muffler shop near me refuses to make 2.5 or 3 inch exhaust

[Deadly BlaZe]

i went to a muffler shop thinking they could make me a custom exhaust for cheaper than i could get online. The guy goes "yea we can make you a 2.25 for around $250. I was like "could u make me a 3 inch instead." after this he kept telling me that the pipes would be too big and would scrape against the road so basically, no clearance for it. I was thinking if this is true..How do other people have it on then? Then i was like ok, make me a 2.5 instead. His answer was still the same. I keep telling him that it'll be fine but he refuses. He goes to check with one of his employees and comes back to me and says, ok we can make you a 2.5 for $300. I thought about it, but he'll still probably make it a 2.25" and will think i won't know the difference. What are your opinions on this?

 

[MrBoxx]

I went to a Midas one time thinking that they could make me some intercooler pipes. The two guys working didn't even know what a mandrel bender was. Seriously. They also didn't know of anyone else who had one.

 

[h3o]

i had the same problem you guys where having so what i did was bought 4 3" mandrel bent ubends and a $250 mig welder from home depot. i just experimented and got it done. now im pretty good at welding and my exhaust only costed me 300 where as midas quoted me 275 for the cat back.

 

[suicidal2af]

Here is the issue with the custom exhaust shops.

1. Don't get an exhaust done unless they have a mandrel bender. If its a small shop, they don't have one. The machine cost LOTS OF MONEY. The reason why they refuse is because the bending machine they have can only bend 2.25 piping. The downside is that wherever there is a bend, the inner diameter is small. Ex. if I needed a 45 degree angle, the 2.25 diameter will be only 2 or less internally. The way a mandrel bender works is that it stretches the metal so its also internally the same as the piping. If they try to bend 2.5 or 3 inches, it would get CRUSHED, trust me. I paid a guy just to see him bend it so i could have the answer.

2. Custom exhaust shop people ASSUME that they are going to be putting the piping where the stock exhaust was ( you know, the maze bending ). You can't fit 2.5 or 3 inch piping anywhere near the stock placement. What Apexi does, is bend it to the middle of the car where if the car bounced, it wouldn't scrape.

just a little FYI: The GT-Spec by Apexi is almost 4 inches because Apexi has the "only" mandrel bender that can do that.

Guess again on all points!

1) 3" can be pressbent. Seen it done. Restrictive but doable

2) My Tsudo 3" follows stock routing -- including going over the suspension.

3) Apex'i GT-Spec is identical to the n1 -- except it's stainless steel. Check www.apexi.com -- same size piping on both.

 

[speedy13]

damm sucks for you bro,their probably use to little rice eating engines(Like na 1.5-1.8)Trying to make huge exhaust and are tired of dealing with people,or they just plain suck.i got mine made for 150 bucks,i just brought them the muffler.i got 2.5 because that's all I'll ever need.They guy started making 2.25 and I'm like whoa,is that 2.5,he's like nah 2.25.I said i wanted 2.5.He's like,is it turbocharged?(while the turbocharged dohc awd sticker is staring at him),so i just pointed to the sticker he's like ,oh OK never mind then, and proceded to make my 2.5.mine was pressbent though,although the machine they have didn't cause the deep depressions that the old presses did,you know no wrinkles.just find another shop,I'm sure there's plenty in the ATL.Or buy a used one like previously suggested.

 

[Flip_4G63]

WOW seems like you guys have hell finding good Exhaust shops. In New Mexico if you are close to Clovis then hit up A&G Muffler Shop (505) 763-3973 DAMN good shop they even let you help build it if you want to. If you are near Abilene TX hit up Apple Muffler and tell them Flip sent you. If you are around send me an E-mail and i'll take you there myself and get you my discount.. [email protected]

These shops you are looking for need to be some hickabilly ass people that love huge exhaust and to loud for your own good kinda stuff. They will do anything including removing your cat for a case of beer most of the time. Good luck on the search!

I have 3" mandrel bent pipe running in stock location it fits i swear and you will not drag it unless you are just being DUMB.

I hope the 2 shops i listed might help someone out.

 

[irish_love]

WOW seems like you guys have hell finding good Exhaust shops. In New Mexico if you are close to Clovis then hit up A&G Muffler Shop (505) 763-3973 DAMN good shop they even let you help build it if you want to. If you are near Abilene TX hit up Apple Muffler and tell them Flip sent you. If you are around send me an E-mail and i'll take you there myself and get you my discount.. [email protected]

These shops you are looking for need to be some hickabilly ass people that love huge exhaust and to loud for your own good kinda stuff. They will do anything including removing your cat for a case of beer most of the time. Good luck on the search!

I have 3" mandrel bent pipe running in stock location it fits i swear and you will not drag it unless you are just being DUMB.

I hope the 2 shops i listed might help someone out.

I'm having a guy in Clovis make a full 3" exhaust for me as we speak. FMIC pipes too. Should be done sometime next month when ever I can get over there.

 

[Dsmboost4g63]

Just find another shop....i work at a "small" shop and we use a press bender. We do 3 inch exhaust all the time....do it for all my friends...usually just charge them 100 dollars for everything except the muffler..........but yea somtimes shops wont do it because they think of the factory diameter and think that such a big change is impossibe....just find one that will do it... there out there......also mandrel is better....

