Originally Posted by
aspeed
Sometimes you can solder up the needle hole, and use a remote needle. The stock muffler is a big mistake IMHO. It is heavy and sticks forward too far. It breaks the mounting tabs on the motor too easily. I have got quite a few used ones like that. It takes a bit of machining to fix, so I don't mind, but it is kind of a bad design. A header and pipe is maybe a good thing, not mainly for power, but just as a muffler. I wonder if anyone is going to restart the company, that would be nice to give OS a run for the money. Not just a Mecoa type liquidation, but an aggressive company.
The stock ST muffler has always stayed in the box it came in. I always used a MACs one-piece muffler because it is so light. The ST40/45/51 are lighter than the OS46/55 without the mufflers. When you add the muffler, the ST weight will equal the OS weight. So, gotta take advantage of that.
That is a great idea about the remote needle to replace a damaged needle. There are many brands that can be used for remote needles.