Quad tip Exhaust alignment issue

[W.O.T. Stang]

Mostly this is a question for anyone that has replaced their resonator with a H/X pipe. Are you having issues keeping the tips aligned? It has been driving me crazy lately. Ive adjusted the clamp sleeve at least 5 times in different positions and it seems that over the course of a week it will drop down slightly on the outside on the drivers side (and only the driver's side!)

It frustrates me to no end and i wondered if anyone else had this issue. My only other thought is to take it somewhere and have the tips aligned properly and have the clamps removed and just weld the pieces together - but im not sure if thats possible without a reducer.

Just curious if anyone else has/had this problem and what you did to fix it.

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[W.O.T. Stang]

I had the same issue. I used a jack and some blocks to raise the muffler. Then I torqued the clamp down with an impact gun. It held pretty good for a while, but a slight angle (less than before) has returned. I was actually looking at some pre-install pictures, and noticed that the muffler was always a little crooked on that side. I must have been too in love to notice . I'll either mess with it sometime, or just get a shop to weld it.

Im glad to see its not only me that has this problem. I've done the exact method and it holds well for a day or two and then slips down enough to bother me again.

Im going to try new clamps and see what happens.. outside of that, i'll have them aligned and welded. I will never change the exhaust, so that is not an issue.

 

[ice445]

Any double walled clamp or one with a reinforcement insert should eliminate this problem. Or welding works.

 

[W.O.T. Stang]

Any double walled clamp or one with a reinforcement insert should eliminate this problem. Or welding works.

Im using the ones that came with the H-pipe. The walls on them seem a little thin in comparison to some of the others i've seen. So that is most likely the problem.
Even clamping them down with my cordless 3/8" impact hasn't been able to hold the muffler in place properly.

 

[kz]

I installed h-pipe myself and next day went to a shop to have it welded (which I planned to do to begin with). With clamps, it will never be perfect.

 

[Deleted member 35775]

Im glad to see its not only me that has this problem. .....
Im going to try new clamps and see what happens.. .....

i had the same problem with my H-Pipe and had a local shop install a higher quality clamp and that resolved my tailpipe alignment issue.

 

[15GTPP]

One thing you can do is to go to an exhaust shop and they can heat up the hanger and adjust the muffler. I’ve had to do this a couple times. I can not stand seeing them misaligned, it drives me crazy.

 

[kz]

One note on the welding: I'm trying to avoid that route as I eventually want to install an axleback as well. Keep that in mind if you do decide to get it permanently locked down.

When you get an axle back, you just cut off the h/x-pipe again - either at weld or at slightly different location. Exhaust shop will weld it back again and fabricate sleeves if they need to.

Problem with '18+ quad exhaust is that due to muffler width that is offset vs. the pipe that comes out of the resonator, it will always be putting torque on that connection just due to gravity.

 

[kz]

Fair enough, I just want to do it myself unless I absolutely have to

I've done it myself and went to the shop just for the weld.

 

[Elp_jc]

The clamps Steeda provides are crap, according to this guy, who provided photographic evidence: https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...ipe-on-a-18-19-gt.129861/page-10#post-2996566. On that same thread is the link to the Amazon clamp, which is pretty much identical to this OEM Ford, if you prefer: https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-clamp-br3z5a231b/?c=Zz1leGhhdXN0LXN5c3RlbSZzPWV4aGF1c3QtY29tcG9uZW50cyZpPUpDMTUzNjc1JnI9NSZhPWZvcmQmbz1tdXN0YW5nJnk9MjAxOSZ0PWd0JmU9NS0wbC12OC1nYXM=. All folks who used them reported the issue solved, so that's what I'd do (over welding). Hope this helps.

 

[ice445]

The clamps Steeda provides are crap, according to this guy, who provided photographic evidence: https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...ipe-on-a-18-19-gt.129861/page-10#post-2996566. On that same thread is the link to the Amazon clamp, which is pretty much identical to this OEM Ford, if you prefer: https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts/ford-clamp-br3z5a231b/?c=Zz1leGhhdXN0LXN5c3RlbSZzPWV4aGF1c3QtY29tcG9uZW50cyZpPUpDMTUzNjc1JnI9NSZhPWZvcmQmbz1tdXN0YW5nJnk9MjAxOSZ0PWd0JmU9NS0wbC12OC1nYXM=. All folks who used them reported the issue solved, so that's what I'd do (over welding). Hope this helps.

IDK why the Steeda ones are so lame especially given the resonator deletes are over $200 now

 

[Elp_jc]

Yeah, somebody needs to complain . I would if I was going to buy their pipe .

No sense in staining your reputation for quality with inferior clamps that don't work. Even if they charge the difference in price (which should be next to nothing for them) to the customer, it'd be better than having to buy a new one and throw the other away, while delaying your project just for that. Or having to undo the job later when you notice what happens with the tips later on (for those not active on forums like this one). Hopefully they'll make things right from now on, and replace it for proper ones .

 

[ice445]

Yeah, somebody needs to complain . I would if I was going to buy their pipe .

I already did, months ago. Still debating if I want to install it or not. I guess there's no reason not to, I can just clamp the stock resonator back in if I don't like it.

 

[Elp_jc]

If you do it, I'd honestly buy the proper clamps first, or you'd have to undo your work in a week or two to replace them. As far as replacing the resonator, my car sounds so nice that I don't really want to mess with it. I like the idea of removing some weight, now that I added the jacking rails, and will add the rear sub-frame braces and front 2-point G-brace. But how many pounds would I save? Plus I'd have to cut it, unfortunately, necessitating a shop to put it back on, and not looking factory anymore (plus the risk of not being welded perfectly). Oh, and I wouldn't want any more cabin noise in quiet mode when traveling . If you do it, please post if you notice any extra cabin noise in quiet mode, and if the sound improved, or it was just louder. I don't need it any louder than it already is; it's just about perfect now: muscular and deep, with no rasp (which I don't like at all).

 

[ice445]

If you do it, I'd honestly buy the proper clamps first, or you'd have to undo your work in a week or two to replace them. As far as replacing the resonator, my car sounds so nice that I don't really want to mess with it. I like the idea of removing some weight, now that I added the jacking rails, and will add the rear sub-frame braces and front 2-point G-brace. But how many pounds would I save? Plus I'd have to cut it, unfortunately, necessitating a shop to put it back on, and not looking factory anymore (plus the risk of not being welded perfectly). Oh, and I wouldn't want any more cabin noise in quiet mode when traveling . If you do it, please post if you notice any extra cabin noise in quiet mode, and if the sound improved, or it was just louder. I don't need it any louder than it already is; it's just about perfect now: muscular and deep, with no rasp (which I don't like at all).

I bought the X-Pipe because I enjoy the "exotic" rasp at high RPM, but most people say the H-Pipe is just factory tone but a little bit louder. And I'm definitely going to use the better clamps. I'm also removing the sound tube tomorrow which should reduce any potential extra drone or issues when cruising with the windows up, so we'll see how it goes. But part of my hesitation too is just how good the exhaust is stock. I'd hate to mess that up.

Also if my memory is correct, X/H Pipe over the stock resonator is worth like 7 or 10lbs.

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