Exhaust - shop or DIY

[Jester]

I had to cut my exhaust to fit in the new NP205. Thought this was a good time to route the exhaust over the frame and down the passenger side. Ending it right after the cab.

Question is, should I just buy some tube / bends and try to build it myself OR am I money ahead by just having a shop do it? I am sure that I would take the time to build it better than a shop would spend time on but does it matter?

[wrecker]

Do you have the equipment to weld the exhaust pipe? If so, I say go for it. I know what you mean with taking care to do it right, the shop hacked me off when I saw the shoddy work they did on mine.

[randyscycle]

If you have the time and equipment then yes, do it yourself.

I built my 2-1/2 inch duals from one of the kits that Summit sells. Its basically just a bunch of bends and straights that you can cut up and use to make pretty much any angle. I think the kit was $160 without mufflers, and time to do it. Still I was $$$ ahead over what most local shops wanted to do the job.

It turned out really well and works just fine. Being that I have a V8, I ran them out and under the frame rail just behind the front spring perches. They can't get hit there and look fine too.

I'll try to post up some pics later on.

[kwai]

Don't put the mufflers under the cab unless you like it hot. Mine are going to be moved in a couple of weeks to exit the stock location.

[rpgdeity]

If you have the time and equipment then yes, do it yourself.

Being that I have a V8, I ran them out and under the frame rail just behind the front spring perches. They can't get hit there and look fine too.

Yup, I agree with what Randy said. I just did the exhaust for my M-725 with a V8 318, and did exactly what Randy did with the exhaust, right behind the spring perch and along the frame rail.

Do you have a welder? All you need is a tiny MIG welder with like .023 wire in it. I used mandrel bent U bends (can also use and get "J" bends) and some straight pipe. Unless you are building a show rig, I think an exhaust system should just be simple and easy.

[Jester]

Yup, I agree with what Randy said. I just did the exhaust for my M-725 with a V8 318, and did exactly what Randy did with the exhaust, right behind the spring perch and along the frame rail.

Do you have a welder? All you need is a tiny MIG welder with like .023 wire in it. I used mandrel bent U bends (can also use and get "J" bends) and some straight pipe. Unless you are building a show rig, I think an exhaust system should just be simple and easy.

I have a welder. I am OK but not great with it. My welds are not pretty but are functional. Have never seen an exhaust shop make pretty welds anyway.

I would take the time to make it fit just right, where I think a shop would make it just good enough.

I may just go for it.

[vacca rabite]

I have a welder. I am OK but not great with it. My welds are not pretty but are functional. Have never seen an exhaust shop make pretty welds anyway.

I would take the time to make it fit just right, where I think a shop would make it just good enough.

I may just go for it.

Most "not pretty but functional" hobbiest welds are still better looking then the crap that got welded together at the factory 40 years ago.

My welds also fall under the "not pretty, but functional" category.

Zach

[Jester]

Most "not pretty but functional" hobbiest welds are still better looking then the crap that got welded together at the factory 40 years ago.

My welds also fall under the "not pretty, but functional" category.

Zach

That is too true I look at some of the welds on the truck and think "mine are better than that".

[vacca rabite]

I was appalled at the welds on my old Porsche. Once I started tearing into that rebuild I was suprised at how ugly and haphazzard those welds were.

Of course, they did not have the benefit of MIG or TIG, and were trying to build to an assembally line pace. We, as hobbiests, have better equipment and more time to get it right.

Zach

[ryanroo]

they had MIG back then, but most likely not the skill or desire to pay skilled welders.

i say if you are going for an engine swap in the future, do as little work/$$ as you can get away with to make it work until then, and at that time do it the way you want it
Ryan