Hawk middle exhaust gasket??

[Bill Hilly]

I cut the catalytic converter out of my header pipe on my Hawk, and the gasket that joins the header pipe, and tailpipe crumbled. It's the gasket were the funny clamp is at. Were would I get one, or any ideas on how to make one, and from what ??

[JerryHawk250]

I made one out of exhaust gasket material.

[Bill Hilly]

I made one out of exhaust gasket material.

I'm glad you chimed in Jerry. I know you ran your Hawk with the stock muffler for a while after removing the catalytic converter, and then later switched to an aftermarket muffler, that I think Dan sent you. Did the aftermarket muffler offer any noticable performance gains over the stock muffler ? Thanks

[JerryHawk250]

I'm glad you chimed in Jerry. I know you ran your Hawk with the stock muffler for a while after removing the catalytic converter, and then later switched to an aftermarket muffler, that I think Dan sent you. Did the aftermarket muffler offer any noticable performance gains over the stock muffler ? Thanks

I didn't notice any real performance gain over the stock muffler. I did drill some holes in the stock exhaust though. I have a thread on here somewhere with pictures.

[Bill Hilly]

I didn't notice any real performance gain over the stock muffler. I did drill some holes in the stock exhaust though. I have a thread on here somewhere with pictures.

I can see a plate a few inches back it the muffler, and the pipe is offset coming through it. I assume the inner plate is what you drilled. It's a good bit louder with no converter, and no baffle, but not as loud as the complete aftermarket exhaust on my TBR7.

[JerryHawk250]

I can see a plate a few inches back it the muffler, and the pipe is offset coming through it. I assume the inner plate is what you drilled. It's a good bit louder with no converter, and no baffle, but not as loud as the complete aftermarket exhaust on my TBR7.
That's the one I drilled. It will allow more exhaust to flow strait out instead of having to go through the exhaust chambers.

[Megadan]

A straight through muffler will always be louder when you start opening the throttle wider. The way a straight through muffler works, it behaves like a straight pipe once the inner volume of the muffler core is at it's maximum volume. A baffled/chambered muffler still forces the exhaust to change direction, which slams the sound waves into each other and the muffler body.

[Bill Hilly]

http://https://i.ibb.co/GQQ0cdq/ASTRO-55-R-02282023-110726.jpg (https://ibb.co/JjjK5c9)https://i.ibb.co/yRjK50p/ASTRO-55-R-02282023-111113.jpg (https://ibb.co/H28RY7C)https://i.ibb.co/GQQ0cdq/ASTRO-55-R-02282023-110726.jpg (http://https://i.ibb.co/FXNJ9jk/ASTRO-55-R-02272023-161845.jpg)"]http://https://i.ibb.co/FXNJ9jk/ASTRO-55-R-02272023-161845.jpg (http://https://i.ibb.co/yRjK50p/ASTRO-55-R-02282023-111113.jpg)[/URL]I didn't want to go to town and get exhaust gasket paper, so I ended up cutting two gaskets from a pop can, and nothing seems to be leaking. I thought that since the exhaust shield had one bolt on each side of my cat that I could just slap a piece of pipe over my cuts , and bolt the shield on to use as a jig, but it didn't work exactly like planned. I just put a little weld on each end and went to try it, and the head end, and the other end in the middle wouldn't both fit, but since I just had welded a little spot on each end ,I was able to manipulate it enough to fit well. I pulled it out and finished welding it, and then painted it, but then my heat shield bolts were a little off, so I drilled new holes in it. I also built a fork brace from only one (but heavy duty) U bolt. It's super stiff. I left room for another U Bolt that I can weld in next to the other, but I don't think I'll need it. I hate to spend another $10.00 on a U bolt that's just adding extra weight. Please excuse the messy back porch.LOL