Custom Exhaust Weld or Not to Weld?

[RckyMtNDeZL]

I know a majority of you folks here have a custom exhaust on their 6.5. My question is how did you get it installed? I own a 95 and the hangers are different than the kit provides. I have the 4 inch kit ready to go on, but due to fabrication and a cat needing to be spliced in, I have opted to let the pros handle this job. Has anyone bolted there exhaust in? I have heard of hangers rattling loose, and being generally less reliable than a welded exhaust. Any truths to this or is the muffler dude bending me over? Having to drop another 150 for an install is not the issue, I dont pinch pennies on my rig, ever. Just an issue of reliability.
:confused:

[bulldogchance]

I think welding is best.

[black smoker]

it does rattell i did mine w/o welds and i regret it

[sixnickel]

I work with 3, 3 1/2, 4, 5" exhaust all the time at work.( big trucks) all I use is stainless steel band clamps (there like high tech beer cans) they work great! they don't leak, pipes don't move but if you want them to move they do. I used these on my SSD 4" system. I did have to refabracate all my hangers. I do have all my own welding and fabracation equpment so it was no big deal. Maybe a welding shop that that works on trucks could help you out Good Luck!

[Husker 6.5]

I know a majority of you folks here have a custom exhaust on their 6.5. My question is how did you get it installed? I own a 95 and the hangers are different than the kit provides. I have the 4 inch kit ready to go on, but due to fabrication and a cat needing to be spliced in, I have opted to let the pros handle this job. Has anyone bolted there exhaust in? I have heard of hangers rattling loose, and being generally less reliable than a welded exhaust. Any truths to this or is the muffler dude bending me over? Having to drop another 150 for an install is not the issue, I dont pinch pennies on my rig, ever. Just an issue of reliability.
:confused:

I have installed exhausts on several different vehicles over the years. It is personal preference on install method. Welded gives you a nice clean look for show cars, etc. Clamped gives you ease in replacing individual components or modifying the system. That being said, make sure your pro is just that, not some kid down at the "Golden Touch" (hint) who's just starting. Use a local custom shop with a good rep. I had a friend have a "Golden touch" install a Flomaster 2.5" GM A body kit dual system on a header equiped 68 Cutlass convertible. It was one of the most botched jobs I had ever seen!! It was welded, every joint was blobbed and leaked, the tailpipes were crooked and different heights, and evidently nothing was test fit prior to welding! Welding aluminized steel is an art and sainless steel a really serious art. It takes plenty of experience to lay a neat, leak-free bead. For DIY using clamps is the way to go. Test fit and mock-up as you go and fingertight everything until the whole system is on, THEN tighten the clamps. Use anti-seize on the threads, and lock washers under the nuts, even with serrated Kep nuts. Use a 3/8 air rachet to tighten the clamps until the pipe begins to deform ensuring a leak free joint. Tighten to 20-25lb/ft on 5/16 or 3/8 diam clamp threads.

If you are using the system from Walt, go to Heartthrob's website, go to the truck systems, and click on the 6.5 chevy listing. You will pull up photos of their install on a 92 p/u. They said to me on the phone that if you have a system that uses the round rod style hangers to cut the flat ones off their clamps and weld the round ones to the clamps.

Cat? Does CO require diesels to have cats? Check closely. My 94 C2500 HD, "F" engine has what appears to be a cat on it, but is actually just the converter shell without the monolith block in it, a front "resonator". GM did this to save cost of multiple exhaust pipe configurations by using a dummy cat, and putting real ones on CA emissions vehicles only. Check and make sure on yours what you have, if "dummy" you can save $$'s and headaches by eliminating an aftermarket cat and installing the system yourself. Hope this helps.

[wyo6.5]

Welding, Definetly. The only regret I have with my new exhaust is this fact that when my truck Idles after first starting it causes the bed and tailgate to vibrate. I don't know why, but it's annoying.

[962500]

I would have to agree with the stainless steel band clamp method. i worked on highway truck exhaust systems mainly 5 inch but some 4 inch and stainless steel band clamps are all the use to hole there systems together other then the odd u bolt. The look nice and don't leak unless the pipe has been dinged right were you are installing it. They can be tightened up enough so nothing will move either but if you don't like were you put it you can always loosen it back of again.

