I went down to my dealer 2 days ago. Needed a new drive belt, original is showing cracks, and to pick up a couple of exhaust gaskets. I've noticed that the left side getting louder. Asked if they had any of the new crossbrace's in stock. They did and they have had to changed a few. Got the crossbrace free, under warranty. I also stopped by the hardware store to replace the grade 5 bolts that come with the kit with grade 8's.
So today I removed the engine guard and the rear frame section, to get to the muffler easier, and jacked it up removed the tires. Last year I had rapped the muffler with Thermo-Tec tape, the same stuff I've used on my bikes, trucks, etc, to try to quit the grass burning. Don't even bother. It doesn't help. I even rapped it twice. The only thing it did was rust the steel. Bad. The muffler looked like it was 10 years old.
I started to remove the exhaust nuts. It's a PITA. Not much room for large paws. I was removing the last nut and noticed the left exhaust header moving. LOL! The only thing that was holding it on was the tape and hose clamps. It had total broken off. Somewhere, sometime I must bang something hard enough to snap and bent the pipe. It also had some nasty cracks in it. Yes, I could of welded it back together but I would of had to remount and tack it and then remove, and finish welding because it was so screwed up. There only $45. Screw it, ordered a new one.
As for the crossbrace, gravy work. The 2 top bolts where loose. I removed them, yes the were installed wrong, and the threads were pretty chewed up. Removed the 2 bottom bolts, installed wrong, they were fine. Pried the old brace out and had to spread the cases a little to get the new one in. Just a tiny amount. Installed new grade 8 bolts, washers, lock washers and nuts. Torqued and then double nutted them. And yes, installed the right way.
I don't know if it's just laziness or Hustlers engineers. But you never make a connection where the shear point is on the threads. Always on the shank. Same as bolting up a building. Did it for 30 years.
