Just installed a new flowmaster american thunder catback on my 89 rs 305 and I was just wondering if you guys really thought that I should get the pipes welded together, or should I just leave them clamped as they are?

 

Be careful what you weld, if you don't have an overhead lift; welding too much can make it all but impossible to remove easily.

 

i have done more than a few clamp on exhaust systems and never had an issue. infact i just got done putting the american thunder on my 87 L98 and i am not going to bother with welds.....

just make sure you position the clams the best you can so they are up and out of the way and crank em down nice and tight.. check em after a day or so out on the road.


on a side note.... i was really not impressed with the american thunder... then i made up my mind to remove the cat and gut it... WOW! now it sounds nothing less than bad ***.... sounds like old muscle car with a deep gurgle.. the cat on my car was very old so it could have been a bit bound up but MAN does she flow now

can't wait to do headers!

 

I just installed the American thunder cat back on my wifes 87 Firebird. The clamps that Flowmaster supplys with the kit aren't the highest quality I've seen. After I had it all tightened down and adjusted I welded each joint about a half inch on opposite sides of the pipe. That way nothing will move if it wasn't clamped tight enough while allowing easy removal if need be.

Also I really like the sound on her stock engine with the Flowmaster. Would like to hear it on my IROC and see if how it compares to my Banks system.

 

On mine, I clamped it.. but the I pipe to over the axle pipe kept coming loose no matter how much I tightened the clamp. So that one go tack welded
Of course I tightened the snot out of the others to the point the pipes crimped slightly making them annoying difficult to remove and put back together when taking the exhaust off.

I bought band clamps for the new exhuast.

 

you have to crank them ALL down to the point where they crimp the pipe.

 

Thanks for all the help guys... I just dont want it to come off when im down the road at 115 that would be bad.. So I should be good with clamps?