Header/muffler suport

[LongT]

My T will be on the road 5 years this year about 5,200 miles. The headers are older than that, maybe ten years, but not on a running car. Anyway, today one of the tubes cracked in one of the bends. The lower bend that tuns the tube parallel to the chassis. I don't think they can be welded since the crack goes where there is no space to fit a welder. Would supporting the turnout/muffler help prevent another incident?

They are standard Speedway Sprint headers. Since cost is a bit of a factor, I'm thinking of replacing with Patriot Classic. Any idea on support of the turnout/muffler, Patriot may be stronger than Speedway or is tube cracking once in a while just something you have to live with using this style of header?

Thanks,

Bill

 

[Rick]

My T will be on the road 5 years this year about 5,200 miles. The headers are older than that, maybe ten years, but not on a running car. Anyway, today one of the tubes cracked in one of the bends. The lower bend that tuns the tube parallel to the chassis. I don't think they can be welded since the crack goes where there is no space to fit a welder. Would supporting the turnout/muffler help prevent another incident?

They are standard Speedway Sprint headers. Since cost is a bit of a factor, I'm thinking of replacing with Patriot Classic. Any idea on support of the turnout/muffler, Patriot may be stronger than Speedway or is tube cracking once in a while just something you have to live with using this style of header?

Thanks,

Bill

I bought the classic header/muffler from speedway and when i wanted some more of the fiberglass wrap they gave me Patriots phone number.So my guess is there one and the same.

 

[GT63]

Speedway only sells Patriot T-bucket headers now. When I ordered my Sprint style from them they came in a Patriot box with instructions from Patriot. Not sure where the 20" extensions came from though. They were in a plain white box.

 

[Ted Brown]

Some companies build production headers using oh to light of material, and depending on what type of bender us used, the bends sometimes can get pretty thin.. now if you have noticed that your muffler extentions tend to wiggle or flex while the engine is running, you can make a muffler support, that bolts to the frame and comes out under the muffler, with a half circle well 1/3 circle, use a short piece of high temp rubber tube, split in the center to slide over that 1/3rd circle that will cradle the muffler turnout tube... If you have it holding the muffler up just a tiny bit, everything should stay put without a top strap or spring. I use this type of holder on my tail pipes with a spring over the top of the pipes. These type of headers should be built using heavier wall tubing than standard, then no brace should be needed, vibration can kill a lot of things and cause cracks in strange places... If your engine mounts allow your engine to rock much, this is another big problem... I also have been there and done that.. :lol:

 

[LongT]

Speedway only sells Patriot T-bucket headers now.

That is what there website says too. They are $100 more for the coated at Summit and Jegs if they are made to the same specs.

Bill

 

[Hotrod46]

Here is the supports I built for mine.

The cushions are poly sway bar end link bushings. This allows plenty of movement to allow for engine rock.

The bands were made from a 3 1/2" stainless band clamp that I cut in half. I had to clamp the band around an old piece of tubing and saw everything at the same time. The bands are pretty thin. If I ever have to replace the headers, I'll get uncoated extensions and weld a bracket to them before getting them coated. No need for the bands then.

So far they seem to be working well.

I really need to get "prettier" hardware!

Mike

 

[EX JUNK]

Here is a very simple set up that I used on my car.

Jim

 

[Ted Brown]

Here is a very simple set up that I used on my car.

Jim

All the heat from the exhaust system needs to be totally isolated from any metal, otherwise it WILL transfer to the chassis, and then to you. If it were a closed car, you would not stay in it for long, comfortably at least... Little John had that problem with His Trick 27 T 2 door, Fat jack found it, and fixed it to make it comfortable to drive... just a 5/16" bolt from the tail pipes that were also holding the seat brackets to the floor..

 

[LongT]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Bill

 

[EX JUNK]

My mounts are not metal to metal but are separated by a rubber doughnut. As for riding for extended periods, neither my wife nor I have experienced any problems. As you know, I live in Florida and it does tend to get a little warm down here. We enjoy riding our car very much.

Jim

 

[oldtman]

I use the 1/3 circle made from 1/2 rod then slipped on some braided fiberglass tubing I got at an electronics surplus store in Calif. It was similar to the wrap used on 70's ford choke heat tube only a lot bigger.

 

[Ted Brown]

My mounts are not metal to metal but are separated by a rubber doughnut. As for riding for extended periods, neither my wife nor I have experienced any problems. As you know, I live in Florida and it does tend to get a little warm down here. We enjoy riding our car very much.

Jim

That little rubber donut better have rubber inside the metal bracket hole and again on the top where it meets the bracket again, just the same as the small stock (male & female) rubber muffler hanger biscuits, if the bolt head touches the heat at both ends it will transfer heat, like I said, one probably would not feel it in an open car, but it is there... not trying to tell you you did wrong, just saying what happens when people bolt exhaust to frames, rearends, steel brackets, etc. that are not isolated from the hot pipes... just a rubber donut between, does not isolate, touch the other end of the bolt after a drive

 

[EX JUNK]

In my defense, just to see if the theory was correct, I took accurate temperature measurements. With the engine at operating temperature and running, the heat of the 4 aluminum brackets measured from a low of 96.9 degrees to a high of 105.2 degrees. the temperature of the frame where the bolts from the aluminum brackets attach measured from a low of 96.1 degrees to a high of 100.4 degrees. these were taken with an ambient air temperature of 85 degrees. As you probably know, aluminum dissipates heat rather quickly and this may have some bearing on the low readings.

Now, with the normal body temperature of a healthy human being of 98.6 degrees, I feel that my exhaust support mounting brackets will not cause any undo stress to either the driver, passenger or the frame of the car. I must also include the little rubber donuts that absorb the vibration between the brackets and the frame.

Jim

 

[butch27]

Wow: We are getting too technical lately.

 

[putz]

But temp guns are really good for setting up a motor so you don't blue your new headers.