The Hodaka Club Forum

Any tips for keeping the exhaust nut tight on the B+ ? After making it as tight as I can get it, I found it quite loose after half a dozen starts (run til warm - heat cycles) and one first ride of just over a mile.
thanks,
Ken

Mine did that too. I was told to use a driver or punch to persuade it a bit tighter. Just st need to convince it with something! Victor

Start with a good copper exhaust gasket. loosen the muffler rear plate bracket and the muffler U bolt. Install a good exhaust gasket, tighten the exhaust nut slowly, rock the muffler and let the header pipe and exhaust connection dictate the position of the muffler. Once tight tighten the muffler brackets. In motocross or Cross country race you would not dare let it loosen as it will lean out the engine and you could have a melt down. Fail safe mode was a hose clamp around the exhaust nut and run a wire over to the frame to keeeep it tight --------Clarence

What I heard is that you can drill the exh nut and the cylinder fin for .032 lockwire. And use a new-ish copper washer.

Exhaust leaks are not good on a scavenging 2-stroke.

With the hose clamp you can change it with a screw driver. Bill yours is gonna stay and looks sanitary. If you ride allot it does need secured. --Clarence

I used to drill a hole in the exhaust nut an one in a fin on the cylinder and wire them together.

Ok thanks everyone. I've wired exhaust nuts before but the fins on the Ace seemed kind of small for drilling and wiring. I like the hose clamp idea too, maybe I can paint the clamp flat black so it doesn't show as much? I did tighten it with a piece of snowmobile belt wrapped around the fins and a large pair of water pump pliers. The chunk of belt protects the fins and as well, the cogs on the belt help to grip the fins. So I got it pretty darn tight but it still loosened off. So wiring it is then.
My Hustler is similar but Suzuki uses small "L" shaped tabs that bolt onto the front of the cylinder and fit between fins to secure the nuts. Works great until you need to remove one after 45 years.

Ken

I was racing every weekend back then so I pulled the cylinder often and the fins are fairly easy to drill with the cylinder upside down and I never had one pull through. The later aluminum cylinders had springs attached to holes in the fins and they do wear through occasionally.