gotta replace my exhaust from the cat back to pass inspection...

i can get the bolt on OEM replacement from toyota for about $100, which ain't bad, but what fun would that be...

so, i plan to pick up a flowtech raptor muffler and exhaust tubing from the local parts store and make one myself.

thing is...i've never worked on an exhaust before or welded anything. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

but, i have a little mapp/oxygen torch i inherited and figure now's as good of time as any to learn to use it. and, if i screw up some cheap exhaust tubing, no biggie...

i plan to just hack off the connecting pipe after it comes out of the cat...so i can still use the connecting flange to connect it to the cat. then i will clamp and weld one of those pieces that increases the diameter from stock to 2.25" and then clamp and weld various pieces of pipe and the muffler to mimic the layout of the oem setup (maybe moving it up a little higher if there is room.

so, i gotta a couple of questions:

1. does that sound liek a reasonable plan?

2. what type of filler rod should i use to do the welding? the torch came with some "brazing rods". they are some type of metal coated with some white material. (i can only see a little of the metal, but it looks sort of copper colored.) will these work?

3. anyone know of a good write-up on this anywhere?

4. any other tips/suggestions/imput would be great.

at this point i pretty much have no idea what i'm doing, but that's never stopped me before. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

i'm gonna stop by the book store to see if i can find a good book on welding, but figured i would also ask you guys since many of you are welders and can prolly do an exhaust in your sleep.

thanks.

stan

never welded anything?? Exhaust is harder than it looks. pipe angles, etc... PITA. I don't suggest you do this yet. my 2 cents.

If that Oxy/Mapp kit uses those small 14 oz. gas cylinders, you'll probably find you just about get the metal hot enough to start welding by the time the oxygen bottle runs out, BTDT. For gas welding, you really need acetylene for the right heat. The is probably why they give you brazing rods with those Mapp "welding" kits <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You might see if your local community college offers a night welding class. Will be money well spent to try the various welding systems and get some hands-on time with them.

yeah, i am going to take a course at my local community college.

but, i need to get my exhaust fixed up by the end of the month for inspection (tail pipe broke off where it exists the mufler, so it actually still works OK, but won't pass inspection).

so, i was hoping i could wing it in the meantime...but, yeah, it's one of those little torches, so, if i'm gonna burn through a bunch of bottles of gas, then it will get real expensive real quick, so, oh well...

maybe i'll just clamp it all together and then get someone else to weld it...or just go with the toyota oem replacement.

prolly try welding some scraps with the torch just for the heck of it anyway, though...

thanks guys.

Stan,

I bought a cheap oxy/acet torch from www.harborfreight.com for just about $200 bucks, (cost me $23 bucks to get it filled) and a really cheapo flux-core welder for just over $120. Would be perfect for doing an exhaust set-up like you mentioned, and then you've got the equipment to do other small/odd jobs. They also have a pipe bender for just over $100 bucks.

I know...now your into the project for $400+ bucks, but you've also got some cool little toys to play with.

I'm making a roof-rack, sliders and bumpers with mine, and I figure just in the roof-rack it's already paid for itself.

Just my $0.02, good luck

Erik <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

I was just going to comment on the oxy going south just as the metal gets hot, but somebody beat me to it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Those things are maybe useful for welding paper clips, but thats about it.

If you're looking for a quick/easy/cheap way to patch up an exaust system, bondo and fiberglass does wonders. A buddy turned me on to that trick, and I was amazed at how well it worked when patching up a buddies muffler. You grind the rusty metal down to semi clean, glop bondo on the mating surfaces, then wrap with 3-4 layers of matte cloth saturated in poly resin. Should be able to patch her up for $20-30.

As far as welders, I'm partial to the small mig units. I've had a miller 135 for at least a dozen years, and it is super versatiel for fabbing stuff, 1/4" thick is pushing it, but for 1/8" to 1/16" thick, it's the cat's meow, and it can be used with thinner stuff with practice.

Another way to prove Im no perfectionist.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

On the 4Runners exhuast system, none of my welding-equiped buddies were around so I did what I had to do to git her done for road testing. While I clamped the front of the muffler to the pipe leading to the cat (clamped there too) on the tailpipe since it was a custom routing job...I used 3 45* 2-1/4" prebent pieces. Routed the tailpipe around the spare tire in the stock location. To hold it together....



I drilled small holes through the overlapping sections and ran some frickin machine screws through to keep everything in place until I had a chance to get it properly siamesed. That was a year ago.....and guess what? Still aint welded. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> No leaks, no problems, sounds great and terminates where and how I wanted it to. Now if that aint backwoods...

~Darin <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/baby.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the input everyone...

Darin, that sheet metal screwing together your exhaust thing sounds just about my speed (remember how i fixed my leaky fuel pump bracket by pouring half a tube of Seal-All over it? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" /> still working a year later.)

anyway, i took the easy way out and ordered a new "tail pipe assembly" from toyota before i read your post...i'm thinkin' i might try to cancel the order and just clamp one together myself, though...