Need New Exhausr Flex Pipe

[artbuc]

New clamp installed - looks great. Clamp is located upstream of new work so no rigging required. Now that I have had a chance to study it, the clamp is there to keep everything upstream of the flex pipe moving in unison with the engine. It protects the exhaust manifolds and y-joint where the Bank 1 and Bank 2 pipes join. It helps transfer movement/stress forces to the flex pipe where they belong. The tech is right when he says it is not needed to support the weight of the exhaust. Unfortunately the tech does not fully understand its function. Also, tech was 100% wrong about not working with aftermarket pipe flex as it contacts only original unmodified pipe. As I posted earlier, the sad part is the support could have been removed faster with hand tools than a torch which destroyed it in the process. Thanks for your help.

 

[artbuc]

Muffler shop was happy to give me $58.24 for new support, including fasteners. I did not ask them to cover my labor or gas tracking down and installing new support. To their credit, they did not argue or cop an attitude. The guy who did the hack job has owned the shop for 39 years and wants to retire and turn business over to two sons who also work there. He actually planned on leaving earlier this year. Guess he does not want an unhappy customer which could affect sons' future business. Only issue is I now have a cheesy, undersized (4" instead of 6") flex pipe. Of course it may last longer than I do. Thanks for your help.