Do muffler shops use stainless steel pipes?

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Where they weld, it's gonna rust.


Yes, as they do NOT have the proper stainless welding rods/materials to weld real 304 austenitic (or better) stainless pipe together, unless they are a high end, specialty/performance muffler shop (like Mufflex in N.J.).

NONE of them have a mandrel bender to actually bend the higher grades of stainless steel pipe (WAY TOO COSTLY an item for all but a LARGE manufacturer) they order straight sections and bends, and then cut and weld it together with the correct rods/materials to make a system, or part of a system (as Mufflex does).

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Ihatetochangeoil
Take your pattern and materials and find a local steel fabricator with a mandrel bender (anybody fabricate roll cages for race cars in California)?


Doesn't 300 series stainless tubing require a specialized/bespoke mandrel bender, which is TOTALLY different from an aluminized steel tubing, or DOM/moly cage tubing bender???

I was told MANY times by shops with an ordinary mandrel bender that they CANNOT bend 'real' stainless tubing for fear of cracking it, or
'pinching' it and killing the flow.

 

[Ducked]

You used to be able to get spiral-ribbed pipe that you could allegedly bend by hand, which, together with a range of "standard" muffler boxes, allowed you to put a kit together.

THINK Falcon might have been the brand.

That was pre-cat though. Guess they went bust.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
You used to be able to get spiral-ribbed pipe that you could allegedly bend by hand, which, together with a range of "standard" muffler boxes, allowed you to put a kit together.

THINK Falcon might have been the brand.

That was pre-cat though. Guess they went bust.


That was also NOT stainless pipe.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: Ducked
You used to be able to get spiral-ribbed pipe that you could allegedly bend by hand, which, together with a range of "standard" muffler boxes, allowed you to put a kit together.

THINK Falcon might have been the brand.

That was pre-cat though. Guess they went bust.


That was also NOT stainless pipe.


Think it was marketed as such, but its a long time ago. Perhaps you're right.

 

[rslifkin]

If you want a stainless exhaust custom made, find a performance shop that builds exhausts, roll cages, etc. for race cars. It won't be cheap, but they should be able to do it.