2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Stainless Steel Exhaust Rusting

[CrewCabDiesel]

Has anyone had problems with Banks monster exhaust rusting and PLEASE no flaming Banks? I am now on my second exhaust (which has been on the truck about 9 months) from banks and it looks like crap (first one did the same thing). The entire exhaust system has a coating of surface rust, the welds and clamps are even worse. The funny thing is that the down pipe from PDR which is aluminized looks new still. Banks last time told me that their exhaust systems are supposed to discolor some but this is nuts. I thought the point of stainless was that it would not rust, corrode or discolor. After spending the big bucks I am starting to feel violated As soon as my camera charges up, I will post some photos.

Thanks

Kyle

 

[y-knot]

There are several different grades of Stainless Steel. There is 304,304W,316,316W,316L,316g&p,416TG&P, ect. Some times there is a reason the price was low, and some times you just get taken. What ever the reason, next time you will know to ask the grade ss they use. For the record, my HOG PERFORMANCE ss exhaust is as shinney as when I first installed it, and so are the hangers.

 

[Chipstien]

I would bet that where you are they use road salt. All (at least most) stainless will rust from salt. Put stainless in salt water and see what it does. If you call Banks the first thing they will ask is where you live and is road salt used. However, if you feel that it is more then just the road salt... . take a picture of it and call Banks. Though I feel that Banks product are overpriced, I admit that their customer service is second to none after experiencing it first hand.

 

[Mundgyver]

All steel, even stainless steel, starts to break down and rust at some point. As already described, salt is a big contributor. If you want to slow it down real good though, find yourself a boat yard that sells Zinc hull blocks for salt water marine applications. Bolt a couple of these up to the frame, engine, axles and exhaust system. I think your rust problem will pretty much stop, zinc being a sacrificial metal.

 

[Midnite]

Um... guys, Kyle's not talking about his exhaust system eventually rusting a bit "at some point"-- he's talking about what in his opinion is significant and unacceptable rust at nine months!



They use quite a bit of road salt here in Alaska, and neither of the exhaust systems on my trucks (1992 and 2000) have had anything other than minor surface rust. Both systems are stock, which I assume are aluminized steel. I've owned the 1992 for about five years and the 2000 for about six months, but both trucks were purchased new in Anchorage according to Carfax.



Kyle, the first thing I would do is look at other trucks that have built equal or more milage in the same area as you and compare exhaust system rust. If yours has significantly more, then obviously the material used in your exhaust system was inferior to the other guy's, which would be a good basis to proceed from. Pics and anything that might show the data of purchase or installation of the exhaust system would be good.



Good luck,

Mike

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

This is the 2nd Banks exhaust system on this truck, the first one was only on the truck 3 months and did the same thing. Banks replace the first one an no charge and claimed it must have been a bad batch of pipe.

Michigan uses so much salt on the roads that they turn white and the deer use them for salt licks . I wonder if the body shops have something to do with the this double bonus for them, deer-car accidents and rust ?

The reason for this post is that I want to know if others are having this problem before I call Banks. All the other stainless steal looks new(which has been on the truck longer) and the aluminized down pipe from PDR still looks new. Replacing my exhaust system every 9 months sucks, that is why I bought a stainless one so I would never have to screw with it again. To make things worse My CML (leukemia) came out of remission in August after almost 10 years and the meds I am on make me tired all the time, so wrenching on the truck is becoming a problem.

 

[Mark Craig]

Rusting Stainless

CrewCabDiesel,

As others have said there are lots of different types of stainless. We work with the customers that call us to see what they need based where they live. If you live in the dry SE go aluminized, if you live in the middle regions of the USA get T-409, if you live in the harsh northern areas T-304 is the only way to go.



That's why we offer all three materials, you can get what YOU need.



T-409 will oxidize, and or "Brown Out" as we call it here fairly fast in a mid or Northern climate. It's very ususual to rust thru as you have mentioned though.



Mark @ DPPI

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

Well here are some photos, see if this is "brown out" or rust

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

more pictures, at least the drive shaft and the exhaust match .

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

This one realy gets me

 

[lil red cummins]

after looking at those pics, that pipe doesn't even look like it is stainless steel. have you tried to see if the pipe is magnetic ? stainless steel is normally less magnetic than regular carbon steel and in its purest form, not magnetic at all. Stainless can have rust on it, if it comes in contact with "free iron". this can happen many ways and is normally seen where normal steel contacts stainless. on the bent pipe sections you are more likely to see it if the bending dies are also used for steel pipe. but that straight pipe - i just dont know why it is so bad???



sorry to see that



jim

 

[Mundgyver]

I'm having a real hard time buying that what is shown in the pics, is supposed to be stainless, especially looking at the spoty patterns. I would be wanting my money back in full and be looking at another vendors system. There is no way that they can charge you big bucks for what is seen in the pics. Thats terrible.

