[luca335i]

Jus askin if anyone welded their aftermarket exhaust instead of using shitty slip joints. I may wanna do this but Im afraid to screw up my 1700 dollar exhaust.

[O-cha]

Slip joints are what make the exhaust fit, you weld your exhaust and you're NEVER going to get it lined up.

[AJerman]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Slip joints are what make the exhaust fit, you weld your exhaust and you're NEVER going to get it lined up.

That's one of the silliest things I've ever read on here.

Just take it to someone who knows how to weld exhaust and nothing will be screwed up. Slip joints just make installation and removal easy. If you are doing it yourself, just use the slip joints, then after 1000 miles or so look underneath again. If there are no leaks, then don't worry about it. If it looks like you have problems with leaks, get someone to weld it.

Typically with slip joints I see slight leaking, but usually not enough to be worried about. It's really just up to you.

[Fraggy]

None of my exhausts sealed without welding.

[luca335i]

Originally Posted by Fraggy

None of my exhausts sealed without welding.

+ 1

[luca335i]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Slip joints are what make the exhaust fit, you weld your exhaust and you're NEVER going to get it lined up.

Then how do they make custom exhausts then.

[wj4]

Pretty normal to get an OEM muffler cut and have an aftermarket one welded onto the pipe. This action probably accounts for more than 50% of the stuff done at muffler shops.

[luca335i]

Originally Posted by wj4

Pretty normal to get an OEM muffler cut and have an aftermarket one welded onto the pipe. This action probably accounts for more than 50% of the stuff done at muffler shops.

I have an aftermarket catback and wanna get it welded instead of using the slip joints.

[AJerman]

Originally Posted by luca335i

I have an aftermarket catback and wanna get it welded instead of using the slip joints.

Well, what they will do is put it together with the slip joints, then just weld around them. It's a piece of cake to do, and will seal VERY well and be VERY strong. That's far superior than either two pipes butted up and welded, or just a plain slip joint.

[luca335i]

The guy at the exhaust shop says he can do it for sure. He will have to take the exhaust off to weld it all the way around though. He said three hours.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by AJerman

That's one of the silliest things I've ever read on here.

Really? I wish you luck getting an aftermarket exhaust to fit after welding it. Actually thats a lie, I hope you fail miserably just to prove my point. Most barely fit properly with the slip joints.

Originally Posted by luca335i

Then how do they make custom exhausts then.

You said it, custom exhausts, that's how. Not difficult when your sitting there fitting it on your car then welding it.

[luca335i]

Well I think hes gonna buy me a new exhaust if he fucks it up. (guy at muffler shop).

[AJerman]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Really? I wish you luck getting an aftermarket exhaust to fit after welding it. Actually thats a lie, I hope you fail miserably just to prove my point. Most barely fit properly with the slip joints.

No need to wish me luck. I've done it many times in the past, as have many, many, MANY other people, for years and years.

If whoever you use to install your exhaust can't lay a bead around a slip joint, then you might want to look for someone who actually knows how to weld.

[Mr. 5]

I have had all of my fittings welded, but I prefer the flanged joints for ease of installation.
Flanged is the way to go!

I believe that AE is the only aftermarket comapny to have all sections of their DP back exhaust flanged. Props to them!

[luca335i]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

I have had all of my fittings welded, but I prefer the flanged joints for ease of installation.
Flanged is the way to go!

I believe that AE is the only aftermarket comapny to have all sections of their DP back exhaust flanged. Props to them!

What exhaust do you have MR.5?

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by AJerman

If whoever you use to install your exhaust can't lay a bead around a slip joint, then you might want to look for someone who actually knows how to weld.

Sorry, misunderstanding, your definition of welding an exhaust is clearly different then mine. Go ahead and weld the slips together all ya want.

[luca335i]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Sorry, misunderstanding, your definition of welding an exhaust is clearly different then mine. Go ahead and weld the slips together all ya want.

What did you mean the O-cha? Any advice woould be greatly appreciated. My idea is to ditch the slip joints and weld it instead. I already cut the stock exhaust already. I dont see how that would be a problem unless the guys who are doin it are a bunch of tards. They seem pretty confident in doin it. They say its a 2.5 to 3 hour job though.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by luca335i

What did you mean the O-cha? Any advice woould be greatly appreciated. My idea is to ditch the slip joints and weld it instead.

Right, that's what I thought you meant, in which case revert back to my original comment, it's just not going to fit properly, the only reason aftermarket exhausts fit is from the flexibility of the clamps.


Anyone who has installed more than a few exhausts will tell you that. Some companies make exhausts that fit like OEM, unfortunately 90% do not.

You said your "muffler" guy will buy you a new exhaust? Then let him do it, but to get it to fit well hes going to have to do some fabrication guaranteed.

[AJerman]

Okay, I think I know what you're saying now. Yes, you obviously can't just toss the slips completely and butt up the pipes. If the pipes are even an inch shorter that would have been taken up in the slip joint (which they probably are), then butting up the pipes would lose that inch and you can have any problem from just your tips being too short, to the pipes not fitting around the suspension, etc.

However, my point remains, to the OP. Removing the slip joints completely is silly. That's like taking a kit and throwing away an important piece and trying to make it work without it. There's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't line it up with the slip joints, then weld the slip joints together with the rest of the pipe. Then you don't have to worry about getting clamps tight enough, and you have a strong and tight seal.

Otherwise, as O-Cha was saying (and I missed it, sorry), whoever is doing the job is probably going to have to cut another piece of pipe to fill up any gap.

+1 on a flanged setup though, Mr. 5. I installed a Mac midpipe and catback on my old Mustang and it was flanged all the way back, and I've seen no evidence of much leaking. It's a much better solution to a simple slip joint for bolt together.

[luca335i]

Who knows. He wil probably do some fabrication to make it fit properly. But to lose the slip joints would look super clean. Lets see what he does tomorrow. Ill post pics tomorrow.

[s2kdagjd]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Right, that's what I thought you meant, in which case revert back to my original comment, it's just not going to fit properly, the only reason aftermarket exhausts fit is from the flexibility of the clamps.


Anyone who has installed more than a few exhausts will tell you that. Some companies make exhausts that fit like OEM, unfortunately 90% do not.

You said your "muffler" guy will buy you a new exhaust? Then let him do it, but to get it to fit well hes going to have to do some fabrication guaranteed.

Oh Boy....Here comes O-cha

[BavarianBullet]

By slip joints are you saying these aftermarket exhausts actually have pipe unions (ie double female short piece of pipe) to join two other pipes? That seems odd.

You don't have to weld anything unless you plan on leaving on there for 10 years and never touching it. If you want a leak-free exhaust you can just put some copper permatex RTV as it seals exhaust just fine and won't melt etc. I've seen it used on headers with good results.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...sket_Maker.htm

For the cleanest look (for those that like to get under your car and check out your exhaust) I guess welding is an option but there are some different exhaust clamps that are a lot nicer than the old fashioned "U" clamps and might help.