Panhead Exhaust Clamp Fix | 1964 Duo-Glide Fishtail Mufflers | Riding Vintage

Panhead Exhaust Clamp Fix for 1964 Duo-Glide Fishtail Mufflers

Small exhaust problems can turn into constant irritation on a rider Panhead. When a muffler clamp will not tighten enough, the muffler rotates, the joint never feels secure, and the repair starts to look worse the more force you put into it. On my 1964 Harley-Davidson FLH Duo-Glide, the answer ended up being a simple clamp swap rather than a complicated exhaust repair.

One of the first changes I made to my '64 Duo-Glide was to install a set of reproduction fishtail mufflers to replace the incorrect turnout mufflers that came with the bike. I picked up a set from V-Twin Manufacturing and they mounted right up. The problem was that the exhaust clamps that came with the mufflers were just a hair too big. In fact, I broke the bolt trying to tighten up the clamp enough to keep the mufflers from rotating.

Looking around the shop, I found a couple clamps off of a late model Sportster. They were a little wider than the V-Twin clamps and made of stainless steel, so they seemed like a good upgrade. This is the kind of practical fix that belongs in the broader Panhead Tech section because it solves a real fitment problem without changing the look of the bike.

A late-model Sportster stainless clamp was wider than the reproduction muffler clamp and made a better starting point for the fix.

Test Fitting the Sportster Exhaust Clamp

I slipped one over the exhaust pipe and tightened it down. Still not tight enough. To reduce the diameter of the clamp, I removed the center spacer, by first driving the bolt off of the clamp.

The clamp still would not tighten enough with the center spacer in place.

Removing the center spacer let the clamp close down farther on the muffler joint.

Removing the Spacer and Hiding the Clamp Bolt

Once the spacer was removed, I reassembled the clamp and gave it another try.

This time when I snugged it down, it was tight enough to hold the muffler firmly in place. I rotated the clamp so that the bolt was on the backside of the muffler, keeping it out of the sight of the casual observer.

With the spacer removed, the clamp was able to hold the fishtail muffler firmly in place.

Rotating the clamp put the bolt on the backside of the muffler where it was less visible.