"Jason Bleazard" <dml@bleazard.net> wrote:
: Anyone have any experience with the cheap muffler and tail pipe I see listed
: at Rock Auto and AutoZone? Are they going to turn to dust in six months?
: More hassle than they're worth to install?
The last muffler I put on the Ram was a generic Autozone model. I
just peeked under the truck, and the muffler and pipe have a fair amount
of rust on them, but I don't remember how long they have been under there.
I'm thinking around 3 years at least? It wasn't on the truck during the
hydrolock incident, I think I did the install shortly after that. Looks
like the muffler and pipe pieces might have another year on 'em. So I
guess overall, its held up about the same as most aftermarket cat-back
systems in the salt belt. The tailpipe tubing at Autozone is aluminized,
which will help a bit. Course, wherever you weld, that burns off the
protection, so the weld areas should probably be coated with something
if you go that route. One problem with the tailpipe pieces at Autozone
though is that they are only 18" or so in length, which is probably a
bit too short to be able to get a decent bend in them. (The shoes might
slip off the end before the bend is complete.) It'd probably be easier
to have a long section of pipe and bend it all at once.
: I was planning on getting another Dynomax system for my '95 from Summit for
: $120. I put one on about three and a half years ago, and it worked pretty
: well until it started disintegrating.
: However, Rock Auto has a muffler for $39 and tail pipe for $16, or AutoZone
: has universal fit mufflers listed starting around $23 and tail pipe for $22.
: I don't even remember the brands, that's just the cheapest junk they list on
: their respective sites. Add about $10 for any connector pipes, hangers and
: clamps, and the Dynomax is about twice as expensive.
: I have to be honest... this truck does nothing but daily commuter duty any
: more, and I really only need it to run for another three years. All I need is
: something that'll go on with a minimum of hassle and keep me out of trouble
: with the law until I can afford to get another vehicle.
Is your current tailpipe in decent condition, or does it need
replacing too? If it needs to be replaced, naturally you will need
to think about bending it up over the axle and out to the side.
You wouldn't need any adapters since I can expand any common size
exhaust pipe to slip fit. Also, bending up an exhasut shouldn't
be a problem either; I have dies for most common sizes. So,
technically, all you would need is a muffler and a straight piece
of exhaust tubing, and we'd be good to go. :-) (Plus exhaust
hangers of course, if the stock ones are no longer usable.)
Of course, the bends will be compression bends, and not mandrel,
but even so, I should think a 2.5" compression bent exhaust should
be fine for a stock 3.9...
I know JC Whitney sells exhaust pipe, just checked out their web
site and a 7' section of 2.5" pipe would be about $30. Their shipping
is kinda slow though so I don't know if it would get here before you
wanted to do the exhaust. I just checked out NAPA's web site, and
they are showing a 10' section of 2.5" pipe for $4.49!!! Can this
be right??? Tom? :-) There is a note that says it can only be
purchased in stores (not online) and that the price may vary, but
if that price is anywhere near correct, its a steal! If you truly
can pick up a 10' section of pipe for $5 and a muffler for $30, I'd
say lets roll our own! :-) It doesn't say wether the pipe is
aluminized or not, but even if not, you could replace the entire
system 3 times for the price of a dirt cheap cat-back, and 8 times
for the price of a regularly priced cat-back!
If you like, I can check at the local NAPA for prices, and/or
look around at some other possible local sources for tubing.
--
-Jon-
.- Jon Steiger --- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
| 67 Dodge Coronet, 70 Plymouth Barracuda, 76 Peugeot TSA |
| 78 Dodge B100, 90 Dodge Dakota Convertible, 92 Dodge Ram 4x4 |
| 96 Dodge Dakota, 96 Suzuki Intruder 1400, 96 Kolb FireFly |
| 99 Jeep Cherokee 4x4, 01 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD |
`--------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
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