ti tip alignment question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 490
Likes: 5
From: Tampa Bay Area, U.S.A. (Zombie Nation)
ti tip alignment question
Recently installed a set of Ti's bought from a forum member. If they had come on the car I might have never noticed but due to my nature of checking stuff after installing I can see the right side tips angle down about 1/4" relative to the left side tips. The mufflers look perfectly aligned and nothing looks like it was ever hit or bent. I believe the right side just wasn't welded onto the muffler exactly right. Before I forget about it I thought I'd ask if anyone knew of a practical way to correct this. I tend to think the short stubs the tips are attached to wouldn't bend easily.
Last edited by TNX ZORA; Apr 21, 2011 at 10:41 PM. Reason: spelling
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,240
Likes: 1,091
From: Dyer, IN
Recently installed a set of Ti's bought from a forum member. If they had come on the car I might have never noticed but due to my nature of checking stuff after installing I can see the right side tips angle down about 1/4" relative to the left side tips. The mufflers look perfectly aligned and nothing looks like it was ever hit or bent. I believe the right side just wasn't welded onto the muffler exactly right. Before I forget about it I thought I'd ask if anyone knew of a practical way to correct this. I tend to think the short stubs the tips are attached to wouldn't bend easily.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 490
Likes: 5
From: Tampa Bay Area, U.S.A. (Zombie Nation)
Where did you place the shim? It seems like maybe you could move the whole muffler + tips easier than just the tips alone (bending them). I don't think these tips were ever cut off. They just weren't installed very well from the factory. I doubt if very many non-car-enthusiast people would notice 1/4" but that doesn't make it "OK".
Pro
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
From: Syracuse NY
when i first did mine they were not lined up right as well. ended up having to loosen up the exhaust bolts upstream and spin the mufflers a little. was able to tweak their positioning with everything loose and then tighten it all up. the tips are right on now.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,024
Likes: 108
From: Ocala, Fl. State of Confusion
Mine are off just a tad. I got them as close as possible, and they have stayed that way for 6 years. I can tell, but it is very hard for the non Corvette nut world to tell. I always look at the Z06's, and most of them seem to be off a tad, also. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
when i first did mine they were not lined up right as well. ended up having to loosen up the exhaust bolts upstream and spin the mufflers a little. was able to tweak their positioning with everything loose and then tighten it all up. the tips are right on now.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,882
Likes: 234
From: Bangkok, Thailand
My left side tips were hanging down quite a bit compared to the right side. We ended up drilling out the holes in the flanges with a step bit to get more rotation and that took care of the problem.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 490
Likes: 5
From: Tampa Bay Area, U.S.A. (Zombie Nation)
when i first did mine they were not lined up right as well. ended up having to loosen up the exhaust bolts upstream and spin the mufflers a little. was able to tweak their positioning with everything loose and then tighten it all up. the tips are right on now.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,882
Likes: 234
From: Bangkok, Thailand
Actually, at first we put the bolts in a drill press and used the edge of a flat file to remove the first 3/8" of threads under the bolt heads. That didn't give enough room so we went ahead and drilled the flange holes out one step.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 293
Likes: 8
From: South Bend IN
Another option, which I chose, was to switch to a smaller diameter bolt with washers and a nut. The smaller diameter bolt gives you more rotation without having to drill or file. As long as it's tight, it holds.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,479
Likes: 36
You just need to shim the rear rubber hangers. It is the easiest way. My original exhaust was quite misaligned from the factory. This is normal GM manufacturing practices. I had the same problem with my 97 Grand Prix GT. Most people did not notice the misalignment on my C5. But, the perfectionist that I am, it bothered me.
