I know, I know, it's easiest to have a muffler shop do this and I might, but being that I seem to do everything myself just curious about this.
How hard is it to weld on a new muffler
- Thread starter thetoyotaman
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I have done several dozen and the hardest thing to me is welding the top half inch of the tube where you can't see it. You can feel the progress of the bead with the filler rod. The other hard part is that some spots you don't have much room to get the torch in position. My experience was all with oxy acetylene. Most shops use a wire feed welder, but they still have an OA torch in reach.
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- #3
I'd like to upgrade to a 2.5 inch muffler and I don't need any extra noise, but want something free flow. I was shocked that when I took off the factory replacement muffler and looked inside the pipe narrowed to very tiny, maybe even 1.5 inches? It looks like a mini truck muffler that the PO adapted. Are todays standard replacement mufflers pretty free flow compared to those of the past?
It easy if you can just tac it up then pull it to do the final welding I built my whole exhaust that way with mandrel bends.
On the other hand I had a muffler shop weld new cats on my girlfriends truck and two years later I had to get under it and fix their terrible welds. Every one was leaking and covered wit some Kind of paste sealer.
On the other hand I had a muffler shop weld new cats on my girlfriends truck and two years later I had to get under it and fix their terrible welds. Every one was leaking and covered wit some Kind of paste sealer.
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- #5
That's been my experience with muffler shops. What kind of steel is the factory pipe? It still looks a lot better than the aftermarket tailpipe that is corroded badly.
x2.....the hardest is getting a good bead on the top of the pipe depending on position. I just re-did my entire exhaust (manifold flange-back) this weekend using individual universal pieces from autozone and a flowmaster 40. Just tacked everything in place then dropped it down and finished the the welds. Took me about three hours total and that was trying to fit a bunch of elbows together to loop the rear axle just right. Doing just the muffler shouldn't be too difficult at all. I say keep the money in your pocket and burn some finger tips!!
If you have a welder on hand id say go for it.....only thing that would be akward is positioning and make sure to take all precautions on welding.....dont burn yourself or your cruiser.
Ive learned in the past 4 yrs ive had my 40 is just to tackle it yourself rather than paying someone,and the money saved i just buy more tools or mods
Ive learned in the past 4 yrs ive had my 40 is just to tackle it yourself rather than paying someone,and the money saved i just buy more tools or mods
- Thread starter
- #8
Can you post up a pic? Did all of the pieces fit over one another or not? Thanks.
I'll try to get some pics before it gets dark tomorrow when I get home from work. Hopefully I'm not at my limit on pic uploads (still a rookie) .....it's not the prettiest way to go but if your not building a show truck or a restoration and if you take your time it can come out decent....it's a machine....If you really sit down and plan it out I'm sure you can get all the right pieces that interlock together but mine I guestamated and so some of my pieces are butted together...hopefully I have pics tomorrow.....
Its pretty simple. Just take you time. Might even practice onthe old muffler before installing the new one
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- #11
I'm learning to weld right now and I need to figure out how to weld the thin pipe to say the 1/4 inch flange.
thetoyotaman said:
Three words..."favor the thicker" set the machine for 1/4" and run your bead on the thicker of the two metals JUST catching the edge of the thinner material.
"The only thing better than restoring a factory Land Cruiser is restoring a Land Cruiser better than the factory. Restomod on!"
My experience with is exhaust is the weld is the first place it will fail. The pipe is galvanized the weld is not. Use clamps wherever possible. If you have to weld it, grind the galvanizing off first where the weld is to be, tack it, remove it, weld it, and paint the welded area. You could weld it with stainless wire or fill rod but if you don't grind the galvanizing away it sucks to weld on and the heat from the weld will burn it off anyway. So even if you use stainless to weld it with you'll still need to paint it. I don't know where you live but here in Michigan if there is any bare steel under any rig, it'll be shot after 2 winters. Pay the big bucks for a full stainless system or use clamps.
"The only thing better than restoring a factory Land Cruiser is restoring a Land Cruiser better than the factory. Restomod on!"
"The only thing better than restoring a factory Land Cruiser is restoring a Land Cruiser better than the factory. Restomod on!"
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- #14
The factory pipes are in good shape. The factory flanges have suffered some corrosion and the aftermarket muffler is junk. I'm trying a little electrolysis rust removal on the muffler flange to clean it up some. The factory welds on the flanges look perfect. I'm going to see if I can save the flange and weld a new muffler to it I think.
You should also grind galv off because the fumes it gives of when you weld through it are pretty bad for you.
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- #16
Are the factory pipes galvanized?
No.
I have never seen a galvanized exhaust pipe, although sometimes mufflers are.
Some exhaust tubes have an "aluminized" outer shell.
- Thread starter
- #18
Can you weld on the aluminized steel pipe?
Hey thetoyotaman, here are the pics you asked for of the setup I did. The trickiest part for me was, due to the size of the muffler getting it positioned just right so nothing would hit while also keeping it as high as possible for ground clearance and axle clearance. The muffler was like $60 I think and the rest of the pieces (including the hangers) added up to like another $40-$50
I believe it's only a coating. I don't know for sure. I would remove it with a wire wheel where I wanted to put my weld. Also I would only use .023 70series solid wire. Flux core wire is to hot.
