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Exhaust System Help...

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350k5

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Hi, well the other day I decided to try and clean up and change around the old 'custom' exhaust that was put on by a pervious owner. Wow, some of the most amatrue and worst welds I have ever seen. I'm not that great, but these were beyond anything you could imagine. It lookes like they burned huge holes in the pipe and then tried to fill it back up with more weld... some spots there are basicaly mountains of weld built up - There's not enough time in the day to grind these things down.

So I'm thinking I just want to get a whole new exhaust (I've got headers). I want it to basicly just come straight from each header on either side and exit right in front of the wheel. However where do I even start when looking for a muffler? I like Flowmaster 40 series but they are a little pricey and I'm not sure if they are really worth it. Are there any other cheaper alternatives - I want a throaty powerful deep kind of sound - Not too raspy like the one I've got now.

Also in my search there are lots of different descriptions like Glass Pack or Turbo? What does all this stuff mean and will they sound as good (usually a lot cheaper).

One last question is how much do you think a shop would charge to bend up the pipes to do this? (From each header with a tip coming out in front of the rear wheels)

Thanks in advance for all the help... Also I've got a make a decision really tomorow in order to get everything in place before this weekend.
 
I got some used headers and 40 series from a member here. I have the headers bolted up and straight pipe off the collectors. I am going to have the 2 40 series welded on right infront of the hump in the rear frame and then pipes up over the axel with dumps where the factory gas tank would be. I am going to have a muffler shop do the work from mufflers back. I can let you know on price but it might be a few weeks till it is done since I am having brake issues and don't want to be loading and unloading from my GS trailer without em :D
 
Well after calling around to some places they all say to do it they will have to put a catalyst on the truck. So I kind of want to do it myself up to the mufflers. Shouldn't be too hard since they will be pretty short.

I want the 40 Series but they are just a little to expensive. I've found some places that sell mufflers that say are like the 40 series... are these any good? Will they sound like the Flowmaster or is it just a rip off?

So I think i'm just going to buy some stright pipe and work it into place then have a shop finish after the muffler and the outlet.
 
the mufflers they'll sell you are probably fine. as far as the rest of the pipe goes, draw the offsets with a line drawing and the exhaust place can make them from your drawing. this much rise in this distance etc.
 
I'm sure the mufflers "similar" to the flowmasters would be fine. BUT in my personal opinion, I believe you should get what you really want. My reason is you're probably going to have the exhaust for a long time, so you might as well get what you know you like and enjoy it :wink1:
 
I have the thrush that are the same as flows and ye they do sound a lot alike
 
muffler shop charged $40 to bend two 40" long 2.5" diameter pipes into an s-shape that come off the collectors, and run up above the transfer case crossmember from there I ran straight pipe back.
you're probably looking at the $40 for those, another $20 for the straight pipe, the mufflers, then get two 45 degree bend pipes at the auto store for another $15 to exit out in front of the wheels.
 
muffler shops wont do anything unless you have a cat, on my 86 I tried to just run a glass pack and they wouldnt touch it. You can just run a cat and no muffler.
 
I think I'm going to buy some "off brand" Flowmasters that I found and then get some 2.5" Stainless Pipe. I'll mock it up and just take it to a shop or somethig to have them do the bends. It shoudn't be too much for either pipe, just a few slight bends. Then once that is all in place just pick up a premade bend from Auto Zone or something and finish off the exit.

Just got to figure out what kind of tips to go with...
What size diameter tip would you guys recomend for 2.5" pipe?
 
I run glass-packs but they are long and ive knocked all the crap out, so basically it is a 19"x3.5" resonator. Sounds good and deep, like my old flowmasters on my 84 C10. The glass-packs sounded good with my old 305. We will see how they sound with the 383.
 
When welding Stainless do you have to use a TIG welder? Will my MIG do the job or is that not a good idea? :confused:

I think building my own will be pretty easy, except where did can I get some of that pipe that you've got there? Where should I look to find something like that?

Also on the passenger side there are some fuel lines running inside of the frame rail. How cautious do I need to be of those? Should I get a heat sheild or something?
 
I'm about to buy the pipe from the site of a member here, but I'm not quite sure if I should go with the 2.5' pipe or upgrade to the 3' pipe. It won't cost me much more overall.. only about 12 bucks for the switch. What do you guys think? Will 3' be too big or too much to mess with?

Edit: Well it looks like the biggest inlet on the muffler I want is 2.5... would the 3" be worth it, or should I just keep things the same and go 2.5?
 
You can weld stainless no problem with a MIG. But you need stainless wire and argon/oxy gas. its a little harder to do than regular steel But with a little practice and getting your settings right yull be fine.
 
I think 3 inch will be too much, 2.5 allows a lot of flow but keeps velocity up in the process, which increses scavenging effect. Now if you are running a big block or you like your rpms, go 3. For normal purposes, 2.5 will be better overall and keep bottom end torque.
 
Hmm... I don't have any of that stuff... will just my regular MIG welder work. How will that turn out without the gas? What kind of wire do I need with stainless?
 
350k5 said:
Hmm... I don't have any of that stuff... will just my regular MIG welder work. How will that turn out without the gas? What kind of wire do I need with stainless?
Click to expand...

You NEED stainless 309 wire when welding stainless. 309 is the usual. Do you know exactly what stainless you have. If so then 308 will work as well. I used 309 (TIG) when I did my exh. cause I was welding mild steel to stainless. Then when I welded stainless to stainless I used 308 (the material was 316). If you don't use gas for this then don't do it, you need gas for this process.
T.J.
 
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