DIY: True Duals - Fab Artists come in!
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DIY: True Duals - Fab Artists come in!
So I've been thinking... I've done full suspension on my car myself, done header and motor mount install by myself, and my next plan was to finish the exhaust with true duals, over the axle, 3" stainless, mandrel bent (from a shop).
Question: Should I be able to fabricate true duals myself, over the axle?
-Is it cost effective? I have time to learn.. can't drive the car until April anyways. My quote was $700ish
-I want to learn how to weld.
-I enjoy doing it myself(that's what she said?)
-I have access to a welder.
-There are a TON of threads about doing the TD's, but not many "How-To's" since most people who do them already know what to do.
I have all tools and am willing to buy what's needed, but I do not have a welder(it would be borrowed from my grandfather). I don't know how to weld... but I would buy metal to practice. I want this to be 3" mandrel stainless, bought from summit or some other place. I love doing my own projects and learning what to do, I have all winter to finish (I'm in Indiana).
Thanks!
Question: Should I be able to fabricate true duals myself, over the axle?
-Is it cost effective? I have time to learn.. can't drive the car until April anyways. My quote was $700ish
-I want to learn how to weld.
-I enjoy doing it myself(that's what she said?)
-I have access to a welder.
-There are a TON of threads about doing the TD's, but not many "How-To's" since most people who do them already know what to do.
I have all tools and am willing to buy what's needed, but I do not have a welder(it would be borrowed from my grandfather). I don't know how to weld... but I would buy metal to practice. I want this to be 3" mandrel stainless, bought from summit or some other place. I love doing my own projects and learning what to do, I have all winter to finish (I'm in Indiana).
Thanks!
Last edited by idle; 01-08-2014 at 07:02 AM.
#2
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If your car is lowered I think you will have a hard time getting 3" over the axle while maintaining suspension travel. The gas tank is the problem: thread.
As far as the process - just get some J-bends, U-bends, & straight pipe and start cutting & fitting them together. True Dual Duals Build. The welding is the easy part. Fitting the pieces takes time.
As far as the process - just get some J-bends, U-bends, & straight pipe and start cutting & fitting them together. True Dual Duals Build. The welding is the easy part. Fitting the pieces takes time.
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If your car is lowered I think you will have a hard time getting 3" over the axle while maintaining suspension travel. The gas tank is the problem: thread.
As far as the process - just get some J-bends, U-bends, & straight pipe and start cutting & fitting them together. True Dual Duals Build. The welding is the easy part. Fitting the pieces takes time.
As far as the process - just get some J-bends, U-bends, & straight pipe and start cutting & fitting them together. True Dual Duals Build. The welding is the easy part. Fitting the pieces takes time.
What about MIG and TIG welding? It seems that MIG welding stainless with Pure Argon or Tri-Mix with Stainless Wire (I have a MIG, Millermatix 250something) is an okay way to go. But should I tack-weld it with the MIG then have a TIG welder finish it up?
As for space, I will have a Panhard-Bar relocation kit to move the Panhard Bar down to allow for more room. I guess I'm not too worried about the 3" fitting, more so how to weld them together.
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https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-3-set-up.html
My car is lowered... have the panhard relocation, but still spaced it down further on the drivers side.
Fitment, measuring and patience takes up the most time... The welding isn't the hard part. You're gonna need a good helper that can hold pipes above his head for a while.
Again, it takes time to do, and patience if you want to do a good job and keep it tucked closed to the body. 700 is a great price to have them made, but you won't know the quality until they are done... you could be disappointed. for 300 more you can get the kooks TD's too. Gotta think of things in time vs. money. My fabricator is a mechanical engineer, fabricator and welder. If you are gonna tackle this for the first time and learn as you go, then for time vs. money you might as well buy the kooks system.... esp if you are going over the axle.
just my .02
My car is lowered... have the panhard relocation, but still spaced it down further on the drivers side.
Fitment, measuring and patience takes up the most time... The welding isn't the hard part. You're gonna need a good helper that can hold pipes above his head for a while.
Again, it takes time to do, and patience if you want to do a good job and keep it tucked closed to the body. 700 is a great price to have them made, but you won't know the quality until they are done... you could be disappointed. for 300 more you can get the kooks TD's too. Gotta think of things in time vs. money. My fabricator is a mechanical engineer, fabricator and welder. If you are gonna tackle this for the first time and learn as you go, then for time vs. money you might as well buy the kooks system.... esp if you are going over the axle.
just my .02
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https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-3-set-up.html
My car is lowered... have the panhard relocation, but still spaced it down further on the drivers side.
Fitment, measuring and patience takes up the most time... The welding isn't the hard part. You're gonna need a good helper that can hold pipes above his head for a while.
Again, it takes time to do, and patience if you want to do a good job and keep it tucked closed to the body. 700 is a great price to have them made, but you won't know the quality until they are done... you could be disappointed. for 300 more you can get the kooks TD's too. Gotta think of things in time vs. money. My fabricator is a mechanical engineer, fabricator and welder. If you are gonna tackle this for the first time and learn as you go, then for time vs. money you might as well buy the kooks system.... esp if you are going over the axle.
just my .02
My car is lowered... have the panhard relocation, but still spaced it down further on the drivers side.
Fitment, measuring and patience takes up the most time... The welding isn't the hard part. You're gonna need a good helper that can hold pipes above his head for a while.
Again, it takes time to do, and patience if you want to do a good job and keep it tucked closed to the body. 700 is a great price to have them made, but you won't know the quality until they are done... you could be disappointed. for 300 more you can get the kooks TD's too. Gotta think of things in time vs. money. My fabricator is a mechanical engineer, fabricator and welder. If you are gonna tackle this for the first time and learn as you go, then for time vs. money you might as well buy the kooks system.... esp if you are going over the axle.
just my .02
I'm more afraid that they won't weld with stainless and then I'm stuck with rusted welds. Time vs. Money... I'm a college student: Alot of time, Zero money
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This is the coolest true dual setup I've ever seen, even uses a factory location muffler.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...cs-inside.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...cs-inside.html