Hi guys, I saw your thread and thought I would answer some of your questions. In the last 4 snow seasons with the Axys 800 we have learned a lot. Almost every issue we have seen with an exhaust cracking has come back to engine movement and subsequent contact with the chassis. This will typically leave witness marks on the pipe where it has been rubbing. This chassis contact amplifies the harmonics in the exhaust, causing it to crack.
The Axys motor mounts are fairly soft and can allow quite a bit of engine movement if worn. The more miles, the more horsepower and the longer and deeper lug your track is, the more movement and wear you will see. Check your motor mounts and replace them if they show any sign of wear. We have also seen a huge increase in exhaust durability with an SLP torque arm. I would highly recommend installing a torque arm regardless of what brand exhaust is installed (even the stock pipe) as the above issues are the same regardless and you will see exhaust durability and performance improvements.
We have also seen some chassis/installation problems that have negatively affected the pipe. Some aftermarket components (particularly front bumpers) create problems with either not enough space between the bumper and the exhaust or inability to properly use the supplied center spring hold-down pipe bracket. Some customers have also skipped or mis-installed some of the hold-down springs, allowing excessive exhaust movement. Also make sure to periodically check the vibro-isolator band in the center of the pipe. Tighten the clamp as needed. Check the insulation strap under the clamp and replace if it shows any sign of wear. Another fairly common issue is missing the re-installation of the stock grafoil seal on the SLP pipe. Neglecting re-installation of this seal results in a metal to metal connection between the pipe and silencer, which will transfer additional harmonics into the exhaust, not to mention the poor performance from lack of a good pipe to silencer seal.
We have been building the most current version of our pipe for about a year and have not seen any failures. It has only one band (forward of the exhaust probe) and does not have a y-shaped weld on the EGT probe bung. The warranty on our exhaust systems applies to the original owner and lasts for one year from the date of purchase. Any customer that has had an issue should contact SLP directly and we will work through the replacement process as quickly as possible. For anyone with a pipe beyond those criteria, we have been very fair in getting them a goodwill replacement rate based on their circumstances.
If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us.
Best Regards,
Adam Wood
Sales Manager, SLP
adam@slp.cc
(208)529-0244
