dath

I like to do stuff myself if I can, so I'm considering trying to bend up a new 2.5" exhaust system with Flowmaster 40s and perhaps even making an X or H pipe. I'm wondering if anyone on the forum does their own exhaust work? I don't know where to get a pipe bender and pipe expanders that size?

If I wimp out, anyone know a good shop with reasonable rates in the Portland area? I know most people don't spend much time under the car looking at it, but I have been let down by two different shops because they weld worse than I do and I'm not any good...

Fevre

Not on purpose. :)

There a few vendors that seal pipes of pretty good quality and then you could do the welding yourself.

dath

Yeah, I thought about that, but unbent pipe is very inexpensive. I'm astounded how much people charge for such simple things. I once priced a tail pipe for a pickup I had, just one simple bend and it was around 90 dollars for a 3 foot piece of pipe. I think summit sells unbent 4 foot sections for about 10 dollars or so. I can probably pick some up locally from a shop for a similar or maybe even better price (I've got a friend)...

I also like to fabricate things myself, but rarely do because I don't have the tools or time... I have seen pipe benders at Harbor Freight, but I think they were in the import size range (way too small)...

PatG

I am contemplating the same thing but plan on building with 409 stainless. I know I can pick up the stainless pipe for a little over $100 to do the whole job. There are also sites that sell pre-bent sections with different angles. Also I was at Harbor Freight a few weeks ago and they had a pipe bender that handled up to 2 1/2 pipe for $99. Might not be the best quality but if it worked for one job it would pay for itself. Considering that pre fabbed SS exhaust goes for close to $700 I would come out WAY ahead. Not something I am going to do tomorrow but will most likely tackle it before the end if this year.

Spook

I Like your attitude... WHOOT WHOOT (Whistle Tips?)

If your dont want to commit to some big equipment you could always just do measurements and sketches and bring it in for the bending somewhere that will do it for you or ask to get some time on thier stuff (heres where the friends are handy). Then you still have the custom fit with the hands on install and professional treatment.

You looking to do anything fancy with your exhaust or just getting in on the ground floor?

Sorry I can't say I am even half azzed expierenced in the area, but I like to hear myself speak sometimes I think... :(

Spook
:reddevil

PatsLs1vette

yeah i bent my own with a pipe bender from northern tool company i made 2 3/4 pipe from the front to the back going through the factory holes in the frame and into flowmasters.

WashingtonRacer

I have a pipe bender "bends 3 inch", I don't really want to use, "I want Manderal bends only. I picked mine up for about 130 bucks from this travel tool company. It works, but agian, I wanted mandrel in the end. I say if you really want to, just pick up your own pipe bender, check with specality tool houses, like up here in WA we have Tool town, hole in the wall, but they have everything, and cheap.

Schmucker

To avoid needing a pipe expander to slide the pipes into each other just use some dual band clamps that can connect a butt splice.

fauxrs

Just purchase sections of mandrel bent tubing and straight sections form jegs/summit - get an expander from a good tool mfr and have at it - they will flow much better than any "hand" bent system you could fabricate and by the time you purchase the equipment - the mandrel method would probably be cheaper anyway.

I hooked up my sidepipes this way - hookup cost something like $60 total and there isnt a crimped bend in sight.

BB73Chris

I bought a pre fabbed 409 stainless system from ecklers for $299, came very complete with all the clamps and even the donut gaskets for the manifolds. If you're buying mufflers and hangers and tips too, then it gets expensive, but for what you're talking about (just the pipes) the pre fabbed ones aren't all that bad. PS, I had a shop install it, and there was quite a bit of trimming and bending to be done (I was very glad we weren't trying to do this in the driveway) and the guy said that was typical for vette systems.


http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?pf%5Fid=A3684S&dept%5Fid=126 7&mscssid=6NLS11B6EDXB9HQL9R3UHUCA6HM31W C6

