olvanish

I recently got a different parking space in my building that is actually inside in a more secure area, but the only problem I have is that every time I drive in my exhaust scrapes (the pipes in the h-pipe area). It's a stock h-pipe with Magnaflow catback. I would try going in at an angle, like I normally do, but the driveway is so narrow that it's pretty tight as it is. It sounds like it only needs 1/8 of an inch or so. I even went to the gas station and put more air in the tires (38 front, 33 rear) thinking it'd help, but that just didn't do it. Is there any way to get rid of this problem by, maybe lifting up the exhaust pipes a little higher somehow? I really don't want to go with higher profile tires or getting a different set of springs because of this because like I said it doesn't scrape that much, but it bothers me that I have to go through this multiple times a day and one day I'll probably end up with a hole in my pipes. Thanks in advance!

Torch Red GT

Its just something that happens when you lower a car, thats how my old stang was. One solution would be to switch out your frpp springs for stock ones.

musty ruffler

you could tweak your hangers a bit; or fab up a little skidplate/bar (which might even add some rigidity); or see this as an excuse to go hydraulic...

or depending on your garage situation and how often you're in/out, could just make some little ramps and keep 'em in a corner of the garage...

rdsx18

I think you mean pneumatic (airbags).

Moving the exhaust up depends on how much room there is. You can't move it too close to the floor or else you will get a nasty rattle or slapping noise constantly.

05 Mustang

unless your exhaust is hanging lower than it should, it's just something that comes with lowering your car

Norm Peterson

If all you need really is only 1/8" . . . one of the following should be enough.

Either 255/45 or 285/40 tires (if your rims are wide enough).

A little constructive shimming of the springs and/or possibly the struts that gains you 1/8" or so. Unless you loosen the strut to knuckle bolts or don't get the strut mounts back in the same positions, you shouldn't have to re-align anything for 1/8" taller ride height. This is a rather custom-fab solution, but needn't be all that difficult to pull off if you've got a place with the means to do a little metal work.


Norm

musty ruffler

Yeah, that. suspension ain't my strong suit. though, y'know, the defensive internet jerk part of me immediately backtracked, looked around online and discovered that hydraulic systems do/did exist, it's just that nobody uses them anymore.

There's some room under there, I was gonna suggest playing around with the rubber hangers, but given where the gas tank is placed I'm just not offering any more advice until I've spent more time under the car. Been driving a lifted 4x4, whole different world...

I still think skidplates would be kind of awesome, though.

Blacksmoke

Wow Norm...I gotta say sometimes your solutions make me say "why did'nt I think of that?"... simple but at the same time they almost seem genius hahaa.

Blacksmoke

Not to hijack the thread but I was wondering...
simple question to those that know.

I have 18x10's all the way around on 275/40/18's.
How much can I lower before I get into rubbing etc. problems?

olvanish

Getting different rims would not be a problem but what would be a problem is NT555's which I can't stand and in 285/40 that's about all you can find. In case you wonder why a year ago I swapped my 275-40-18 Falkens for NT555's at 295-40-18 (which I had to get 18x10's for) hoping it'd improve traction and guess what? The car was sliding like it was on ice-- those tires came off the same day they were installed. But that'd be a great solution otherwise if only they made Falkens in that size.

After reading all of the replies including the one about possible rattle if I raise up the pipes, I decided to do the following-- in Auto Zone I ran into this thing called tailpipe repair kit and what it is, is it's an adjustable cylinder like metal piece with adjustable diameter that's about 2 inches long that wraps around a tailpipe. The only problem is that the one they have won't extend over 2 1/4 inches in diameter, but otherwise the thing would be perfect. It reminded of the clamps that are located at the joint of h-pipe and tail pipes. I guess that should protect the pipes from being constantly scratched. If anything I might have a muffler shop weld it (even though it tightens up with a bolt), so it doesn't slide. I just need to find one that's a little larger in diameter and I'm set. Thanks everyone! I'll try to take care of it over the weekend and let you know how it goes, maybe get some pictures too