| Author |
Message |
H3-40
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 4:11 pm: | |
Found out I lost my tail pipe. Not a big deal but it looks as though it may have started to come off once before in it's past and was welded on, so it appears but as you can tell, the weld wasn't really good, and off it came and along side the road it went. To make it even worse, the piece that the tail pipe slips over on the muffler, is gone too. The muffler appears to be in pretty decent shape minus the nipple or flange on the muffler and of course the tail pipe. Replacing the muffler and the tail pipe from Prevost, minus shipping will run $111.00 for the tail pipe and $684.91 for the muffler! HMM! This does not include any hangers or clamps. I was afraid to ask what they were selling for these days! The missing tail pipe is only about 18-24 inches long with a baloney cut on the end.
Anyway my thought was to just fabricate a 5 1/4 inch piece of SS round tubing and re-weld it in place dirctly to the muffler. I will probably still have to remove the muffler to do this which means new hangers and clamps anyway but that should be a lot cheaper than the new replacement... unless of course there is a less expensive route to follow for new stuff!
Thanks for any ideas!
Ace |
Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 4:49 pm: | |
Hey Ace,
Call your local steel supply house to see who they sell stainless pipe (5" schedule 5 or 10) to. Then call them to see if they have a 2 foot 'drop' to sell you. You might be able to get them to make the baloney cut for you.
When you weld it back on, you will need the proper alloy filler (309ss usually works well for 304ss or 316ss to mild steel).
You might try a truck salvage yard too...
Good luck,
kyle4501 |
H3-40
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 5:36 pm: | |
Thanks Kyle but I already have the material and I can make the cut as needed! I was just curious as to whether I could weld directly to the muffler without the original flange or nipple!
Ace |
Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 6:45 pm: | |
Ace I've done it on cars, and it worked ok.
Kyle is right about the 309 rod, and a 315 is also a carbon to SS rod. Any SS rod will work though.
Beat on it with a hammer and if it seems kinda thin just add some more hangers.
If the new pipe would slide down in the muffler a little it would be better.
Ed. |
H3-40
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 6:47 pm: | |
Thanks Ed! Never gave that a tought but that might even be better!
Ace |
Marc Bourget
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 1:37 am: | |
Ace,
If you slip the pipe in, I hope the hole is concentric and the wall thickness in the muffler consistent. You won't have to insert it too far, (1/4 - 1/2"??) You just want enough to dissipate the heat fairly evenly.
It will be easiest with a TIG or GTAW style welder with a foot pedal control, off the bus so you can keep the "bead" consistent. If thicknesses vary, or it will "build in" stresses to the weld and promote cracking what with the heat cycling and repeat of what you've just experienced.
This would be a good "first project" for my (new-used) Miller TIG! And, yes, I'd be happy to weld it for you, were you here in CA!
Good Luck! |
H3-40
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 4:37 pm: | |
Marc just to update you on how I fixed the tail pipe...
I have a source here locally that sells truck and trailer parts. I walk in and right on display there sits a piece of tail pipe that is 5 inches in diam. and around the right length. I ask to borrow a tape measure and it measures 18 inches. When I measured the area I needed, it measured between 18 and 20 inches depending on how far back I wanted it to go. I figured this 18 incher would work ok. After looking at the muffler again and seeing there is very little flange (1/4 ich maybe) to weld to, I opted to flare out the tail pipe (has slots) to slip over the 1/4 ich flange. Once it fit over snug, I proceeded to weld up the slots with some welding rod. Knocked off the slag and re-installed on muffler. Once on, I proceeded to weld around the circumference, making multiple passes due to burning thru on some thin areas. I must admit, it looks like new, well from the rear it does! Anyway, it's on and all quiet again and lot less chance of fires underneath due to hot exhaust!
I stick welded it with my Miller Maxstar 125 on 110v using 6011 rod on some areas and tried some areas using 7018. Both worked very well! Some minor sticking here and there but I relate that to old rods not kept in storage. My fault!
Oh and price of the tail pipe was only 44 bucks compared to $111.00 at Prevost! It pays to shop around!
Ace |
Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 6:18 pm: | |
Ace
Might I offer 1 more little suggestion of either tacking or clamping on a hanger to make suer that there is no weight from the tail pipe to cause it to break off again! Just a thought of prevention! |
H3-40
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 9:04 pm: | |
Thanks Bryce! I gave that some thought while installing it but the thing is only 18 inches long and really doesn't weigh that much. There is a hanger located right at the rear of the muffler so the short tail pipe is supported!
Thanks for the advice though!
Ace |
H3-40
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 9:07 pm: | |
Also to add, I feel the main reason for pipe failure was due to the pipe itself being right against the main frame with no room for movement! It was obvious that when the motor flexed, it had to put stress on the pipe joint or muffler flange to cause it to break off. I made sure there was clearance to the frame this time. It may last a long while, it may not! Time will tell!
Ace |
Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 10:52 pm: | |
Your probably right about the failure being caused by being against the frame with no flex, and with this little bit more I agree with it ought to be sufficient as my previous thought was even though it's short something either the jar of bouncing or vibration caused it to break off in the first place and thus the suggestion for a little support! But you've likely nailed the cause precisely! Best of luck and our prayers and thoughts are with you, Susan, Carla and the rest of the circle of family and friends involved in the situation!
Busted Knuckle |