Well, I was putting up my exhuast today and ran into a problem. I have attatched a file to demonstrate how it was supposed to fit and how it does. Number one is how it should be and 2 is how it is obviously. I have hooker long tubes. I then plan to go into the s extensions. I am using these to move it toward the center into the driveshaft tunnel instead of down like those with hedman headers. It then runs connects to a h pipe and continues into 2 bullet mufflers to turn downs before the rear axle. The passenger side fits perfect. When I went to hook up the drivers side I thought that the extension wasnt bent right and didnt straighten out all the way. Well I tried the other extension on the drivers side and had the same problem. It turns out the collector doesnt face straight back. It is a a very slight angle which causes the pipe/muffler to end up right under the drive shaft instead of tucking along the drive shaft tunnel like the passenger side. If we had some place in town that did mandrel bending I would take the extension there and have them correct for the angle but we dont. If I were to have a normal exhaust shop change the angle very slightly how bad would it crimp my exhaust and restrict flow? I found that if I had the s extension turned so it moved toward the outside of the car it would clear the drive shaft and do decent as far as clearance is concerned but I dont want to give up any clearance really, and I would like the 2 sides to match, not to mention that I dont know if the h pipe will even work with the pipe at an angle like that. I know that with the s extensions both aimed toward the center I was able to put the h pipe in but it put the exhaust under the driveshaft as mentioned before. So do you guys think I would be better off having a exhaust shop bend it slightly or aiming it outward instead of inward and possibly loosing some ground clearance. I also just thought of one other thing. Maybe I could have an exhaust shop cut of the end of the s extension and weld it on at an angle. This would be better than a normal non mandrel bent bend wouldnt it? What do you guys suggest. By the way, the passenger side tucked up real nice and looked awsome. I will get pictures when I finally get this done.

Thanks for the help,

Ben

 

Anyone have any suggestions. I even took my time to draw a little picture. lol

Ben

 

Have you thought of pie slicing the pipe at various pionts and rewelding it? That might work instead of having and exhaust shop "tweak" it.

 

Yes, I mentioned doing something like that in my first post. I assume you mean just cutting it at an angle and re welding it. The only thing about that is I dont have a welder, so I am going to have to have an exhaust shop do it. Do you think that would be a better alternative to having the pipe "tweaked".

Ben

 

I feel if you go to a competent enough exhaust shop, they should be able to bend it w/o kinking it too bad. I just assumed you had a welder since you were building your own exhaust and figured you could do it yourself w/o taking it somewhere. I pie sliced my oval pipe to make it clear the crossmember on my car, I wasn't about to trust bending oval pipe to an exhaust shop.

 

I would like to get a welder. Actually, I had the mufflers and turndowns welded to the pipe. I then cut it to length. I am planning on clamping the rest up since it slip fits and then driving it to the exhaust shop and having them weld it. By the way, I may be looking at getting a welder sometime shortly. It will only be used for home use(mostly my car and maybe friends cars). Do you have any suggestions. I think you have to have a mig welder to do subframe connectors and such so I think I would want to go that route. I think I have heard that some of the mig welders will do normal wirefeed also or am I wrong. I do know some people that would help me learn to weld properly though if I got the right equiptment.

Ben

 

I would suggest the same as what 86 Iroc has. I custom built my dual exhaust by cutting and welding the tubing. The angles were very small, and I am certain that with my motor of less then 400 hp, it will make no difference wether they are mandrel bends or angles.

As for the welder, you could get a nice little MIG welder such as a Lincoln for less then $500. You can add a wire feed kit and gas if you want to do that type of welding.

If you don't know how to weld, don't sweat it, you will learn in no time flat if you just practice a little. I would reccomend getting one of those self dimming helmets to begin with, it made learning much easier for me I know.

 

Lincolns are good, I bought a Daytona Mig because they are in Daytona - roughly 35-40 minutes from the house. Any time I need replacement parts and such, they are close by. I'm still not what I consider to be a "master welder", but the best way to learn is by doing. If you screw up, redo it.

 

You could cut your pie shapes(or angles) but leave a small uncut section on the back side of the bend. This will allow you to bend the pipe yourself, and get it all to line up, then take it in and have it welded. A small offset done non-mandrel bend wouldn't really hurt you neither. Thats up to you. - as far as welders, Lincoln or Miller...

 

Ok, I might do that as far as leaving a small part connected. As far as the welders go, what models would you suggest. I was looking on ebay and thought maybe something like this. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3104776968

Thanks

Ben

 

Well, I talked to one shop and they said that all they could do was bend it. I talked to another and they cut, bent and welded it. Now it fits perfect like the other side. Now I just need to take the time to get it all up there and put hangers in the rear somehow.

Ben

 

Well, I have one side hung. It fits real nice. I am going to try to get the other one up there tomorrow.

Ben

 

Any more progress on the exhaust? I am going to try basically the same setup.

 

Yes, it is all hung under the car now. I just need to make final angle adjustments and tighten the clamps. I currently have the drivers side hanging a slight bit lower than the passenger because if it goes up it will put the exhaust uncomfortably close to the fuel and brake lines, and also it would be touching the parking brake cable. I plan on raising it up as high as the other side when I have time to make a heat shield for the fuel and brake lines. I think I can keep the parking brake cable out of the way without to much work. I dont know how long I will wait till I get this stuff done. I guess it depends on how much it hurts my ground clearance. Its not much lower but the car is not on the ground yet to see how much of a difference it will make. I will keep you updated.

Ben