Alba, their pipes, and my situation...

[450rcrazy]

now, granted I don't ride as much as you, but I've had my yoshi pipe on my 400 for 2-3 years and not even one little sign of coming apart like those.

Id@

You probably dont jump as much and ride as hard either also a 450 is a higher reving engine with much more harmonic vibrations that would cause these type failures, but I do believe they should replace it for him becouse when they built it they knew what it was for a RACE BIKE that would see alot of hard high RPM riding and should have built it strong enough for it to handle. I also have a 450r with a Alba exhaust it has been on my bike for almost two years now and I must have over 500 hrs on it with no troubles at all , but I probably dont ride as hard as Rob either . I am watching what happens closely cause I am curious how they will handle this . If they screw him over I will never suggest their exhaust to anyone ever again.

[Ida_Mann]

now, granted I don't ride as much as you, but I've had my yoshi pipe on my 400 for 2-3 years and not even one little sign of coming apart like those.

Id@

You probably dont jump as much and ride as hard either also a 450 is a higher reving engine with much more harmonic vibrations that would cause these type failures, but I do believe they should replace it for him becouse when they built it they knew what it was for a RACE BIKE that would see alot of hard high RPM riding and should have built it strong enough for it to handle. I also have a 450r with a Alba exhaust it has been on my bike for almost two years now and I must have over 500 hrs on it with no troubles at all , but I probably dont ride as hard as Rob either . I am watching what happens closely cause I am curious how they will handle this . If they screw him over I will never suggest their exhaust to anyone ever again.

correct, I hardly ever get into the high RPMs,,,,,probably hardly ever over about 6K.

and jumping is not good to the quad with a rider that weighs what I do ;-)

Id@

[trx#9]

HMF makes Alba's and Baldwins pipes. I think if you got a year out of your pipe consider yourself luckily. So your pipe made it  over a year without repacking it. If you ride alot you should repack your pipe every 90 days. If the packing gets blow out your pipe will run a lot hotter and cause extra stress on the rivits along with extra vibration, due to no packing. Headers sometime crack due to the way you tighten your pipe while installing it. I Always tighten the silencer first, seems like it reduces stress on the header.

[arod]

 i have a 2004 yfz450 that i purchased new in aug of 2003. i bought the ALBA exhaust kit because it was/is the best bang for the money. my quad has never seen trail riding. only mx. i have only had two issues with my pipe: the pipe that enters the canister cracked all around that flange that is rivited to the canister and the metal core inside the pipe you wrap the insulation around cracked in two. after rebuiling my engine with some 'work'. i had the pipe and inlet-flange rewelded(because i don't have the means of welding stainless). i re-rivited the flange to the canister, cut down the can and repacked the exhaust for a grand total of...$35 bucks. all this 3 years from the date of purchase. i know my experience is isolated but take it for what it's worth. by the way, the cut down canister did help the bottom-end some.

[Gunnslinger]

Simular Design as HMF but they do not make the ALBA pipe,it is made by a custom shop in Ca.-still the best pipe for a yfz.

[Ride1Rob]

Well, they recieved the pipe yesterday and said that it was sent to R&D for inspection. Hopefully I'll hear something before the day is out...

Email from Marc on 7/12/07
ROBERT, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS-UP THAT I RECEIVED YOUR PIPE AND BROUGHT IT OVER TO MY R&D DEPARTMENT TO INSPECT EARLIER THIS MORNING.  AS SOON AS I HEAR WHAT’S GOING ON, I WILL GIVE YOU A SHOUT BACK.

 

Marc Caravaggio
Parts Manager
Alba Action Sports
(858)486-4380 X.204
(858)679-7947 fax
 

[Ida_Mann]

glad to know they are keeping you in the loop about it.

Id@

[klutchbuster400]

Tel them to throw in a free graphics kit or youre going to the media!

[Ride1Rob]

Well, I got an email from Marc yesterday and this is what he said...