442olds

I just finished a set of 3.5" side pipes for my vette, total cost was like $50. I also help build a set of duals for my friends monte carlo from 3" pipe which we bought all the straight and mandrel bends from Summit. I believe with mufflers it was $140 for the whole set up. Pics of the monte's exhaust

http://www.et-motorsports.cc/project...aust/index.htm

dath

PatG: I'll have to check at Harbor Freight again, perhaps they did and I just didn't notice it. For things like a pipe bender, I'm sure the quality is fine, it isn't exactly a complicated piece of equipment. I don't think I'll go with stainless myself, too much cost and this is my first try at exhaust bending and I hear that stainless is a real trick to bend without kinking... Although I think the benders they sell are mandrel, so maybe they can do it without trouble?

Spook: I am not confident that I could do an adequate job specing out the system for someone else to bend. I'm thinking a bend and fit approach is probably the best for someone like me. :) I'm not going for anything fancy, but I want it to be functional and look good. If I want to upgrade to something better in the future, I figure I'll have a bit more experience and the tools I need...

patsnitrovette: Was this your first experience bending exhaust? I'm not familiar with northern, is this a mailorder house? Does the bender have mandrels, or is it the other variety?

WARacer: I'll shop around a bit if I can't find it at Harbor Freight...

Schmucker: I had not thought of that, in fact, I'm not sure I know what a dual band clamp is? Is this something like plumbers tape, only solid or something?

fauxrs: I could go the prebent route I suppose, but it would no doubt require more welding and I'm pretty sure I've seen the mandrel style benders at HF, so if they really do have a large enough one... I'll be welding this with Oxy/Acet most likely, so the welds will take me a fair bit of time. I could go to my old high school and use a mig welder (I'm still friends with one of the instructors there), but I'd rather not do it that way since it's been a while since I've use a mig...

dath

That work looks really nice. The pipes look like you sprayed them with something?

I suppose buying the bends isn't a terrible thing, but I still think for my welding setup it would be a little annoying to make all of those welds... As long as the pipes aren't the high nickle content ones like the factory likes to use... Made the mistake of trying to weld that stuff with an oxy/acet and thought I had forgotten how to weld...

Corey_68

I rather do my own work, but my time is worth something to me. I rather pay someone $100 and it takes a 1/2 day to do than take me a week and probably mess up the pipes along the way. :D

:cheers:

dath

If I knew a shop that worked for those kinds of rates, sure I'd consider it, but I do not. I was quoted $600 parts/labor for a basic 2 1/2 inch from the the header back from a shop that I feel does marginal work (maybe it's better for something like this, but last time I saw their welding I was astounded how poor it was)...

PatsLs1vette

i used the same one pat g is talking about it did up to 2 1/2 pipe but i fit a 2 3/4 bus exuast pipe in it and it doesnt kink had a nice smooth bend to it.no it wasnt my first time either.

norvalwilhelm

I am a big fan of doing it myself. I have access to a state of the art 3 inch mandrel bending machine and after a few attempts at making it one piece I ended up cutting and welding parts together. For each side I needed 2 tight 90 plus of course a length of pipe. I used 3 inch stainless and bought 4 90's and cut a pieced each side together. I did tig weld them together with stainless filler rod and it didn't take me that long but the exhaust is tight to the floor and the mufflers are level with the undercarriage.
I would do it this way if you can do decent welds.

dath

Yeah, I thought I would make it in two pieces (maybe more if required) and use removable couplers right after the cross member so that I could take it all apart without cutting in the future. Seems like the exhaust is always getting in the way...

patsnitrovette: The bender you used, did it look like this:

This is listed at: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...&productId=628

for $200...

PatG

That looks nearly identical to the one I saw at HF for $100.

here it is 12 ton $99, 16 ton $199
(the 12 ton only does 2", my bad)
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32888
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=35336

Corey_68

Wow, that is expensive! That job around here would be $300-$350 at best. :eek: