Exhaust mounting question

[Donaldo]

I have been wirking on the exhaust system and have to tubing set for where I think I want it - for today. Should I mount the tailpipe solidly to the frame or have some flex built into the hangers ? thanks, Don

[youngrodder]

I have some flex in my system but I mounted the tail pipe w/out any flex due to the tight tollerance of my cutt outs. It has worked great so far.

Marc

[butchp]

This is just a my 2cents, use a flex pipe to from main exhaust to outlet all to float.

[pgf545]

I built some brackets and used GM rubber mounts.

[mr48chev]

What PGF545 showed is the Nth degree of mounting your pipes. That allows for movement and will stop rattles and squeaks.

There are all kinds of hanger straps available from the ones that are actually cut out of the sidewall of a tire to the ones that have two rubber busings holding a flat strap and on up to the ones he showed.
You don't need a lot of movement but you do need some.

My muffler guy usually welds a rod to the pipe that hooks a hanger similar to what pgf545 showed but not so swank I think that style is what a lot of muffler shops are going to.

As far as flex pipe that isn't acceptable in the real world and is usually only used by the cobble it up yourself guys who try to cut corners and cobble things together. The exception is those flexible pipes they use on front wheel drive cars to allow for engine movement. The regular old flex pipe was frowned upon in the sixties when I was a kid and isn't any better now.

[whitedog76]

If your engine is rigid to the frame or there's not alot of movement, probably not a big deal.

I'm not a big fan of ridgidly mounted exhaust, though. I've hit road debri and backed over stuff that bent my pipes, so having a little give makes sense.

The muffler guy here in town uses the solid rods and the rubber connectors too. He doesnt' drill and washer them, put he bends the ends over.

Something like this behind your headers may be worth looking into.

Summit, Jegs, and most auto parts store have them.

[mr48chev]

That style is what comes on the front wheel drive rigs originally and has transferred over to the rear wheel drive but shouldn't be necessary if the engine mounts and pipes are mounted right.

They might be nice to have if you run a cam that causes a lot of engine shake at an idle though. You don't see as much of that now as you did 25 years ago when guys ran cams that were way too big for driving on the street because they liked the sound the engine made at an idle but they are still around.

[OrrieG]

With flex pipe you will know where to look first when the exhaust tone increases dramatically! I use the rubber mounts made for clamps and bolting to the frame, mostly to reduce low frequency vibration back thru the frame from solid mounts.

[_Ogre]

like others have said rubber will insulate noise and vibration
we use the similar dog bone style rod and rubber mounts like pgf posted
if you turn one of the rods opposite of the other you can eliminate any need to fasten them
or make the rods longer and turn them down

[Donaldo]

Thanks for sharing ideas, I have some of the rubber insulators ordered, should be here Monday.