Hawk airbox mod for aftermarket exhaust; How dumb is this idea?

Badluck · 07-08-2021, 10:03 PM

A little backstory/exposition first.

I live in a small town surrounded by dirt/dusty roads. I'm not too keen on pod filters at this point, but could be totally wrong about them. My original plan was to bring the front exhaust pipe in to modify it for more flow.

However, poor materials or whatever had different plans and the pipe cracked at the engine flange in such a way that repair would be too difficult to justify. I bought a replacement for a Brozz and of course it's different so while that's still available for any takers (along with a Brozz rear rack), I bought the cheap aftermarket one.

I've installed it and I'm done trying to mess with bending it. I've got it way from the clutch actuator and it barely clears the airbox so I wrapped the exhaust and took it for a short ride to check it out.

Of course it started to melt the airbox.

So my idea is to make a reinforced sheet of high temp RTV by smearing RTV over fine wire mesh I salvaged from a discarded hydraulic filter and sandwiching it between waxed paper until it cures, then using that sheet to patch the hole I'll cut in the bottom of the airbox to clear the exhaust.

I've already made the sheet, but it's on parchment, if it sticks, oh well.

**JerryHawk250** · 07-09-2021, 08:09 AM

Or you can just go to your local auto parts and buy some peel and stick heat shield.

Badluck · 07-09-2021, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

Or you can just go to your local auto parts and buy some peel and stick heat shield.

Heh. If I wasn't so impatient and lazy I might have gotten this rather than the heat wrap.

https://www.amazon.com/Electriduct-T.../dp/B01HIYOC0O

Badluck · 07-09-2021, 09:10 PM

I went ahead with my plan.

Here's the worst portion of the sheet I made. One side did stick to the parchment, but could eventually be picked off.

And this is what I ended up doing. There's a rib inside the airbox at this location so I couldn't attach it from the inside, however that rib should provide additional support from external pressure.

As long as it doesn't peel away from the outside of the airbox, this seems like a viable solution. I can always slather more RTV on it.

07-08-2021, 10:03 PM	#1
Badluck Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 80	Hawk airbox mod for aftermarket exhaust; How dumb is this idea? A little backstory/exposition first. I live in a small town surrounded by dirt/dusty roads. I'm not too keen on pod filters at this point, but could be totally wrong about them. My original plan was to bring the front exhaust pipe in to modify it for more flow. However, poor materials or whatever had different plans and the pipe cracked at the engine flange in such a way that repair would be too difficult to justify. I bought a replacement for a Brozz and of course it's different so while that's still available for any takers (along with a Brozz rear rack), I bought the cheap aftermarket one. I've installed it and I'm done trying to mess with bending it. I've got it way from the clutch actuator and it barely clears the airbox so I wrapped the exhaust and took it for a short ride to check it out. Of course it started to melt the airbox. So my idea is to make a reinforced sheet of high temp RTV by smearing RTV over fine wire mesh I salvaged from a discarded hydraulic filter and sandwiching it between waxed paper until it cures, then using that sheet to patch the hole I'll cut in the bottom of the airbox to clear the exhaust. I've already made the sheet, but it's on parchment, if it sticks, oh well.
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07-09-2021, 08:09 AM	#2
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,578	Or you can just go to your local auto parts and buy some peel and stick heat shield. __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
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07-09-2021, 09:10 PM	#4
Badluck Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 80	I went ahead with my plan. Here's the worst portion of the sheet I made. One side did stick to the parchment, but could eventually be picked off. And this is what I ended up doing. There's a rib inside the airbox at this location so I couldn't attach it from the inside, however that rib should provide additional support from external pressure. As long as it doesn't peel away from the outside of the airbox, this seems like a viable solution. I can always slather more RTV on it.
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