V band clamps are the bomb

[Twin_Turbo]

Had some issues with this magnaflow exhaust (under 69 Mustang 428CJ). Out of the box, it didn't fit quite right and the cheap band clamps don't seal well at all. Leaks everywhere, clearly visible by traces of soot (especially after cooling down and condensate forming in the exhaust, which subsequently leaks out) Even the damned X pipe was leaking where the factory weld overlapped (welded from 2 sides, overlapping/leaking blob in the middle)

I removed the clamped connections for the X pipe, welded the whole damn thing together so it will never leak again. The forward section was also fabbed, kit didn't even come with that section as a bolt on piece in stainless, just some crappy mild steel stuff. Welded in sensor bungs on both sides too, for some Wideband tuning

Even worse is, the clamps don't keep the mufflers from sagging/rotating. The hanger brackets are not placed properly on the mufflers (L&R muffler have the same hangers, both on the drivers side) so the hangers being off to the side makes that the muffler wants to rotate. Nothing worse than a crooked looking exhaust, especially since I fabbed some oval tips that fit the stock rear cutouts. If the whole shebang hangs crooked it looks like ass.

They are expensive but this is such a vast improvement over those other band clamps. They're junk as far as I'm concerned/







These things do take a fair amount of fiddling to get on straight. They're slightly oversize to slip over a 3" pipe but apparently the magnaflow pipes are not exactly 3", the V bands are significantly larger, making it tricky to weld them in place without the first weld pulling them crooked. I got it all welded on pretty neatly but it was a PITA.







I also welded the mufflers to the short sections with the V bands, no more leaks there either.

This wasn't even all of the modding I had to do, the rear pipes were too short, they ended under the car. I had to weld in a 15" long section to get the pipes to exit the rear. Also, the bend over the axle was all wrong on one side, I had to chop that side up, move the bends about and weld in sections so it would clear the axle, the shocks and not rattle against the frame. So much for a nice (expensive) bolt in kit. Would have been easier to build from scratch....cheaper too!

Here's some before pics, unacceptable or what? Tips hanging crooked...ugh!

 

[mrvette]

:noob: Picky aren't you???:shocking::beer:

 

[Stpman]

TT Where do you get these? They look like what I want for My 73

Steve

 

[MYBAD79]

I was going to buy some of these but I guess I'm too cheap....here's a link to another thread that contains the supplier info....

http://www.vettemod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1220&highlight=clamp

 

[Twin_Turbo]

got them off the bay of course 30$ for the clamps & 2 ferrules.

 

[Twin_Turbo]

:noob: Picky aren't you???:shocking::beer:

Those black traces are an instant MOT failure. They are picky here when it comes to that.

 

[MYBAD79]

Which ones did you get ? Have a look at these, made by "OBX": item number 160305814016

These are the only ones that include a photo that shows the mating surface of the two flanges and the male/female fit. There are other flanges on Ebay that have just a flat mating surface.
Funny: one seller advertizes a "set of two" V-clamps for $24.95 and free shipping.... when you read closely you see that you're only getting the clamps, no flanges.... :cussing:

 

[Twin_Turbo]

I have a flat mating surface, no need for that step to center the 2 sides on each other, the V band clamp does that already. I would think that the step would make them a bitch to assemble if you have them just slightly off, the normal ones you can just slap teh clamp around and tighten down. These are 3" clamps.

 

[kwplot34]

So do you suggest using these clamps or just welding the system up

 

[1Michel]

I have some of those clamps on my truck, 5 inches. Everything is welded like you did. Trust me they get a beating and shaken up pretty bad. 200000kms this year and nothing leaks never even had to tight them up. Pretty good stuff. I would use them like you did because of installation once the system is built. you can tear down and put back together the exhaust in a couples of minutes.
Nice job, love that Mustang
Besides admit it, you love to weld so it wasnt that much of a PITA Huhh?. LOL

 

[MYBAD79]

These things do take a fair amount of fiddling to get on straight. They're slightly oversize to slip over a 3" pipe but apparently the magnaflow pipes are not exactly 3", the V bands are significantly larger, making it tricky to weld them in place without the first weld pulling them crooked. I got it all welded on pretty neatly but it was a PITA.

As usual, great looking welds. Did you tack weld them to the pipe while the clamp was tightened ?

 

[TimAT]

Those clamps are all over the engines on commercial aircraft. I've done the "tap and torque" dance so many times I can do it in my sleep. Only way to get them tightened correctly is to torque, then tap around the outside and torque again. 4 or 5 trips around with a hammer and they're tight.

 

[mrvette]

Those clamps are all over the engines on commercial aircraft. I've done the "tap and torque" dance so many times I can do it in my sleep. Only way to get them tightened correctly is to torque, then tap around the outside and torque again. 4 or 5 trips around with a hammer and they're tight.

DAMN, some aircraft mechanic, beat it until it works.....:yahoo::rofl::rain:

 

[Twin_Turbo]

As usual, great looking welds. Did you tack weld them to the pipe while the clamp was tightened ?

No, I just welded them to each section separately. I welded small sections in different spots as not to warp them.

 

[Twin_Turbo]

So do you suggest using these clamps or just welding the system up

You have to be able to break the exhaust apart, especially since it runs over the rear axle. So, I would recommend the clamps for those connections, for the rest I like to weld the whole system up. Those ordinary band clamps just don't cut it.

Michel, I like welding, yes...but these were a pita to do because of the ID size issues, and because the section with the X pipe is large and cumbersome to handle while welding. When building from scratch these would be very easy to weld up.

Tim, that's what I did too, every time there were a few turns left after tapping them. I also used a little bit of sealer on the mating surfaces so there would be absolutely no leaks.