 

[nickleinonen]

that doesn't look like stainless at all... . if it is 304SS it will rust a bit, but i don't think that much... 409SS should rust even less than that... . but wow... looks like mild steel



*edit*



i just realized i had my numbers backwards. 409 is the lower grade, and 304 is the higher grade

 

[Forrest Nearing]

agreed, that doesn't even look like low grade stainless!!!



Ford uses lower grade stainless on their factory systems, and it doesn't look like that when it discolors... it just turns brown, but still looks like a solid piece of metal... it takes a LONG time before it will actually start to get splotchy corrosion (rust) like that!!! that looks like mild steel!



fwiw, Jon @ City Muffler has a great deal on Magnaflow systems I believe.



Forrest

 

[Chipstien]

I see the muffler doesn't have a speck of rust yet the pipe is terrible. I would be talking to Banks ASAP. That should be an easy warrant because the muffler is supposedly the same as the rest of the exhaust..... yet it isn't rusting. If that isn't a bad batch of pipe than I don't know what is.



What sections are rusting and what ones are not? Seems the tailpipe should be the worst since it is the coolest and doesn't evaporate much water.

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

You all can see the "Banks" sticker on the muffler in one of the photos. This Banks Monster 4" exhaust system cost me $650 +, and it is suppose to be made of stainless steel. So when I was greasing my u-joints before Christmas and saw all the rust I blew a gasket. Every piece of the exhaust system is rusty and looks like this except the PDR downpipe for my PDR HX40. I finely cooled down and contacted Banks today and they said they would try to get back to me Monday .

Kyle



Link to Banks monster exhaust ad

http://www.bankspower.com/System.cfm?appid=AD01&sysid=SD14

 

[dieselshu]

Rusting Stainless steel

Crewcab, Here is some interesting reading for you, though long at the end it sheds some light on your situation.



AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEELS

Austenitic stainless steels containing chromium and nickel are given a

300 Series classification and austenitic steels containing chromium,

nickel and manganese are given a 200 Series classification. It should be

noted, however, that some austenitic stainless steels do not have these

200 and 300 Series designations. The steels in this austenitic group

have many compositions and properties, but they have many

characteristics in common. They can be hardened by cold working but

not by heat treatment. In the annealed condition all are essentially

nonmagnetic, but some may become slightly magnetic by cold working.

In the annealed condition they have excellent formability.

The various grades of austenitic steels have excellent corrosion

resistance in many environments, resisting attack by the atmosphere and

by many industrial gases and many chemicals. They have a resistance

to scaling at temperatures as high as 2000°F (1095°C). The resistance

of an individual austenitic alloy to corrosion or oxidation in a particular

environment will depend upon that steel’s alloy content.





FERRITIC STAINLESS STEELS

Ferritic stainless steels are straight chromium 400 Series steels that

contain from 11 to 27% chromium and little or no nickel. They cannot be

hardened by cold working. These steels are magnetic. They have

moderate ductility and resistance to corrosion and oxidation.

Ferritic stainless steels are relatively weak at high temperatures, and in

heavier sections they may be lacking in toughness at below ambient

temperatures.

Type 430 is the general purpose steel of the ferritic group. It has a

nominal composition of 17% chromium and is used for highly polished

trim applications in mild atmospheres. It is also used in food processing

and for consumer goods. Type 409 and its recently standardized

variations are the most widely used ferritic grades of all the nickel free

stainless steels. They are among the least expensive of all stainless

steels. These grades have a nominal composition of 11% chromium and

their major use is in automotive exhaust systems.





hope this helps

Dave

 

[Murle]

That is why it is called stainless... . Stains Less. Not rust proof. I think there is only one element that will not rust or go bad and that is... Gold.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

Originally posted by Murle

That is why it is called stainless... . Stains Less. Not rust proof. I think there is only one element that will not rust or go bad and that is... Gold.

well... maybe technically, but I had a pair of Borla mufflers that I used on FIVE different cars... and I know for a fact that the first car I got them on, they had been on there for a few years when I got it... the guy I sold them to is still running them... that accounts for about 13yrs of use... they still look brand new!



Forrest

 

[MWBrooks]

FYI, Stainless steel will rust unless it is passivated. This acid wash removes the exterior ferrous material. This is a mandatory practice with our piping installs at pharmaceutical companies. Of course you would never do this to an exhaust system.





Kyle,

Take a magnet to your exhaust piping (make sure it's relatively clean). It won't stick to stainless steel. I have a hard time believing that's S. S. If Banks' insists it is, ask them for a MTR (Mill test report). They probably won't know what the hell you're talking about. If they do it will show the composition (percentages) of the various metals in your tubing.





If it was me I would ask for my money back!





Mike