Fifthwind

When I put my Pypes violator axle-backs on in March, it was pretty straight forward. Slid everything into the hangers, tightened all the clamps... and everything was lined up perfectly. Now, about a half-year later, I noticed that the passenger-side exhaust pipe is not lined-up exactly with the bumper cut-out and that the driver-side is twisted about 20 degrees. The thing is, I got down underneath and all the bolts and clamps are still tight... haven't loosened at all. Doesn't make sense how they could have moved that much sense there really isn't any up-down, or left-right adjustments anyway. I take it, that to adjust the position, you have to heat up and bend the metal hooks that are welded to the mufflers so they hang right? If that is the case, could it be that exhaust temperature was enough to bend those hangers over time and throw the position off?

Anyway, I'll probably just drive down to a muffler shop and pay em 50 bucks to fix it and be done with it, unless some one here can give me a quick and easy how-to.

Problem pictured below:

**Oh, and by the way, tell me that packing my hubs with a little rice didn't make that rear stance look nice!!! (yeah, a little trollin' never hurts )

Blacksmoke

They may seem tight but
bumps etc. over time could do that as well as the combination of that
and temperature changes.
Something is not as tight as you think it is.

Just curious....

What does fifthwind mean and what compelled you to go with the username
and style your mustang in that theme?

Fifthwind

Hmmm I guess I'll have to get back underneath and check all the bolts again. Thanks for the input.

As for "Fifthwind": It's the first book of a five book series I'm writing. That first book was first conceived about 20 years ago and ended up being my nickname, both in life and online. The five novels should be finished next year, and I'll start shopping around for an agent and publication. Here is a little about it from my website: http://thekreggorian.com/books (damn, now I sound like a self-promoting *** :P )

*tl;dr: It's a book and my Nickname.

Nuke

There's a HOWTO in the stickies for the Borla Stinger install which includes some great info on centering the tips. This applies to ALL axle/catback installs. Please read that before going to a shop or bending anything.

Fifthwind

Thanks Nuke, I didn't see it. I'll go look again.

Norm Peterson

Fifthwind -

Friction is a poor method for connecting pipes together when there is weight offset from the pipe centerline, lots of horizontal bends in the system, or when the pipe supports (hangers) are not located very well. Unless there is some hard mechanical means of preventing the one pipe from rotating inside the other, it will eventually do exactly that. As you have discovered, sometimes this rotation results in the piping moving laterally as well.

Piping that is repeatedly heated and cooled tends to drift a bit from its original locations. How much so (and where/what directions) depends on things like how it is supported and how much local stress was locked up in the metal from its fabrication & erection. Expect this to be a bigger effect if you've had to exert a lot of force to pull a pipe into place - or worse, cold-bend things to make it fit.


Norm

Nuke

https://mustangforums.com/forum/2005...ll-w-pics.html

onederful100

aftermarket exhaust will move some with the heating and cooling of the pipes.
that's normal. you probly just need to readjust it.

your book series is a pretty cool thing.

shad2009

since ppl have given input on your exhaust question, i figure i'd comment on ur book series...sounds real cool, i'm also a writer as well...if you do find somebody to get you published, fill me in, i'm looking as well

Fifthwind

LOL... thanks for the tips on the exhaust guys and thanks for the kind words about my writing. 459,000 words and counting on the series. Should have an agent within a year.