Cuda Exhaust with a triangulated 4 link - anyone make one

[brads70]

I don't have any experience welding stainless, but I guess this is a good time to learn.

I don't find it any different than steel?

[70chall440]

Really? So it must not be true stainless or perhaps a lower version (not like a stainless plate). I am no expert in welding stainless but I know there is stainless TIG rod just for that. Did you MIG or TIG it?

[crash340]

Mike, I TIG'd mine, I used 309 stainless filler wire, easy as.

[brads70]

I've used both mig and tig, and yes it requires a stainless filler rod/wire but other than that.....

[70chall440]

New adventure, I will look into it.

[70chall440]

So I have been looking at kits, I found a nice kit from Pypes on Summit for $497 w/o mufflers and a magnaflow kit w/mufflers for $711. Both are 304 Stainless.

Can you weld stainless to non-stainless? I don't think my TTI collectors are stainless.

[70chall440]

I just found these guys; seems like a pretty good deal.

http://mandrelbendingsolutions.com/builders-kits/

They have 304 and 409 SS; need to research the difference and what would be the best. Still would have to get some mufflers. I have used a lot of flow master, (available at most parts stores) but I am thinking maybe dynomax or something.

[crash340]

Make sure you get an X pipe/ cross over. yes you can weld stainless to mild steel but you have header flanges, so just use flanges to suit your pipes.  the MF mufflers I have and Brad has that come in the kit are a straight through muffler, polished stainless. really nice.

[brads70]

I have the MF kit and am very happy with it. I did use a mandrel bend with this kit to get it around the torsion bar crossmember on one side.  I welded the supplied flange from the headers ( steel) to the stainless MF pipes. I used headman headers that have a nice ball socket flange, other wise I usually cut off the flange and expand a pipe to go over the collector and use a simple tab to bolt them together. Easy and no gaskets to blow out.

[crash340]

Thats the only thing I dont like about my set up is the three bolt header flange, Im not having any gasket blow out issue at all but, given that I wont be dropping the pipes to race it I dont need that flange and its always dragging on speed bumps and driveways so something a little less like a ball socket type would probably be nice, or, like Brad said, cut it off, get a collector to pipe reducer, weld it to the pipes, slip it over the collector and use a band type clamp like the ones MF supply in the kit, in fact, I may even do that to mine if it gets to me.

[70chall440]

thanks Brad and Greg.

Brad - did you use a vehicle specific kit and modify it or a universal kit? I am not understanding the "tab bolt" comment. 

[brads70]

thanks Brad and Greg.

Brad - did you use a vehicle specific kit and modify it or a universal kit? I am not understanding the "tab bolt" comment.

Yes the kit was for e-body's but needed some help getting around one side of the torsion bar/ transmission crossmember.
  As for the tabs..... http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/hok-41521hkr/overview/
So easy to make it's almost criminal to buy them.

[70chall440]

Thanks. I purchased a MF kit from Y1 since Greg told me that had a 30% off sale (Thanks Greg, I will buy a beer at SHOT). I think I am going to have to modify it for the 4 link and look at doing something with the collectors perhaps. I need to do some research on welding the SS and making it look decent (the aluminized steel rusts and looks like crap pretty quickly here in the Pacific NW).

Brad/Greg - does this kit attach to the tips ok? Seems like it is set up for turn downs.

[brads70]

I used the turn downs. I have the regular valance, no tips.

[crash340]

No it's not for tips, not many are, easy to set it up for tips though, I'll try and get some pics of mine, I also added 6" mufflers just before my tips, don't do that, I don't regret doing it but I only did it to keep the cops from bugging me, they are dead set pricks out hear, they even carry sound meters ffs.