bending Aries SS muffler without breaking?

Barry in St.Paul

Barry in St.Paul

Senior Member
hi,
when reconnecting my Aries SS muffler to the manifold, I disconnected it from the frame to allow a nice straight and tight connection. After tightening my clamp (muffler to manifold), it was quite difficult to lift the tailpipe back up to the frame and connect the hanger there. I was able to do so, but I would assume being this tight will cause some vibration transfer to the body, so am considering trying to bend the muffler inlet pipe a few degrees to match up better with the (original) exhaust manifold outlet.
QUESTION: after seeing some photos of a broken Aries muffler elsewhere on this site, I'm wondering if there is a special technique to do this successfully? Is it typcically satisfactory to simply insert a pipe in the inlet and bend it forward? I'm thinking of removing the muffler completely from the car and mounting it in my bench-vise just back of the 90 degree bend.... and THEN trying to bend the inlet 5 or 10 degrees... Suggestions?
thanks!
 
Transferring vibration to the body is the least of the problem.If you force it up it WILL break as you saw in the picture.Any muffler will break if forced out of it's natural path of where it wants to be.You are on the right track with the idea of putting it in the vise.You don't want to just stuff a pipe down the neck and bend,you want to bend the pipe at the elbow,not at the joint where it meets the muffler.
 
I don't know what to tell ya ,just get another pair of hands to help. I just did mine 1 month ago and i installed the tail pipe clamp first [loose]just to hold it up in place. [had a block of wood 6x6 to keep muffler off the ground] then lift right to the manifold and clamped it where you want it. Did the two nuts and bolts .Then went back to the tail bracket and tighten it up then back to the manifold clamp tighten that up too. No leaks and fit like they say [like a glove].I used a ring gasket between the muffler/manifold clamp too.
 
These mufflers are supposed to be made exactly as original and in no need of modification. So if you do not think the angle at the manifold is correct to get a proper seal, you should double-check your engine angle, front motor mount height, etc. Something might be out of whack.
 
Jim/TX said:
These mufflers are supposed to be made exactly as original and in no need of modification. So if you do not think the angle at the manifold is correct to get a proper seal, you should double-check your engine angle, front motor mount height, etc. Something might be out of whack.
Click to expand...

I was thinking maybe the manifold is warped. I'd try another manifold before bending the Aries. My Aries was a perfect fit.
 
I just installed the steel Aries muffler that was in the rafters for 7 years, it fit like a glove. You should do as others suggest and install it loose at the frame first, them move to the manifold clamp. If you are worried of a small leak, use a 1/4" bead of muffler cement at the joint betweem pipe and manifold. Tighten the manifold clamp the return to the frame clamp and snug it up. You should also be using the new oversized frame clamp with the expansion material with the stainless muffler. Love the fit and sound of the Aries.....Good luck
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I had the muffler completely loose (supported by a jack under the fat part of it, near the manifold end) so perhaps I OVER compensated. I'll try loosening the clamp up a little and see how much stress that relieves before I try to bend it. I'm sure my manifold HAS drooped some, haven't all of the originals?? I thought that was pretty much par for the course when using an orginal manifold....
 
Steve, good tip. I did purchase that just a few weeks ago, but before that didn't know it (new hanger clamp with asbestos? lining) existed.
 
You can always take it to a local muffler shop, they have the right equipment to bend the pipe, and will usually do stuff like that for free....
 
I had to bend my black steel Aires forward at the front to fit the car.
I clamped a pipe in the benchvise and slid the flared flange over(pipe has to fit tight)
The muffler was now pointing up in the air.
With an acetylene torch in one hand & a propane torch in the other I was BARELY able to get it hot enough to bend. The muffler can't be used as leverage as the weld joint & inner baffles could be damaged, it's safer to get the steel good and hot so the angle will bend by gently leaning on the muffler .
I understand YOU'LL have to bend yours the other direction if you choose this route...sounds like perhaps you have the dreaded "manifold sag syndrom":(
...good luck with it.
 
I recently installed my exhaust system. I had to reduce the bend in the front. I used an old motorcycle front suspension tube inserted into the opening all the way down to the bend. It was not really that hard to bend. Laid it on the floor and with one hand held the muffler down as I put my weight into the tube.
 
Took mine to a friend who owns a muffler shop. I had him bend it 4 degrees forward and a perfect fit was achieved.
 
If you try to bend the SS pipe, DON'T, it is work hardened by the bending proses(sp) the first time! To do this at home you must first heat the area you want to bend first(cherry) , then quench to bring the metal back(stress relieve). Dudley
 
d.j., I'm not used to working with stainless. You say heat to cherry, bend, then quench to relieve stress? Or heat, quench, then bend? Others confirm?
 
Bruce.. Heat, quench, then bend,it's backwards from steel. Dudley
PS...you could just heat and bend.....but it's HOT and you could over bend.
 
I take these problems to a shop that has the proper bending tool.They have made exhaust parts for my tractor for a fraction of new cost.They sell all auto parts so I buy most things from them.
 
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