I've been going back and forth of doing a custom exhaust. I have zero experience in doing one but I figure I need to break the cherry someday so why not now. Plus I kept hearing it's cheaper which is a plus in my book.

I'm "assuming" that to do this I will just need to buy like-stock exhaust piping but in the 2.5" diameter. By like-stock I mean...length and bends. Am I correct in this? And then I will need to buy an after-market exhaust/muffler and have them welded together???

I tried finding a DIY or a help-set with the search but couldn't come up with anything that related in more specific to the RA. Any help, tips, and or "your wrong do it this way" comments would be appreciated.

And where should I take the pieces to get welded installed? I'm assuming the local tuner shop won't be able to?

 

well dont know if anyone have build their own exhaust.

But, yes do it exactly as the stock one, but in 2.5", with a aftermarket muffler, if it is straight-through better!

thats basically it!
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You can also take apart the stock downpipe and make it bigger (thats the worst part of the stock exaust those things are like 1" or so) and you can add some mandrel bends to the project.

GOOD LUCK ON THAT

 

do I understand your post!???

im confused right now...

 

lol. well, pretty much with your first post it was in the right direction.

My biggest questoins are...

1. do i need to follow the lines of the current exhaust? which you answered with the getting it straight as possible. If thats the case then how do I know where it can be straight and can't? This might be an obvious answer/question but I'm not 100% on what I can and can't place the exhaust piping next too.

2. where should I go about to purchase the piping and where is a recommended place to take it to be installed/assembled?

 

to get this to work your gonna have to measure out your current stock piping and pretty much make the bends as close to stock as possible IMO. honestly i would just buy an aftermarket muffler, your gonna waste money on piping that really isnt necessary for hp gains. if someone knows better please prove me wrong.

not sure where you could go to get a bunch of piping.

 

Oh you missunderstand

With straight-through, I mean the Muffler "straight-through" designs (you can see from one side to the other.

about the Exhaust piping, you can make it exactly as the stock ones, the same bends and all that.

OR

you can make it like the EVO exhaust (straight, 1 bend at the end for the muffler) people make this a lot here in PR in different cars.

but with the stock bends will be enough .


- You should go to a Muffler shop, the place you go when your muffler broke and start to make horrible sounds, HAHAHA, just go, and tell them you want a 2.5 exhaust just like the stock one, but 2.5 size. Thats how we do it on PR

 

I read many posts where people said it's cheaper to go custom then find a pre-built exhaust setup for the RA. unless i mis-understood what they were saying...but i don't "think" i did.

 

awesome. thats what i needed. thanks.

 

yeah, the shop will do all the work for you. basically go to meineke or midas etc (even though they are morons) and tell them you want a 2.5" performance exhaust. you'll likely get a cat back for a reasonable price, not sure about the downpipe. I can only think of one guy who did anything at all with the dp besides replace it and he had all the press bends cut out and mandrel bends welded in. to be honest, that's about the worst part of the exhaust, so see if you can't get the muffler shop to start from the header(in other words, replace DP, cat, mid pipe and axle back sections) instead of just the cat back section.

 

Ok thanks Dan. I'll start checking that out over the weekend and see what they'll do. We have a Midas about 5 minutes from me. If I'm buying an after-market muffler/exhaust piece will they do the work to install that as well or will I need to go somewhere else?

 

oh, i misunderstood your post. i was under the impression that you were making this exhaust yourself.........its def. cheaper to have a muffler shop make one up instead of ordering a pre fabbed one.

 

The only thing prefabs have over customs muffler shop is the mandrel bends. But then again, you can buy mandrel cut outs in every specific angle u need. If you plan it well u can make all the bends mandrel..it will cost a bit more, but U still save some

 

I ordered a bunch of mandrel bends from Summit... Cut out what you need and weld up your own... My exhaust turned out pretty sweet, but I noticed no gains from it... I used a 2.5" resonator (generic) and a basic straight thru muffler... It did look really nice though, so I sold it locally to another RA owner...


If you can weld, I had less than $140 in mine including High-temp ceramic coating...

 

I know how to weld but don't have access to a welder nor care to rent one or really find out how to get to one. I think going to Midas will be my best bet. I'm not looking for great HP gain but just a better look and just getting what I can out of it. Thanks for all the ideas/help everyone. I'm hopefully going to get this done once I work out my springs issue. thats a whole other story.