metroplex

I recently installed Pypes Violator axle back mufflers and ran into a problem that I believe a lot of people experience with aftermarket mufflers.

I read through TacoBill's How-To link several times and still cannot resolve this issue.

I've loosened the coupler at the H-pipe (2 bolts) to allow the intermediate pipe to be rotated. However this cannot resolve the issue of the tip extending from the bumper more than the passenger side. In addition, with the intermediate pipe completely "slack", I still cannot elevate the tip/muffler because the hangers/isolators prevent further adjustment.

Does anyone have any legitimate suggestions on resolving this issue? My passenger side exhaust tip is PERFECT/SPOT ON. The driver's side, OTOH, is totally out of whack. Depending on the angle you're looking from, the tip will appear noticeably "drooped" and protruding from the bumper. It's interesting that an OE replacement exhaust kit for my 00 Vic has the same problem with the driver side tip (rubs against the bumper cover).

Please help!

Mydnyghte

I would loosen the clamp on the muffler, and try twisting the entire thing. Or, bend the hanger on the muffler. Both of those maneuvers I have had to do in the past and have helped me. Other than that, how do you like them so far?

hiznherponies

Looks just like mine, w/ stock muffs!! Ever since I cut out the h-pipe and put on the x, my muffs haven't lined up. In fact, the left muffler (hanger) rubs the inside of the rear bumper!!

metroplex

I had to bend the hangers. No amount of twisting or manipulating the intermediate pipe / muffler / brackets would resolve the issue. Now, the tip sits rather close to the bumper cover. It doesn't appear it would rub though based on me banging against the muffler.

BTW, there was about a gallon of water inside the muffler. I am planning to drill drain holes in both mufflers and to bend the hangers on the passenger side. The hangers were welded in the wrong locations. I took photos of how I had to bend the hangers to make the muffler fit better. Had I known they required this much work to fit on my Stang, I would have stuck with the stock mufflers.

I called Pypes and they said they rarely heard about issues - yeah, ok. My impression of the mufflers thus far is: Shoddy quality control and/or engineering and/or testing/design. Water would not drain or burn off so it would sit inside the muffler. The OEMs all have drain holes for their mufflers. Look at the stockers. There's a drain hole in the back of each muffler.


I have read about people experiencing problems with other mufflers as well. The co-worker whom had Bassanis on his 2005 said he had to bend hangers and twist stuff to get it aligned.

m05fastbackGT

Try rotating the intermediate pipe first. If this still doesn't raise the tip high enough ! then loosen your muffler clamps, and try rotating/twisting the muffler itself. But make sure not to leave the intermediate pipe loose or slack. Afterwards, If twsiting the muffler raises the tip, but still doesn't align properly. re-snug the muffler clamps, and then go back to your intermediate pipe and rotate/twist, until the muffler aligns..You may need to go back and forth between twisting both the intermediate pipe, and the muffler, before everything aligns up just right. Otherwise, I would highly recommend having a custom muffler shop, do the alignment adjustments. Which is exactly what I did ! and I believe you saw the results, from the pics that I posted..

metroplex

Rocky, I tried everything in terms of adjusting. That SOB just wouldn't sit back enough or move up/left/right enough. The hangers were "in the way". I'm going to re-adjust the passenger side tomorrow. I'll try to get the new pics up.

m05fastbackGT

Charlie, I know you tried and trust me. After 2 days of fighting back and forth trying to get that S.O.B to align properly. I finally gave up, and had a custom muffler shop fix it..Don't ask me how they did it ! but they aligned both sides within 10 Min. with no cutting, modifying, or bending anywhere..

metroplex

Here's a pic of the driver side now:



There's enough clearance around the tip so that the tip doesn't rub against the bumper cover.



Notice how much I had to bend the front hanger.



With the rear hanger bent to allow the muffler to move back, here is how my front hanger looks in the isolator.



I bent the rear hanger in this manner.

kevinb120

Well it looks much better now Now you'll start noticing how a bunch of cars your following have the exhaust a little out of alignment.

DarkFireGT

Yeah, I notice all the time how exhausts on other cars are out of alignment. You shouldn't have bent the hangers, though. I'm pretty sure Pypes would warranty that. But as long as you're happy with how they fit now.

Boltzman

I would bend until it fits

m05fastbackGT

Pypes would've definitely sent you out another set under warranty. After they shipped my replacement set out, they didn't even want my old ones back ! However, I had the very same alignment problems as before. So after 2 days of getting nowhere, I finally threw in the towel and had a custom muffler shop take care of the alignment adjustments.

metroplex

Pypes suggested I bend the hangers first.

metroplex

I bent the hangers on both mufflers and now they fit perfectly. I had to pull the intermediate pipe out just a tad to get both tips to be aligned in terms of depth.

My driver side muffler clamp wouldn't hold the muffler tight enough against the intermediate pipe. I think the notch wasn't cut wide enough to allow it to compress. I ended up using 2 pieces of feeler gauge to "shim it" in place.

theedge67

How do you like the sound?

Boltzman

Thats exactly what I had to do on my FRPP's

metroplex

Boltzman: Did you use feeler gauges to shim it in place?

Steve: It's definitely throaty. When I rev the engine, small woodland creatures duck for cover. The drone is very noticeable at 1500-2000 RPM but it goes away as soon as you drop the throttle. The best way to describe it is that it's not ultra deep like the Bassani's, but it's not high pitched like the GTAs. I don't feel that it is a raspy sound either.
It's definitely louder and much deeper than the stock manual mufflers even at idle. You can hear and feel the rumble inside and outside of the car while idling.

I give props to Pypes for offering a T304 axle-back set for under $250, but they need to do a better job with welding the hangers and cutting the notches on the compressable part of the muffler pipe.

Here's pretty much what I had to do to the hangers to get the mufflers aligned properly:

302svt

What did you use to bend them. I just gave up on mine and left them alone.

metroplex

I used pliers and a MAPP torch. I tried directly bending and hammering but I felt that it would stress the weld points too much, so I shielded the muffler and heated the points using the torch. Since it's T304 stainless, the heating wouldn't cause any coatings to wear off.

FYI, I used to buy regular steel rods from Lowe's/Home Depot and bent them in the same manner for a custom exhaust job on the Vic. After 6 years of heavily salted winter driving, the rods had a lot of surface rust but they NEVER failed.

m05fastbackGT

I'm very pleased that everything worked out for you Charlie. Although it seems to me, you went through a whole lot of trouble than what it was really worth lol. As for myself personally ! I finally just ran out of patience, and had a custom exhaust shop, fix the alignment adjustments for $30.00