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Brake pedal hitting exhaust

16K views 45 replies 19 participants last post by  Paul HD72 
#1 ·
I recently bought a 2014 Superlow 1200T with dealer installed V&H Big Radius Exhaust. I noticed today for the first time the brake pedal is hitting the heat shield when depressed. Now that I noticed it I think it's stopping the rear brake from being fully engaged. I will be heading back to the dealer but I was wondering if anybody else has this setup and if there is a way of adjusting the brake pedal? I've looked but don't see any way of adjust the rod to raise the pedal a little
 
#40 ·
fair question. I have installed 5 sets of vance and hines big radius. (none on the sportster) and ALL came with spacers for the floor boards. Now I know yours does not have floor boards and I can be wrong. They will not clear without them on the softballs and touring I have done. I may be wrong on yours.
 
#41 ·
Even though the Big Radius doesn't come with spacers, and V&H does not mention them in the instructions for a Sportster, it actually might make sense to add spacers. I was looking at the setup this afternoon and thought if they only had spacers to bring the peg and brake pedal out just a little the brake pedal would not hit the exhaust when pressed. I could make my own spacers but I'm not sure if the brake rod would be ok since it would be on a slight angle. I will try something to see if it's a possible work around.
 
#42 ·
When I installed my short shots I replaced the bolts that held the stock slip ons on and the bolts I used were not visibly longer but had a different shaped end. This created a fitment problem with the lower belt guard. Is it possible something like that happened? Maybe the dealership was swapped the bolts to a slightly longer or shorter one holding it differently since its made to be with stock parts?


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#43 · (Edited)
I guess anything is possible. The thing is the dealer spoke on the phone directly to Vance & Hines and they told my dealer they installed the exact Big Radius exhaust on the exact bike as mine without doing any mods to the exhaust and it fits (no brake pedal problem). So I don't know what is going on anymore. If I were comfortable with the forward controls this problem with the brake pedal on the mids wouldn't even matter. I would just stick with the forward controls and forget about it. I think V&H needs to get their act together and come up with a fix to this problem. I'm probably going to call V&H myself and see if I can explain things to them very slowly, like I'm trying to make a 2 year old understand.
 
#46 ·
Since you can't defy the laws of physics (occupy the same space at the same time) V&N could not have installed the exact same pipes on the exact same bike. It might be a good idea to have V&N send pictures of the bike they have with close-ups of the brake pedal mechanism. There has to be some difference (w spacer as you mention) that allows for the pedal to be fully depressed on the bike they have and not contact the pipe.
 
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