Exhaust Plans?

[BigMo]

After reading many threads about exhausts, I had a thought (I'm only allowed a minimum number of these per week, so I have to be careful!):



Has anyone put together a homemade 4-inch or 5-inch exhaust that could be easily duplicated by other members? I know that many of the aftermarket vendors have outstanding systems, but personally, my pocketbook just won't stand for a $800 hit, just for exhaust.



So how about it, you mad bombers? Any of you have a great system that you can give measurements and/or part numbers to that others here might want to try? Just an idea that might help those of us on limited budgets.

 

[JSmith]

Ehaust systems!

BigMo,there are systems out there for $450-$550 that you have to install yourself,or take the system to good muffler shop and have it installed for under $100. This is the labor rate I was quoted by a shop after I told him I would not be willing to spend $800 for the system he sold,plus labor. Check around,it will not hurt to look.

 

[redneckdr]

exhaust

big mo, i put my own together for about $300. prolly could have done it for less, but i think i paid more for my muff than i had to. i used an aluminized 4" downpipe and tailpipe that doug at ADT got for me. my muffler is a Goerlich's 4" straight thru truck muffler. it is a big mother, about 40" long and 10" in diameter. i added about 42" of straight pipe between the downpipe, and the muffler, which i hooked to the tailpipe. fastened with stainless steel band clamps, and made my own hangers, except the front one on the downpipe, which doug also got for me. i added a stainless steel tip which i didn't include in the cost above. the sound is great, with no drone. deeper tone, not much louder than stock, if any. sure can heaar that little HY out the pipe.

if you wanted to do the same, i'd suggest you go to your local big truck parts place--Fleet Pride or Truck Pro, or such, to buy the muffler. i think you can usually buy one for about $50, give or take a little. i've seen the Walker numbers posted, but didn/t write them down.

sorry for the length of this. pm me if you want more specifics.

 

[JTeague]

4 inch exhuast

Big Mo, I'm in the process of building my own cheap 4 inch exhaust and here's what I've come up with so far: 4 in downpipe (used) from a TDR member for $75, 4 in aluminized sraight pipe from local muffler shop for $60, Dynomax 4 in tailpipe (pn54150) from O'reilly's (also aluminized and mandrel bent) for $60. Throw in a Meg's tip from Geno's for $35 and (maybe) some new clamps & hangers and you will have a sraightpipe setup for under $250. A muffled setup will obviously cost more, depending on your muffler choice (I. E. ) Dynomax has a sraightthru design (pn 24217) that can be bought from Summit Racing for $36. It should not be hard to have under 300 bucks in either of the 2 setups if you are willing to install it yourself. Even If you pay someone to put it on your truck you are still under the cost of a prefabbed system. Hope this helps.

 

[CumminsAholic]

When I did mine I thought the same thing, too much $$. Well here's what I did. I bought a 4" downpipe, can't remember the price... I think $150. Then a dynomax 4" straight thru "muffler" and put them on myself. Then I brough it to a muffler shop and had them split it into 2 3" pipes with 5" tips coming out the back. They charged about $250 installed. So I have under $450 into my exhaust and it's exactly what I wanted. If you're hooking up trailers all of the time put the exhaust out the side. Man does that suck hooking up a trailer, I usually shut it off, especially when it's cold because it smokes so much it makes your eyes water. If you got the downpipe and muffler and then went to a big rig shop and got the rest of the pipe and did it yourself I'd guess you'd have about $300 into it. Probably less if you came out in front of the rear tire. Good Luck.

Corey

 

[Stroke This 24V]

I Can Get You One

I can get you a full system for I think $395 + Shipping that all you need to do is put hangers on. I t is a 4" system with a straight through muffler. If you want I can check to see if he will just bend you what ever you need (Down Pipe, Tail Pipe)

 

[Fireman Dave]

$100.

A few of us in WI did ours for about $100. We used straight aluminized 4" out of the resonator to a Walker 4" tailpipe to a chrome 5" motorhome tip. One guy did 4" to the turbo (chucked the resonator), so his was a tad more. We did the work ourselves. Sounds great!

 

[BigMo]

How did you folks handle the hangers? Did you cut off the hangers from the OE or did you fabricate your own? If you made them, how did you do it?



It's good to see so many members are doing this themselves. It's encouraging to a would be bomber!

 

[redneckdr]

hangers

i bought the downpipe and tailpipe from doug at www.smokindiesel.com (ADT). he furnished the front hanger to place on the downpipe. it was a u clamp type with the rod attached to go to the original bracket on the frame. i believe he charged me $8, for the hanger. the rest of the hangers, i made myself. galvanized strap with holes predrilled from Home Depot. attached them to the bolts on the stainless steel band clamps that i used at each joint. ran them up to the original frame brackets, and bolted them through the original rubber hangers with 3/8" bolts. only problem i've had is one of the hangers is squeaking. i haven't had time to look at it--shouldn't be a big deal to fix.