ROBERT, I’M WAITING FOR MY R&D DEPT. TO SWAP OUT YOUR CANISTER AND WILL LET YOU KNOW ONCE I GET IT BACK IN MY HANDS.  HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.

 

Marc Caravaggio
Parts Manager
Alba Action Sports
(858)486-4380 X.204
(858)679-7947 fax
 

If that's all that they're going to do it's not going to hold up    . The new can is not all that needs to be fixed as you guys can see in the pics were the end pipe before the canister has cracked around the weld. Hopfully they took care of that also    . I'll post the finished results and give you guys the skinny once I get the pipe back.

[Ride1Rob]

Well, I sent Marc an email yesterday expressing to him the concern about the weld being cracked. He said he'd have them to check that area. I also expressed my concern about this being a temporary fix that may only last for a few months before the pipe starts to fall apart again... HE DIDN'T RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION    . My thoughts as of now are to get the pipe back from them, sell it, and move on to something else.

Email to Marc
Marc, did they take a look at the end pipe where the welds have come apart
before the canister? This is not going to be a fix that's going to last me a
few months and I'm right back in the same boat is it? Thanx!

From Marc
ROBERT, I'LL MAKE SURE THEY DOUBLE CHECK THE AREA BETWEEN THE CANISTER AND
THE MID-PIPE BEFORE I GET IT OUT TO YOU.

Marc Caravaggio
Parts Manager
Alba Action Sports
(858)486-4380 X.204
(858)679-7947 fax

What should I make of that?

[trx#9]

Get it back and try it out. If it breaks again, through it away and buy another brand.

[53yfz450]

pipes aret ment to last forever they will wear out after a few months and yo will have to get a new one thats just how it goes it doesent matter what brand it is

[Ride1Rob]

pipes aret ment to last forever they will wear out after a few months and yo will have to get a new one thats just how it goes it doesent matter what brand it is

Ummm, maybe for you Jake. If something small happens to your pipe they hook you up being that you're sponsored by them. And no, pipes don't last forever. But I'll name you 3 guys on this site that have pipes that are at least 2 years old or better and have had not the 1st problem that I'm having and their pipes are still in mint condition in terms of them holding up:

1: Dreth (Well over 2 yrs on Sparks),
2: T2 (2 yrs on Sparks),
3: Wayne (Lil under 2yrs on Yoshi),
4: A Trinity pipe that's currently on my bike that I got from a friend whose motor I'm rebuilding (almost 3 yrs old). Not the 1st flaw on this pipe yet!!! I'm sure there are many many others on this site as well.

[trx#9]

pipes aret ment to last forever they will wear out after a few months and yo will have to get a new one thats just how it goes it doesent matter what brand it is

Ummm, maybe for you Jake. If something small happens to your pipe they hook you up being that you're sponsored by them. And no, pipes don't last forever. But I'll name you 3 guys on this site that have pipes that are at least 2 years old or better and have had not the 1st problem that I'm having and their pipes are still in mint condition in terms of them holding up:

1: Dreth (Well over 2 yrs on Sparks),
2: T2 (2 yrs on Sparks),
3: Wayne (Lil under 2yrs on Yoshi),
4: A Trinity pipe that's currently on my bike that I got from a friend whose motor I'm rebuilding (almost 3 yrs old). Not the 1st flaw on this pipe yet!!! I'm sure there are many many others on this site as well.

It all depends how you hard and fast you ride. If your casing 100 ft. long triple jumps, crashing, blitzing through whoops, running 20 minutes moto's full blast a pipe will only last so long.
Your pipe probably should have lasted longer. Good luck on your next buy!
 My friend had a sparks pipes for awhile and it broke all the time, At the mounts. They make um as light as possible thats the problem.

[TBR]

We have ran the Baldwin pipes for almost 3 yrs and no trouble at all. The new Baldwin pipe is the best one of all. More horsepower and quieter.