clamping versus welding exhaust | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

clamping versus welding exhaust

mace

Well-Known Member
Joined
March 10, 2005
Messages
179
Reaction score
0
City, State
Mullica Hill, NJ
Year, Model & Trim Level
2000 Mountaineer AWD 5.0
I would imagine that welding the exhaust is probably better, but it seems it rusts fast , and may crack after a short time.

I am planning on sawing off my cracked, and welded on glasspack (too freakin loud) on my 2000 5.0, and I was thinking about clamping on a flowmaster 50 series. Just want to see if anyone has any input on the clamps, and if they are good enough to pass inspection and all that. Dont want to pay a hundred bucks to a muffler shop if i dont have to....
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





I've never had a problem with clamps. Back when I had my 92 XLT I had front half stock muffler with a converter then the back half was some cheep ass aftermarket pipe with a chrome tip minus the resonator. Can you say NECK.
 






my glasspacks are welded and are holding up. I ve seen a muffler fly off a truck ahead of me, it was clamped.
 






Welding is always preferred. If clamping was good then exhaust shops would be doing that instead of clamping. Welding will have a less chance of leaking. Clamping will also rust, and will eventually make it hard for it to come off. Hope your choices work out for the best.

-Drew
 






welded by far is the better of the two options
 






You also have to keep in mind that if you put a clamped SS system on at least get it tack welded .... stainless has a tendency to "slip" when new.
 






When using aluminized pipe, welding actually does harm. The heat de-aluminizes it and allows it to rust faster. We had duals on our truck, they were welded, didn't take long at all for them to rot away. And only where it was welded did it rot away.
 






Any decent muffler shop will always spray any welds with aluminum rust inhibiting paint, or just do it yourself
 






Any decent muffler shop will always spray any welds with aluminum rust inhibiting paint, or just do it yourself
EXACTLY. Welding is def the better way to go. The real only draw back is down the road. When you need a part of the exhaust changed later it will cost a little more cause the shop has to do a little more work. Clamping just sucks.
 






im all about welding yeah the clamps may hold, but a weld is way better than a clamp... lets put ti this way, i cut off my muffler to test for a restirction of a timing problem i had.... well i eventually went to put it back on, i used a next size larger pipe and just sleeved the cut pipe... put clamps on... the next day i was out driving... all was well... i went to park at a store and there wasnt any spaces, so i hoped a curb and parked in the dirt... i went to leave started backing up and heard some nasty clanking sound... looked under the truck, and both clamps were missing and the muffler was dragging on the gorund... had i not noticed it i would have ran it over and destroyed the muffler... i got home and busted out the welder... still do my urban wheeling and no problems......
 






If you're gonna clamp it, use high-temp RTV around the joint. This will help keep it together and help keep it from leaking. Welding is better, but clamps can work fine if done properly.
 






what jamest said. that's what I did, and I have no leaks, and it's holding up fine.
good to see that you're taking that glasspack out.
 






re

yep this glasspack is getting louder every day now. approaching unbearable. 50 suv series F/M arriving today

i have decided to go with the clamps. ...high temp RTV? I was looking around for some high temp sealant. This stuff available in the auto parts store, or more like home depot?

also, the muffler input and output...they are the same size as the exhaust in/out, obviously. but is the muffler typically slightly larger, to slip over the exhaust pipe? or am i gonna need a pipe widener?
 






Actualy far better than rtv which will burn up no matter what kind you get you should get something called "acoustiseal" its from walker in a blue and white tube. Be carefull with getting it on stuff as its nasty and will stay there for a long time.
 






Get some band clamps. A little more expensive, but a much better seal. Plus you can easily replace the muffler later if you want. Band clamps don't crimp the pipe.

B
 






re: Flowmaster 50 series

well i changed my mind and had it welded in...i got under there, and looked again; but the pipes werent an exact perfect fit...probably woulda been a real tough job with clamps... so anyway it looks very good welded...and most importantly, resonance is virtually eliminated. what a difference. sound is very cool, just right..the glasspack was basically just a straight pipe...resonating the ol fillings loose...totally brutal in the end.

thanks for the responses; very helpful !

fyi : 2000 5.0 , dual 2.25 in, sinlge 3.00 out, reduced to single 2.5 , to dual 2.5 at the end (not real duals, but looks and sounds great)
 






spindlecone said:
Any decent muffler shop will always spray any welds with aluminum rust inhibiting paint, or just do it yourself


Spraying the pipes with rust inhibiting paint does nothing for the inside, and most exhaust systems rust from the inside out.

most of my exhausts have been clamped, and I've never lost a muffler, or tail pipe. The ones that weren't clamped were bolted or screwed for ease of removal. and none of them have fallen off either
The reason for clamped exhaust systems falling off is because most clamped systems are installed by first-timers who don't realize the exhaust has to be supported, or use a 2 1/2 inch muffler on 2" pipe then when it falls off they blame the poor holding power of clamps.

So this is a vote for clamps.

ken.
 






Spraying the pipes with rust inhibiting paint does nothing for the inside, and most exhaust systems rust from the inside out.
wrong. Most vw exhausts rust from the insade but few others do. Has something to do with the heat. Its verry true infact that you should spray the welds on aluminized pipe. In fact if you dont you are just lazy and not doing your job. Yes clamping can hold well and for a long time. It can also come loose. welds just dont. Trust me I have done a custom exhaust or 2
 






merc2dogs said:
Spraying the pipes with rust inhibiting paint does nothing for the inside, and most exhaust systems rust from the inside out.

most of my exhausts have been clamped, and I've never lost a muffler, or tail pipe. The ones that weren't clamped were bolted or screwed for ease of removal. and none of them have fallen off either
The reason for clamped exhaust systems falling off is because most clamped systems are installed by first-timers who don't realize the exhaust has to be supported, or use a 2 1/2 inch muffler on 2" pipe then when it falls off they blame the poor holding power of clamps.

So this is a vote for clamps.

ken.
I said the welds should be sprayed as you have raw carbon steel exposed.
I only use alumininized steel pipe, S.S is not req.in my local.
clamps= very poor worksmanship
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Back
Top