where near Mesa I’d gladly donate my whole exhaust to you just to get it out of my way. It does have a gutted out cat for better flow and was only on the machine for 1000 miles.
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Thanks, but not near enough to Mesa. And I found one in stock at Rocky Mountain ATV And the gaskets.
One day expidited shipping I should have it by Wednesday!!! LOL.
Doing this is a huge PITA for 75 year old hands! LOL. If I weren’t in kind of a rush I would have taken it in someplace, but heading out for Quartzsite in a few days and want my machine with me.

 

Check all your motor and transmission mounts, I have blown 2 headers, and both times I had either a broken motor mount or a broken transmission mount bolt located just behind the muffler and I read in the forums that was a common cause of headers blowing out. The 1st header I replaced, the second one I welded it closed and have done two long trips this season without a problem. I have a back-up welded/repaired header in my toy hauler...just in case it blows open again.

 

Crazy, I found the broken bolt first, added the sdi brace plate and waiting on a "new to me" header from eBay.

Definitely taking note of the header and engine bolt! Had no idea they could be related but looking at the set up it makes perfect sense!!

 

Update…….nothing had to come off the rear of the machine…..muffler and corresponding heat shields all stayed in place. Just took seats out, removed firewall panel, removed the two flange bolts, removed the 6 allen head bolds from flange at engine and the header pipe came out through the passenger compartment. EZ PZ! All one has to do is just do it! LOL.
No engine mounts or trans mounts broken or anything………I guess I must have just used the machine too much when it was new! LOL.
According to Fedex tracking number, the new goodies should appear today. Then I get to reverse the process.
While waiting, now is the purrfect time to clean the engine below the oil filter. I find it impossible to get things 100% clean and dry when changing the oil filter, so it had built up some dirt and grime after all the miles I put on! Now that can go away and I can start building up a bit of new dirt and grime!

 

Updat #2. Decided to do an oil change while waiting on parts. Drain plug and hole in skid plate barely line up! Hmmmmmmm……….go back and re-examine motor mounts. Guess what I found upon further review. Bolt in outboard, port side motor mount sheared off! Yup, that would cause my issue. All good now! LOL. Old farts can’t see the obvious when right in front of them!

 

Update #3. Got motor mount fixed, Fedex shows up with new header, got new header bolted on.
Now all I gotta do is put the plastic panels back on, finish the service job, have a sip or two of Jameson and have a good cigar! Then go ride the next day!

 

Anyone know the torque spec for the two bolts to the muffler? I’m getting ready to replace my header for the same issue.

 

One ugh! If you are a fairly big guy like me. Maybe two ugh’s if you are a little skinny guy!

 

Good timing for this thread. I just got mine all tore apart to do the same thing. No broken bolts, I’m assuming all the hot/cold cycles of thousands of water crossings finally did it in.

 

Finally got around to pulling the heat shields off

 

Mine was in same area, I got it welded and it worked but I just got a used one and replaced it. My cause was definitely the broken bolts for motor/trans.