Ive been contemplating exhausts for awhile, LM to LM2 to GMMG and now I think I may want duals. I need someone to talk me into it.

Anyway, it seems more and more are starting to fab up their own dual system. If I did do so, I would want to go out back over the axle. To me it seems like it can easily be done for less than the cost of a GMMG. Wondering if this is true or if I'm just kidding myself.

Also, I know ground clearance seems pretty decent, on stock ride height, but how about lowered vehicles?


Only problem that is really concerning me is that I live in CA home of the smog ****'s. Thats not as big a deal as it seems, I can get around that, but im scared of the shady pigs around here, do they pick on any of you dual guys?

 

I didnt read all you wrote. But, over the axle duals can expensive. If you go with cats, sweet thunders, and have someone do it, your close to $1K.

Here is what my duals over the axle will cost, and what the parts I have bought for it cost:

High Flow cats- I scored a QTP catted Y for $70, so the entire y-pipe will be used to connect the LT's to the x-pipe. This saves a whole lot of money. First-no need to buy mandrel bends to make this section, and the cats are there. Second- less fabrication time means less your charged. So think of using a catted Y for that section, if you can get it cheap. If you cant, 4 mandrel bends, and some piping will build the y-pipe area. HF cats-$120, bends and piping- About $60.

Mufflers- I bought sweet thunders. There chambered like the GMMG. They are also small. I paid $75 for them.

X-pipe- It was included in a package deal I made with someone off this board. It has- Maganflow x-pipe, 5 mandrel u-bends, and 3-4' sections of pipe, all for $155.

Tips-use whatever you want.

I am going 3" to the x-pipe, then 2.5" all the way out the back. If you want your system to have removable cats, the money just keeps rising

I am also giving the guy a few more peices of pipe that I have. The more bends and exhaust I give him, the cheaper it will be for me. There wont be as much bending and fitting time. The guy I want to do my duals quoted me high, 16 hourse at $50/hour. I imagine it wont take that long.

So, if you buy parts and pieces, and use 2.5", you can make a over the axle duals for under $1K.

Forgot to mention, this is running duals over the passenger side, not one over each side. Thats why I went with the maganflow X, and not a Dr gas x style.

Even cheaper you do it yourself....I feel so gay for getting someone else to work on my car I am frustrated I cant weld, or I would friggin do it myself. Ya, that had nothing to do with anything

 

I have tsp duals and they sound amazing, as far as ground clearance, it's enough on stock height. For lowered vehicles, I don't think it would work quite as well, but hey I don't have a lowered car.

Getting someone to fab up a duals system will cost you like psyko said, especially over the axle. But, if you have the cash you can do it.

 

$1k I was thinking maybe half that not counting labor. I was thinking you could do it way cheaper if you bought pre-bent pipes and did a little cutting and clamping, then just take it down and have someone do the necessary welding.

As for cats, I was under the assumption that many true dual systems ditched the cats completely. Where the cats go, just before the X/H pipe?

 

You can, spend about $500 in parts, cats included, and do it yourself. $1k is with labor.

The y-pipe area is the same on a duals system, just instead of merging into one, they go into an x-pipe. So, cats go before the x-pipe. X-pipe will sit about where the y-pipe merge is.

 

if you aren't experienced in exhaust work, going duals over the axle is going to be interested. Lane quoted me 1k for duals over the axle w/cutouts where the dumps would be(i wanted versatility). Now that he's not really doing that anymore its gonna be rough to find another place that does work that good other than Speed Inc or the exhaust shop in Arizona.

 

Under $1k? Yes, you are kidding yourself. I'm sure you've seen my posts, and know what I paid through Speed Inc. Then again, it was all mandrel bent and TIG welded...as Speed Inc. told me, it isn't about the parts at all. It is the labor that is the killer. 'Tis no easy task to get 2 pipes over the axle on these cars...

 

Do enough research and planning and you can do it yourself. Im on my third home fabbed true dual setup, not necessarily because they all suck, just cause i try out new and better ideas. I bought a cheap 110v wirefeed welder and an angle grinder and went to work on a bunch of cut up U bends. I decided to change my exhaust again about two weeks ago and started planning and ordered tubing and bends. 2 short days later I had something that resembles MeentSS02's setup, although not nearly as clean. All im trying to say is that if you have the desire to do the work yourself, its entirely possible. You could even save some cash and wind up with a new welder too!

One other helpful tidbit: The more bandclamps you use, the more adjustable it will be on the car.