[RckyMtNDeZL]

Thanks to you fine people for your input...I went and got it welded up yesterday picked it up this morning. And I must admit the muffler shop was just as excited as I was to put this puppy on. Install wasnt as easy as I assumed it would be, the catalytic converter was the first ordeal. I did check into emission laws proir to purchase so I did my homework its CO law all diesels must have cat in place. Turns out they did me favor and (ahem, you know) "adjusted" the stock cat and put it back in place. Cool beans and all, but I bought the cat kit from Walt...ugh returns! After that was all taken care of, the rest of the install went well prefit it then new hangers welded on, etc. The shop did like the quality of the kit, good bends except the final tailpipe bend, they angled it back a half inch to give a slightly better flow. Good place, not a quick job, I guess it took them a bit to gut the cat, they had the "kid" do that he went in a back room and didnt come out for an hour. I ended up giving them the card attached to my SSD receipt, get Walt some extra customers. And sound wise....I thought it was quiet compared to other exhaust systems I had in the past. Nice throaty tone, I barely hear it in the cab unless I unload on the pedal.Sorry for the long post...my exhaust has been a long time coming!

[Husker 6.5]

Glad the "stealth cat" trick worked for you. What'll they do, dismount the cat and cut it open to look inside? NOT! Just look to see if there is a "cat" in the plumbing. I've also seen where you take a Dynomax 3" or 4" diesel bullet muffler (16" long) and put it either in the down pipe or front extension in front of the muffler, weld an O2 sensor bung to the inlet nipple, and either put the original O2 sensor in as as a decoy, or a junk one with a wire running to nowhere in the engine compartment. Voila! Instant aftermarket "high-flow" cat for $35. Looks like the real thing, with no restriction to flow, and it acts like a front resonator to quiet the exhaust. I'm curious, how did you interface the 2.75" OEM cat to your 4" exhaust. Can you post some pics? When I get mine back together, I'll post pics of my 7' long 4" system with only three bends, none over 45*, and no muffler or cat.

PS: Looking at your avatar, are you a Raider's fan in Bronco's land? That takes some balls! You should have seen the grief my dad took for four years running CO personalized plates from 94-98 that read BGRDNO1 (Big Red Number 1) not to mention what they did to his Blackshirts Defense flag after we beat CU at CU on a last second field goal a few years ago. Some neighbor tore it off the side of his house, mount and all, right after the game ended.

[RckyMtNDeZL]

I will get some pics of the install up, I know lots of folks looking for what a "finished" SSD system looks like. I would be glad to post it. The muffler shop did it a bit odd, but it works and the sound is just right. Couldnt be happier with the system, Walt is swapping me the cat for a tip to finish it off. My buddy was amazed he stuck his fist into the tailpipe and didnt get soot on his hand...BIG! Now that you mention I am curious as well as to how he fanagled the tiny stock pipe to fit the 4 inch system, I remember him fabricating something out if the extra pipe in the kit, I have a shortbed so I didnt use the extra piece of straight pipe supplied. HMmm...now I gotta go get some pics, and as far as being a Raider faithful....that I am, my truck is silver and black! It gets rough especially how bad they have been for what seems like forever. Just beat the DONKS any team will do! Good looking out Husker!

[Husker 6.5]

Hey RckyMtNDeZL, are you posting pics? I see you are on this thread right now editing. Want to see that install.

Husker 6.5

[Husker 6.5]

Crossing electrons, one minute post times. "Kid" an hour in the back room gutting the cat. Hmmm, wonder if the "cat" is wearing a 4" extension through the middle of it? Guess somebody is going to have to stick his head under his truck and look and look tomorrow:D Yeah, Whampa Bay got Gruden, and we got Callahan. Loved watching Raiders/Steelers in the seventies, watching Blanda play, Madden coach. Things haven't been the same since free-agency. My first cousin played high school ball in San Diego with Marcus Allen (same team, he was Soph, Marcus Senior. My cousin was an outside linebacker. First string all San Diego, Honorable mention all SoCal. He was going to sign his letter-of-intent his senior year to play (recruited) at Nebraska, got killed in a wreck on the freeway on his way home from practice before his final game his senior year. Really sucked, we were going to go to college together).

[RckyMtNDeZL]

I would like to thank all the computer companies that made this simple picture posting deal difficult. Here is the moment you all have not been waiting for...my exhaust. Taken from the driver side laid out in my driveway, and I snuck in a side shot of the rig. Sorry it took so long had to compress my HD 8 mega pixel pics down to size...first time I had to deal with this. Just so you know I have the tip coming...working it out with Walt the Great. :o

[Husker 6.5]

Looks like your cat is wearing an unused 4" extension through it. If it keeps the "man" happy at emissions test time...happy motoring. Ain't technology wonderful, I click on the second image of the whole system, and it doesn't enlarge. Me or You? When I get mine on I'll post pics as I do the heads up rebuild.

Husker 6.5

PS: Saw your Raiders balls for living in Broncos land in pic #3. Thought they were supposed to be brass, not chrome!! Hope the Raiders can do some decent drafting this spring. Could Al Davis get Madden to come back??