As I save for my Duals, I'm wondering....

[andymac0035]

.....If I should insist on having 2.25" flanges put on after the cats. (since the stock 2" stuff HAS to go).

I was planning to go with a pair of magnaflows, 2.25" piping all the way, and have everything welded up, but then it hit me.....What if I need the tranny worked on?

So, basically, I'm wondering about transmission servicability. Some day (I'm assuming) this AOD will need to come out for a rebuild. When that day comes, I also hope to have a shift kit installed. The place I plan on getting the dual exhaust done at guaranties their stuff FOREVER, and they stand by that. I had 3 systems put on my 1989 F-150 (over 7 years), only paid for the 1st one. So, it stands to reason that whatever I have done now, will still be in place much later. All the pipes are custom bent with a standard bender (no mandrel).

Also, where is the best spot to have the "H" crossover at? (pics?)
Should that cross-piece be slightly smaller diameter? (I've heard it usually is)


So what say you guys? (Mangs?)....

[1987cp]

I for one really like the idea of having a flange of some sort for disconnecting the exhaust in sections. I didn't implement it in my last install, but my notion recently has been to have a disconnect behind the mufflers so all the slipjoints can be welded but you can still remove the entire exhaust without cutting.

Gonna go full custom, then, instead of using this and a pair of these? (dang, those 43281s are $12 cheaper at Summit!)

[CheeseSteakJim]

Keep in mind that if the transmission has to come out (and it's going to be a shop doing it) the car will be on a lift. No matter if the whole system is welded or not you can still unbolt it at the exhaust manifolds. It may make it somewhat annoying but I'd say it's very possibly to unbolt the manifolds and at least angle the exhaust down and away from the car enough to get the transmission out. This is after having removed my transmission last weekend while having the car less than two feet off the ground. If I can do it on the ground, a halfway-decent shop should be able to figure something out using their lifts and tall transmission jacks.

[85crownHPP]

Are you keeping the stock cats? I hear their pipes are 2"... but they end just at the tail shaft of the transmission, so anything you install past them shouldn't affect your transmission serviceability.

[andymac0035]

For now at least I'm keeping the stock cats (all 4 of em). Pipes seem to be 2.25" in the cat area untill just before the couplings for the "Y" pipe. After reading what CheeseSteakJim had to say I was thinking "heck yeah, he's right! lets do this". Then I thought keeping things de-tachable might pay off later.

Say.....down the road the cats go bad or the A/C system shits the bed.....or both.
I could rip all that off....freeing up power.....get some decent headers and catless pipes made up and install myself. All that is leagal here....provided the car owner does it. (shops can't tamper with 86-95 emissions)(even though those years are exempt)(pre 85 is fair game for all).

Oh, someone told me my stock cats are VERY restrictive compaired to aftermarket cats. Is this true?
(not that I would swap them out, I just want to know)

[andymac0035]

Oh....and how far behind the last 2 cats should the "H" crossover be put?

[P72Ford]

Oh....and how far behind the last 2 cats should the "H" crossover be put?

Make a crayon mark on the exhaust pipe, parallel to the flow. Where the crayon stops burning is where the crossover should be.

[andymac0035]

Make a crayon mark on the exhaust pipe, parallel to the flow. Where the crayon stops burning is where the crossover should be.

Thanks!

I'd heard of doing that, but never actually seen it done.
Actually, I heard about it from another exhaust shop. Perhaps I should forget about the lifetime garranty and go there instead.


PS- I had a 2005 dodge ram 1500 RC/SB 4x4 before this (4.7L, 6-speed manual)......if you are looking for any ideas for your truck PM me...I know some great sites.......

[P72Ford]

PS- I had a 2005 dodge ram 1500 RC/SB 4x4 before this (4.7L, 6-speed manual)......if you are looking for any ideas for your truck PM me...I know some great sites.......

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=27714

^ My Ram. Not many updated pictures there.

[andymac0035]

Well, I stopped at the other shop today......Now don't get me wrong the guy seemed very proffesional and all....

But a $1000 for duals/w H-pipe seems way too high, even with the new couplings (after the cats) I wanted.
That's with 6 hrs labor.

Place I normally go to would probably do the same job in 1 hour while I waited.
If I remember right they did my father-in-laws mark VII for like $600.

Opinions?

[87gtVIC]

My pops paid more than that in 2003. He had the pipes after the cats done and still look brand new today.

[P72Ford]

I paid $400 for a 2.5" catback, with 2 flowmaster 40 series mufflers. Tips, and rear exit were $50 more.

I paid $300 for custom catted front pipes. Without cats it would've been have been $125.

My half brother had his Suburban done for $500. Manifolds back, with two high flow cats, and turbo mufflers.

[85crownHPP]

a grand is a ripoff... you could buy all the parts to use fox pipes for that much...

[andymac0035]

Yeah, I thought it was kinda' steep. If it was stainless or mandrell bent I could see it, but it's not.

Out of curiosity, how much does the walker system go for, and can you use different mufflers with it?

......and by "different mufflers" I mean one's that directly fit.

[TomO]

you can buy a brand new cat-back dual system for less than $200.