DIY exhaust fitting.

[splitpin]

I am thinking of buying a stainless exhaust system and fitting myself, anyone done this and how did it go?
Thanks

[nfn]

I just did my centre and rear sections. Not a hard job -- but removing the old exhaust could be tough. I soaked the nuts with WD40 the day before, and had to use a 600mm breaker bar to remove the nuts. If you are removing the centre section from the front pipe, you have to turn the nuts not the bolts -- the bolts are welded on. You need a deep socket 17mm if I remember correctly.

[splitpin]

Thanks for that nfn, I thought getting the old one off would be tricky, didyou have access to a pit or hoist or just using axle stands or ramps.

[mikeonb4c]

I've done my back box and middle sections using just ramps. No real problems even though the nuts were covered in rust. A long extension bar and six-sided socket (i.e. not the star type) and one grazed arm later (nut released suddenly) it all came away fine. I used some Plusgas type stuff first to help things along.

[mister munkey]

If you can get your hands on one, a blowtorch would be useful to burn the excess rust off.

[Bob]

Heating the nut also expands it and makes removal easier, be careful though.

[nfn]

Whether or not you need ramps will depend on how rotund you are. I didn't use ramps as I can just about get under the van and move around. I had help from my 9 year-old daughter holding the new exhaust up while I put on the first rubber hangers.

[nfn]

If you can get hold of a penetrating oil that's more effective than WD40 it could help a lot. When I lived in the US I used to use a product called Kroil -- but I haven't found a very effective penetrating oil in the UK. I believe that you can buy Kroil in the UK from gun shops, as it's used for old gun barrels, but despite living in rural Norfolk I haven't been to a gun shop to check. Using Kroil I was able to work on my 25 year-old car's very rusty and dried out suspension without drawing much blood at all.

[M 80NGD]

Whether or not you need ramps will depend on how rotund you are. I didn't use ramps as I can just about get under the van and move around. I had help from my 9 year-old daughter holding the new exhaust up while I put on the first rubber hangers.

I'll definitely need ramps then! Not because I'm too rotund,but because the bodykits too low to the floor!

I had to take my broken back box off yesterday,and had to jack the van up to pull it out from underneath!!. I was

going to just replace said part with a bit of flexi pipe like other folk have mentioned,but that just wouldn't seem

right,feels like something would be missing!! So I'm going to order a full stainless one of e-bay,(£245.00

delivered! ) So this thread as been a great help to me,who will be fitting my own exhaust soon,cheers,Lee

[splitpin]

Thanks for all tips and replys, will be having a go at it when I get the exhaust system,
Thanks again.

[Romney_YW]

I've just done the mid and rear boxes on my Bongo - standard exhaust not stainless steel. I couldn't get in to undo the joint between the front and rear boxes above the rear axle - partly because the nuts were quite badly seized/damaged. I managed to fiddle the combined unit out from under the van without using ramps, but I did raise the body a bit with my trolley jack. It was a bit of a struggle - watch out for the handbrake cable - but it did come out without too much swearing.

Maybe easier with ramps if you have them, but I think you still might need to lift the van up with respect to the axle to increase the gap you need to extract the exhausts through. With a body kit, ramps are probably essential, I only just fitted under my standard van and it wasn't very comfortable (I'm saying no more .....!)

Good luck

[splitpin]

Thanks for that advice Romney, I know what you mean about clearance above back axle, have spent some time under there recently whilst waxoyling, luckily I am of fairly slender proportions (as implied by my nickname) and have trolley jack, axle stands, ramps , angle grinder and blowtorch so should manage eventually.

[Simon Jones]

I bought a stainless exhaust from a supplier in Leeds & the damn thing didn't line up by about 3 inches. Ended up taking it to JanSpeed to get a second flexi-section fitted. Make sure you get your exhaust from a trusted supplier.

[splitpin]

Thanks Simon, can you say who supplier was as Iwas going to order from Leeds too, if you don't want to say you could pm me.

[Simon Jones]

I'll drop you a pm with their name. As I've since discovered, it seems they made two of these exhausts. One they fitted themselves & the other was sold on ebay which I got for £150. There was no way it would fit & being stainless it would not bend into shape even after being heated with an oxy-acetylene torch. Fortunately, JanSpeed is just down the road from me, so I was able to get them to cut the bent section out & replace it with a flexible piece which would then allow for correct alignment. I have seen the supplier selling Bongo exhausts on ebay again, but the design has changed, so presumably they have corrected the problem.

The thing to bear in mind with fitting an exhaust yourself is that a regular mild steel tube can be heated / hammered / bent to fit, but with stainless this is not an option, so getting one that fits perfectly is vital. Ask if they can give you assurance that the exhaust is going to fit.



NOTE: the pipe on the right is for the Eberspacher heater & the cable ties were just there it hold it in place until I fitted proper clamps.