 

[Fireman Dave]

Hangers

johnrv4 fabricated the hangers for ours and welded them to the pipe. They're threaded on the end with a nylon locknut that keeps them from coming out of the rubber hangers on the truck. Worked slick.

 

[BigMo]

Has anyone seen or tried a five inch install?

I understand that the clearance from the turbo down beside the firewall is rather tight. Has anyone seen a five inch down pipe or a five inch system.



The way it seems, if four is good, five must be "gooder!"

 

[Archive]

Cumminsgetme (one of those under valved trucks. ) has a home built 5in system on his truck. It looks like it took some work to get the tail pipe built, and he had to cross it over closer to the center of the truck than the stock system. His truck sits a little closer to the ground, and you don't see that much of his system. And WoW. . does it ever sound good. . especially at about 3800rpms. . at full smoke!!!

Bryan

 

[Cooker]

I have a new Walker 54150 4" Tailpipe if anyone is interested. It didn't work for me without removing the spare tire, and I didn't want to do that. Others have installed this tailpipe without problems (I don't know what mine was )



As mentioned they sell for ~$60. I'll sell this one for $40 (I don't know how shipping would for on it because it is rather larger, I'd have to check). If you'd like a pic let me know.



You might be interested in a Jardine 4" kit. Check out the great price here www.wwcd2.com That is a pretty good price IMO especially since it includes shipping.

 

[Stroke This 24V]

I have a 5"

I have a 5" from Diesel Pro and it has a 4" Down Pipe until the first bend in the pipe @ the frame then it flares out to 5" there. I only has one close part and that is where it has the hanger @ the transmission cross member. We had to pull it towards the transmission then weld the hanger on the pipe to prevent the pipe from hitting the frame when the engine is twisting under torque. The exhaust exits out @ stock location with a 265/75/16 spare. The exhaust is bent using minimal bends and has plenty of room besides runnig by the transmission as stated above.





I love the 5" w/o Muffler. My dad has a 2002 ETH/DEE 3500 QC with 4" and w/ Muffler and it sounds good too. I guess I just love the SHOCK effect that the 5" has on everyone. Although the sound is great when passing and import w/ 5" Tip!!!LOL

 

[BigMo]

Xavier,



I know the five inch pipe is overkill, but if I'm going to spend the money, I might as well be a little outrageous! The four inch tip offers no more drama than the stock exhaust. Let's face it, part of the appeal of having a larger exhaust system is the way it looks and sounds.



I've scrutinized the area from the turbo down between the body and the engine/trans area... . it is tight. I was thinking of getting a stock head pipe from the junkyard (three inch) then welding on a 3" to 4" connector, then welding a 4" to 5" connector onto that. Then, connect about two feet of five inch stainless steel flex pipe which would allow for the complex bends in order to get under the truck. From there, it should be a snap all the way back to the axle. Hopefully, I'll be able to get bends from the truck shop to go over and around the axle and exit normally (with a five inch chrome downturn tip).



Thoughts, comments, flames, giggles, grins?

 

[Koa Man]

Flex pipe should be used only in a straight line. Its purpose is to absorb vibration. Elbows should be used to make bends.

 

[BigMo]

Koa Man,



Can you explain why the flex pipe cannot be used in a bent position? The bends I'm referring to may only

be 10 degrees; we're not talking a 90 degree bend.



Thanks for your input.

 

[Koa Man]

BigMo, when planning the layout for my stack exhaust, I had first figured on using flex for some of the bends. A friend, who is a big rig mechanic, told me the pipe has to be straight. Exhaust turbulance and cracks will occur if the pipe is bent. The Donaldson and Nelson exhaust catalogs both say the same thing. I am not an exhaust expert, but just repeating what I have read and heard from exhaust parts manufacturers and a knowledgeable mechanic.

 

[Stroke This 24V]

Forget the Flex Pipe

Once you get throught the first bend and start down the frame mine is straight from there to just before the axle. All you need is to hold your tongue right to get the pipe in.



Or you can do what we did with the farm truck and the left over piece of pipe that would be used if my truck was a long bed and cut a hole in the farm truck's hood and run a 5" stack just off the turbo. LOL Got very bored and too much BEER!

 

[redneckdr]

exhaust

big mo, i think you will be happy with a 4" downpipe, then a 4-5" adapter, and 5" the rest of the way.