 

[90gst]

i got a 90 gst...I went to a shop and they wouldnt do a 3 inch because of "emissions"... so they I went to a different shop...Im hispanic and whent to a shop where alot of hispanic older guys work, I asked how much for a stock exhaust catback...they said $200 so then I told them I wanted a 3" and they started doing it thinking i was ignorant because they are not used to turbo cars...so when they got to the rear axle the exhaust was gonna either rub against the tire or in bumps it was gonna hit the axle so I told them to just reduce that 1ft. section to 2.75 and if it rubbed I wouldnt hold them responsible...well the first day it was vibrating and hitting the inner tire well...it only had about .5 clearance...I got a rubber hanger for the exhaust and jammed it in between the exhaust and the innner well... I've been driving it for 5 months and Have never bottomed out and rubber hanger is still in place. If the exhaust shop knows how to tuck the exhaust in, you wont have any problem....I paid a total of 275 for it and I bought a 90 degree elbow and 2bolt 2.5 flange and a 3" flex pipe and did my own 2.5" to 3" downpipe with about $75

 

[~laser_craver~]

Can anyone tell me how to have them route my exhaust? its a 1g fwd turbo. Is it safe to go under the axle and gas tank? Oh ya im lowered 2 inches.

 

[robs90tsi]

Dejon tool makes a real quality, cheap 3" exhaust system, I recommend those guys, also, a properly made/installed 3'' will not scrape under normal driving conditions, nor a regular speed bump, as long as your car isnt SLAMMED and you dont romp the speed bump.

 

[robs90tsi]

Is it safe to go under the axle and gas tank? Oh ya im lowered 2 inches.

NO!! Very bad idea, you dont want to go anywhere near underneath your tank, #1 you will scrape on probably the tiniest bump, #2, uhhh, gas tank, sparks, hot ass exhaust, ya, you get the picture, and #3, under your axle, it will also scrape on probably every bump, hell it might just touch the ground period. #4, just dont do it, look underneath your car, and picture a 2.5'' or a 3'' or whatever under the gas tank or one of the axles, then youll see what I mean.

 

[this_tsi_8urV8]

OK, here to help you out. Check out this site: http://www.kteller.com/store/product_info.php/cPath/23_165_259_166/products_id/756
pretty cheap stuff, well the price.

 

[dustn03]

just buy one you will pay a bit more but in the long run it will be better

 

[~laser_craver~]

If im not mistaken the awd 1gs have the gastank in almost identical spots and the exhaust is already ran right next to the gas tank from the factory. My question is can i run it under it and not worry about scrapping over speed bumps and driveways? I had the same thoughts as you when i looked there but when i look at performance exhaust from rnr apexi etc they all go under the axle.... anyone have any problems?

 

[chaclark83]

I never had a problem with mine. I just ran a straight pipe from about three inches behind the flex pipe straight back to the axle and had a 35 degree bend then went about one foot to the back of the muffler and the muffler hung out at an angle. I like the angled muffler instead of the straight out muffler.

 

[buugiewuugie]

Local shop around here did a 2.5 catback. for 150. I coulda gotten a 3" for 180 but my muffler was only 2.5.. Stupid me... But that was Superior Automotive. They do that stuff all day long..

 

[buugiewuugie]

irish_love - I just noticed your from Alamagordo. I lived there about 5 years ago. Most boring place in the world. Was fun when I was 12 though. . I used to take those snow disks out to white sands... Good times.

 

[iiiwildfireiii]

Stay away from Midas. They charged me $400 for a 2.5 inch cat-back. No good! Do it right the first time and you won't be replacing it in a year like I am!

 

[MNGSX]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94023

Just get a Bosal 3"

Then do what I did... not in article... Run twin 3" fiberglass packed tips to tone it down a bit.

Its not really loud but the Y tip has a bit of a turbulence to it.

 

[Marc91GSX]

Here is the issue with the custom exhaust shops.

1. Don't get an exhaust done unless they have a mandrel bender. If its a small shop, they don't have one. The machine cost LOTS OF MONEY. The reason why they refuse is because the bending machine they have can only bend 2.25 piping. The downside is that wherever there is a bend, the inner diameter is small. Ex. if I needed a 45 degree angle, the 2.25 diameter will be only 2 or less internally. The way a mandrel bender works is that it stretches the metal so its also internally the same as the piping. If they try to bend 2.5 or 3 inches, it would get CRUSHED, trust me. I paid a guy just to see him bend it so i could have the answer.

2. Custom exhaust shop people ASSUME that they are going to be putting the piping where the stock exhaust was ( you know, the maze bending ). You can't fit 2.5 or 3 inch piping anywhere near the stock placement. What Apexi does, is bend it to the middle of the car where if the car bounced, it wouldn't scrape.

just a little FYI: The GT-Spec by Apexi is almost 4 inches because Apexi has the "only" mandrel bender that can do that.

I can tell you that you are very wrong about the last statement. There are several aftermarket comapanies and also several OEM's that can bend 4" and larger pipes. If you do not believe me, then go look at any 18 wheeler driving down the highway. Some of those trucks are running as large as 7" diameter mandrel bent SS pipe. Big truck parts suppliers are also the cheapest place to find large diameter mandrel bends.