ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Hey everyone. Im just getting around to installing the Magnaflow catback on my 87 TA. Since Im doing a motor swap and have a different y-pipe...I have no issues with the intermediate pipe. In fact I have it cut right now because there was too much... I need to see where the rest of the system wants to sit before I weld it back together.

Im having some issues with the hanger situation in the back. Plenty of people say to use a universal 360 thing-a-ma-bob...but I dont have a clue what that is... haha. I searched and have found some pictures of the overall fitment in the back, but what Im looking for is some detailed pics of the hanger areas.

Ive seen someone mention the Walker part number 36398... What exactly is this? Can this be ordered at Autozone or NAPA or something??

Bottom line...I know I would benefit from some detailed pics. And Im sure there are a few others that would as well. I have a 4th gen parts car...and Im thinking about taking the hangers off of it and swapping it all over to my car. Ide have to weld the hangers from the 4th gen exhast onto the magnaflow kit though...which I dont really want to have to do.

The 4th gen I have is a 99...so it has 4 hangers in the back. I kind of like how the system has the two mounts like the thirdgen...but also has two more to support the tips. Those are massive tips on the magnaflow kit and I would hate for one to droop and smack the ground while flying down the highway.

Anyway...anyone have any good input on this??? Like I said...pics would be freaking sweet...

Thanks in advance!

Justin

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Ok...did some looking around. That walker part number is for the hanger piece that bolts to the pipe.

Im wondering if I could use that on both sides. Just order the new bushing part of the hanger and use it on the driver and passenger side.

Pretty much means I wont get to mount it all up today though.

Justin

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Dang...this exhaust is giving me fits. I wish I would have ordred the 98-02 kit. The rear hangers work perfect in a thirdgen. I took them off of the 99 camaro donar car I have, and installed them into my car with no problems. However...Im having big issues trying to get the tips where I want them. Things seem so far off. Everything is shifted to the drivers side...and the drivers side tip is always way further under the car and the passenger side tip always sticks way out.

So my plan is this... Start over. I think the bracket on the passenger side, the one that is on the over the axle pipe is causing me some issues. So Im going to place the tips where I watn them while they are on the muffler. Weld the hanger brackets to the tips. Then modify the rest of the piping (over the axle pipe and intermediate pipe) to match up to the rest.

While I had the magnaflow on the ground assembled...I noticed that the tips seemed to be at a slight angle compared to the muffler... The two tips seema parallel to each other...but skewed when compared to the muffler.

I dont know what is goin on... but I need to figure it out tonight. Its the only thing holding me up from finishing the car!!!!

Justin

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Ok... I think Ive come up with a better solution for installing magnaflow. I ordered the kit for the 93-97 cars. I was told it fits...and the mounts seemed close enough. Well...I fought and fought and fought with it to no avail. So I got to thinkin about the 99 camaro I have sittin there in a pile. If you order the kit for the 98-02 cars, you get little brackets with it that bolt on towards the back of the car. And the system hangs by three pin type hangers, and the one normal one on the pass side.

So...here is what I did. I took off the rearward hangers on the 99. They look like this...



Not sure if thats factory...or if the previous owner put them on from a kit.

Anyway, they are held on by a metal bar that is slipped into the "frame rail" and has tapped holes. These..



On to the thirdgen... What do you know. Two holes in the "frame rail" just like the 99. The similarities never cease to amaze me.



This is how it goes together..





Now since I have the 93-97 kit...I didnt have these bar type hangers. So this was my solution. I used the hangars from the 99 cat back. It was trash anyway.





Ok this is getting long...but bare with me. I dont have pics of it installed...but it was SO much easier to get the tips lined up and looking good using this install method. Because the tips are held in two places instead of just at the rear. I basically used jack stands to get the tail pipes where i wanted them, hung the hangers that I cut off in the rubber isolators, and tacked them in place. Worked beautifully.

Now...my thinking is. Wouldnt it be easier to just order the LS1 magnaflow catback??? Im going to take some measurements tomorrow on the 99 to see if the hole spacing is the same...but judging from where I had to weld the hangers, it looks pretty darn close... Seems like it would just bolt right in then. All you would need is the driver's side front hanger. You can use the passenger side front 3rd gen hanger with no issues.

I was told on another board that those other mounts may be found on some thirdgens... But I cant confirm that. Maybe someone else can. I really feel doing this and ordering the 98-02 cat back will make the install a lot easier...as long as the hangers work out.

Ok...Thats enough for now. Gotta pull the exhaust completely apart again today for last minute tweaking, and fitting...then its back together for good. Ill snap pics then. Thanks for reading along!

Justin

MI ROC-Z

Hi, I was just searching through some threads and started reading about your installation and the problems you had with the fitment of the cat back. I just ordered the walker part from NAPA today for the over axle pipe since it's not included in the kit and I don't feel like paying GM parts prices. Do you have any pics of the final install and do you have any additional advice for when I get ready to do the final install.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Well...I havent ever confirmed this, but Im pretty sure I read somewhere that someone successfully installed an LS1 part number kit doing it the way that I did. Vs. buying the LT1 kit and goofing with the brackets like I had to.

So if you have the LS1 Magnaflow kit, and you have the hangers from a 4th gen...the two on the drivers side...it should pretty much bolt right on. Get a new rubber mount for the passenger side so it holds everything tight. Hang the pipes and muffler and get everything assembled before tightening anything down. If you toy with it...you can get it pretty perfect. Then crank down on all the clamps and youre golden.

Bout all the advice I can give you... Exhaust installs always pose a different challenge. But usually its pretty self explanitory. It'll either fit...or not. If it doesnt, just take it apart and try it again with things in different positions.

Here are some pics of mine on my 87 when the kit was new. Try to ignore my booger tack welds. I was so frustrated trying to get the tips lined up right. I took it all apart and cleaned off the old welds and TIG'd the brackets on cleaner.

Pass side mounts:





Driver side mounts:





You can get em lined up pretty nice...









J.