Exhaust alignment

[Jesterarts]

Hey,

I've spend the last 2 days fiddling withe the alignment of my exhaust.

Pretty much, when I got the exhaust the tips where hanging a bit low and also touching the inside edge of the exhaust hole in the bar.

So, pocked my head under, noticed the rear muffer rubber was mounted to the inner body point, so I moved it to the outer mount point and the alignment of the tips was great.

But, when I doo it for a drive, something was tapping on the exhaust quite loudly.

After initially thinking it was the heat shield at the fuel tank and benting that a bit out of the way, I discovered it was actaully the tail shaft being fouled by the driver side centre muffler.

So, I've put everything back the way it was originally with the terrible alignment out the back and no more noise.

My questions is, if I take my car to an exhaust place, will they be able to do anything about it?

And roughly how much am I looking at to get it sorted?

I imagine the primary solution will involve a mallet and my centre muffler becoming aquainted since a shift of about 15mm at the rear was enough to cause the noise which would translate to just millimeters @ the muffer.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[nemesis_adrasteia]

where i work we fit exhausts, we usually heat them with an oxy torch and bend them to line them up, most of the shelf exhausts need some tweaking. any good exhaust shop could do it this way, wether they will or not is another question. unfotunately your about a 3 hour drive from our shop :P

[Jesterarts]

Haha... thanks for the info mate.

What would you guys usually charge for doing this? So so I have a rough idea what to expect when I hit up one of the more local places?

[nemesis_adrasteia]

since your not actually replacing anything it would be charged at the hourly rate( i think ours is roughly $88)

it then depends on how long it takes to get it right, because usually when you bend one piece another piece goes up the shit. i wouldnt think it would take all that long though maybe an hour which would be the minimum charge anyway.

[Jesterarts]

Cheers, thanks for the info.

Now I just have to convince the missus to let me spend 90bux to make the exhaust tips sit 15mm to the left.

[nemesis_adrasteia]

Cheers, thanks for the info.

Now I just have to convince the missus to let me spend 90bux to make the exhaust tips sit 15mm to the left.

i say spend the cash then appologise hahaha

[Jesterarts]

Yeah... might try to organise it for next weekend.

This weekend I'm getting the new H/U put in on Sat and the exhaust place isn't open on Sundays.

[VT-565]

Is it stainless or mild steel?

[Jesterarts]

I'm pretty sure it's mild steel because it isn't polished and is painter black.

I'm also hoping this thread has shed some light on the situation.

Xforce exhaust problems.

Investigations will occure this weekend.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Where the tail pipe section joins the middle mufflers there will be two single bolt clamps (usually). What you will need to do is loosen both of these clamps, wriggle the rear muffler so it is loose, tighten the RH clamp only, then while supporting the middle muffler so it doesn't move, push the rear muffler to the left. This will push the LH pipe further onto the front muffler. When it is in the desired position, tighten the LH clamp. Make sure the tips are nice and level too.

To raise the tips ups. bend the hangers on the rear muffler down a touch.

[Jesterarts]

Where the tail pipe section joins the middle mufflers there will be two single bolt clamps (usually). What you will need to do is loosen both of these clamps, wriggle the rear muffler so it is loose, tighten the RH clamp only, then while supporting the middle muffler so it doesn't move, push the rear muffler to the left. This will push the LH pipe further onto the front muffler. When it is in the desired position, tighten the LH clamp. Make sure the tips are nice and level too.

To raise the tips ups. bend the hangers on the rear muffler down a touch.

I'll have a look under there NAAF, but what I remember there was just a flange to flange type join between the mid section and the tail section.

But I will see what I can find.

Thanks for the advice.

Any thoughts about the hanger near the middle muffler?

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The X Force had a slip join there in the 2 1/2" I thought.

If it's all flanges, then unfortunately the only way to fix it is heating and bending. The alignment of the middle mufflers is dependent on the cat flanges. You could try loosening those and pushing the exhaust as far as it goes away from the tailshaft and retightening them. Sometimes there is enough give in the bolt holes to make a difference.

Welcome to the joys of X Force.....

[Jesterarts]

Haha, thanks NAAF.

I've got the twin 3" so maybe they are different to the 2 1/2".

I'm going to poke my head under the car this weekend to see if maybe its the inside hanger that is contacting with the tailshaft when I get the rear alignment right as per this thread:

Xforce exhaust problems.

If it is the hanger... I'm going to either bend it of cut it. Though it may be a challenged to even get to it!

Wish me luck.