metroplex

I finished the installation and followed TacoBill's instructions on loosening the intermediate to H-pipe couplers to remove the preload from the mufflers. Unfortunately, the driver's side Violator is drooping down more than the passenger side by 1/2"! I tried my best to re-center the mufflers but the driver side is totally out of whack.

The tip itself is centered but droops down 1/2" more than the other side, and sticks out more. I can't do anything to fix this short of bending the hangers. The passenger side is perfect though.

Did anyone else run into the same problem? If so, how did you fix it?

m05fastbackGT

Charlie ! I experienced the same exact problem. So after 2 days of trying to rotate the driver's side pipe at the coupler. I finally took my car to a local muffler shop, and all it took, was putting the car onto a lift, then loosening the over the axle pipe, followed by roatating it, until the tip is centered. And finally pushing up on the muffler itself to level it..It took the shop no more than 10 minutes to get the drivers side to line up properly..The key is ! make sure you're car is fully level, instead of using jack stands to support only the front end of the vehicle..

metroplex

I don't see how any more rotating will fix it. It seems to me the hangers weren't bent right causing the tip to stick out towards the rear of the car and for the entire muffler to droop down.

Do you have photos of the rear end of your car?

m05fastbackGT

Just push the muffler neck further into the over axle pipe, this should pull it in closer..If that doesn't work ? then also try pushing your over the axle pipe, further into the coupler while you have the coupler bolts loose..In the meantime, I'm going out to take pic's for you..I'll be back shortly.

GTMark052

When I did my Magnaflows I had to "tweak" the hangers on one of the mufflers for it to fit right. I had adjusted them first using the couplers by the H-pipe. It worked great for the drivers side and it had made the passenger side better, but thats as good as it got. I then bent the hangers by using a large box end wrench and using it as leverage to bend the hanger in the direction I needed. I'm not sure if it is the recommended technique to bend them, but for me it worked.

metroplex

I'll consider bending as a last resort because Pypes included an orange sheet that says modifications void the warranty and to contact them first if you run into problems. They're closed for the weekend, so I'll give them a call next week.

I fiddle farted with the driver side brackets and the intermediate pipe. I did my best to move the brackets to the extreme adjustment points and twisted the muffler so that the tip was somewhat centered. I ended up with the same ground clearance under the tips but the driver's side muffler is visibly twisted. I don't foresee any problems while operating the vehicle because there's no apparent preload. I noticed my stock factory mufflers weren't perfectly aligned either so it might suffice.

I'll keep everyone posted if anything else comes up. These mufflers do look very sharp and I already got some comments on the exhaust note. I took it out for a spin and to gas up the tank (with some gas spilled out of the fuel filler due to the stupid gas tank fill issue).

It is definitely louder than stock at idle and at all RPMs. There's noticeable drone under 2000 RPM but nothing that is ear shattering at the moment. I think my engine and transmission are noisier at higher RPMs than my exhaust! I could hear the exhaust under bridges and tunnels even with a lot of traffic all around me.

m05fastbackGT

Charlie ! Hope you'll find these pics as helpful..I did pics of both the left, and right sides indivdually, instead of both together..For some reason I just couldn't get a close up shot of both sides together, to turn out right..Rocky

GTMark052

Hey Rocky,
They are great photos, but I think you might have posted pics of the same pipe tip twice by mistake. At any rate, definitely a great view of the final adjustment clearance.

DarkFireGT

That's where mine sit at, too. I think it's very important to make sure they are all the way on the over axle pipe. Sometimes you think they're on all the way, but they're really not.

metroplex

I've bottomed out the "stud" on the over-axle/intermediate pipe. Thanks for the pics Rocky. I'll try to get a pic of my driver side tip clearance. Both tips now have about 11 1/8" ground clearance.

metroplex

Here's a video I made:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aUIAlBJThZ0

SONICBOOST

I really like the sound of the pypes, they have grown on me... nice vid too

GRAYPNY

I think I have swapped out mufflers about 5 times now and the driver's side is always the hardest to hang correctly. If you can get it on a lift I think you maybe able to make some adjustment at the H pipe. The left one is hanging too low for sure.

m05fastbackGT

Mark ! I'm going out to take 2 more pics, just in case..In the meantime, I'll be back shortly to post them

m05fastbackGT

This time ! I made certain that no mistakes were made..Anyway, the top pic is the left muffler, and the bottom pic, is the right..

awakeinAZ

Is that a water spot? j/k

Thx for the vid!

m05fastbackGT

d@mn ! should've known I missed those spots lol.

metroplex

Rocky: Those look aligned! I checked my "before" photos and the driver's side factory muffler is noticeably twisted to allow for the tip to be centered. After some careful measuring my driver side tip still sits 1/8" lower than the passenger side. I can't get it any higher or centered even with the over-axle pipe practically coming off the coupler.

m05fastbackGT

Charlie, believe me ! I know exactly how frustrating it is..I tried for 2 days off and on, trying to get that d@mn tip to line up properly. No matter how many times I twisted, pulled and tried to keep the over the axle pipe level. I just wasn't able to accomplish anything from being underneath the car on my backside..So I finally took the car to a custom muffler shop, and all it took was getting the car onto a lift, which kept the car level. And within 10 minutes ! they got everything aligned, by twisting both the over the axle pipe and muffler, while also pushing up on the muffler itself as well..Afterwards, I asked how they were able to get it aligned ? they said the key ! is to keep the car perfectly level at all times. Anyway, make certain your car is level, and if still doesn't fix the problem ? then I highly recommend taking your car to a custom muffler shop.

metroplex

I noticed a strong burnt rubber smell after a 15 mile drive. Did anyone else experience the same thing? I noticed the tips were very hot to the touch so is it possible the hangers are burning the rubber isolators?

The drone is very noticeable and the gurgling/trumpeting is kind of neat (letting the engine decelerate by itself from 2200 RPM down to 1500 RPM).

I thought the throttle response improved and perhaps it picked up more low end torque.