How to Tell If Your SxS Exhaust Is Installed Correctly
A quick once-over and a simple leak check before your first ride. No special tools, no
guesswork.
A GGB system bolts straight to your factory mounts with hand tools, and on a stock engine it runs right from the first start. There is nothing exotic about the install and nothing exotic about checking it. Most of the time everything is exactly where it should be and you are ready to ride. The steps below are a simple confidence check, including how to spot an exhaust leak, so you can pull away knowing the job is buttoned up.
Give It a Once-Over Before You Start
Before you hit the starter, walk the whole system with your eyes and hands. Check that the
header flange sits flush against the header with no gap on either side, that every clamp and mid-pipe joint is fully seated and evenly snug, that the mounting brackets are tight to the frame with no play, and that the pipe clears the frame, bodywork, and everything around it with room to spare. If a flange looks pulled away on one side, seat it evenly before you start. An uneven flange is the most common cause of a small exhaust leak, so it is the one spot worth a second look.
How to Check for an Exhaust Leak
This is the part most riders want to confirm, and checking a SxS or UTV exhaust for a leak takes about two minutes and no tools.
Start it cold and listen.Fire it up cold and let it idle for a minute. A sealed system sounds clean, just the exhaust note and nothing else. What you do not want is a rhythmic ticking that keeps time with the engine, a faint hiss coming from one spot, or popping that seems to come from a joint rather than the tip. Any of those points to a leak at a connection.
Do the hand check at temperature. Once the machine is warm, hold your hand a few inches from each joint and feel for a pulse of hot air that does not belong there. A leak puffs with every exhaust pulse, and you will feel it without touching anything. Keep your hand moving and keep your distance. The system is hot.
If you find a leak, it is almost always a clamp or a flange bolt that wants another turn. Shut it down, snug the connection, and check again before you ride.
Pay Attention on the First Ride
Take it out and notice how it behaves. It should start and idle like normal, pull clean through the RPM range, and answer the throttle without stumbling. A GGB system is built for your stock tune, so you do not need a programmer for normal running. If more power is part of your plan, a tune complements the exhaust, but it is not required to ride. You are listening for a consistent note with no new rattles or vibration at any RPM. If it sounds and feels right, it is right.
Retorque After the First Ride
After that first ride, give the hardware a quick retorque. Heat cycling lets fasteners settle a hair on any exhaust, so a ten-minute check once everything has cooled closes the loop. That is the last step.
That Is It
A properly installed GGB system asks nothing of you beyond the occasional wash. If it looked right, sealed clean, and rode well through the steps above, it is installed correctly. Browse the full lineup in our SxS Exhaust Collection when you are ready for your next
build, and go ride.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my SxS or UTV exhaust is leaking?
Start the machine cold and listen at each connection. A leak shows up as rhythmic ticking, a faint hiss, or popping from a joint rather than the tip. Confirm it once the system is warm by holding your hand a few inches from each joint and feeling for a pulse of hot air. Most leaks are just a clamp or flange bolt that needs another turn.
Do I need a tune after installing an aftermarket SxS exhaust?
No. A GGB system is built to run on your stock tune with the correct air-fuel numbers, so no programmer is required for normal riding. A tune is optional if you want to add power as part of a larger build.
Can I install a GGB SxS exhaust myself?
Yes. GGB systems are a direct bolt-on to your factory mounts using basic hand tools, with no cutting or welding on standard fitments. A couple of Polaris center-exit applications need a small trim to the rear plastic fascia, and those ship with a template and new rear facia plate for a clean finish.
View GGB Installation Guides
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