Anyone have it? I just started a new job and a pipe bending shop, and the feel the difference of stainless steel vs. aluminum....WOW!

I know it'd be expensive, but anyone have insight on it? JDM stylee!!! less weight!

 

I don't personally have it, but aluminum is definately much lighter....

BTW, does the shop do mandrel pipe bending?

S

 

I was looking into titainium... like the vette aftermarket ... got any of that?

PS where do you work?

 

The aluminum would have to be really thick right? Doesn't aluminum dispate heat, so wouldn't that be bad for the exhaust?

Could you'll make me a custom manifold, just wondering?

 

Yes - we do mandrels

Bags -- grand muffler...MUAHAAHAH -- I'll check into the titanium.

spanish -- the aluminum we have is pretty thin...just as thick as SS or aluminized steel.

 

header wrap the whole catback.

 

header wrap traps moisture.....moisture + aluminum = RUST!

 

aluminum doesnt rust. oxidize maybe but no rust

 

I thought aluminum wasn't easily welded or bent like steel is. That might make it hard to fab a cat-back out of it.

 

The aluminum might melt?

 

No it's not easy to bend....but it will. Never heard of it melting

 

Um, aluminum melts at 620 - 650 °C which is in the range of EGT's. Especially the thin intake stuff you'd be using. It's also not exactly stable under high temperature as steel or titanium. It's only strong if you have a skilled TIG welder doing the work and then you'd have to worry about having something barely thicker than coke can under your car.

Aluminum alloys work in engines b/c it's cooled by water and oil along w/ having other alloys that make it more heat resistant. Once all those exhaust gases get in the exhaust though, you're looking at a lot of heat running through a metal that's much softer than steel. Aluminum also has a very limited fatigue life. It wouldn't take the flexing an exhaust goes through. I've broken enough mountain bike parts to know that aluminum isn't optimal for an environment like the underside of a car.

Feel free to try it though...just don't be surprised if it cracks or dents easily.

 

ARE YOU FUC%ING KIDDING ME?



Is there powder coating/ceramic coating up yet?

pm me please

 

-- yea I was surprised I scored this gig. If we DO have the coating....I dunno where it is. I've just started this past Tuesday....so I'm still a -- hahah

 

sweet biatch

 

So, can you guys hook me up with a 2.5" b-pipe to hook up to my 2k muffler?

 

I think it would be alot louder wouldnt it??

 

Ben - I might be able to....you want stainless steel or aluminzed steel?

LOUDER? why louder?

 

Aluminized

It would be louder because aluminum is less dense than steel, it would transmit more energy.

 

lighter metal, maybe a different resonance requency, probably more vibration

 

bee's in a can... --- I hope not..

 

I'm sorry to keep ragging on the idea but there is a reason why nobody does it if you're still considering it for some reason. Aluminum is cheaper and lighter than SS so you would think people would have long ago made aluminum exhausts if they were feasible. Companies like Greddy, HKS, who make plenty of intercooler kits would have long ago made these if they would survive more than a few minutes underneath a car. They literally have access to tons of the material and who would bother with titanium or inconel when weight is critical and cost is not a factor.

Burns Stainless specifically does not recommend building exhausts from aluminum:Burns Stainless Aluminum Article

Aluminum in 6061-T6(a very common and durable aluminum) is heat treated to give it strength and heating it again will weaken it. You can't even weld it or bend it w/o damaging its strength. Heat it hundreds of times w/ exhaust gases and you're asking for it to be dragging on the ground behind your car. Like I said before, aluminum's melting point is within the range of exhaust gas temps so around the cat you're looking at some severely weakened/deformed pipes.

I'm not trying to kill your creativity but I would just hate to see 8ft of aluminum mandrel bends ruined as an exhaust system. Save your money and get a nice SS or go w/ titanium if you're trying to be esoteric. The bit of weight saved by aluminum could be better spent trying to wring more out of an engine. Ti mufflers on the Corvette etc are really just gimmicks in street cars.

Also, not anything against you but if you brought up the idea to your co-workers and they didn't immediately tell you why it's a bad idea...it'll be a cold day in hell before I'll ever send my car to Grand.

 

I know sh*t about SS vs glad wrap

BUT I DO KNOW grands work.

I am guessing you know exactly who grand is.

I am also guessing you've seen the work they put out.

Ever been there?

They'll do ANYTHING you want. They'll let you know if it is a bad idea or not. But if you want it, they'll do it.

And FWIW, the last exhaust I had on my car came from there. SS and the BEST welds I have ever seen. LOTS of the talon guys go there and I've seen some supras and other hi dollar rides there.

Bijan just started working there, and he can't take the metal challenge either..lol. NO offense bijan

You may be correct. I am glad you spoke up so maybe bijan will ask the questions and get real answers.

On the vette thing, I've seen the cat back titainium exhausts, they look killer and weigh nothing and hold heat like a champ.

So that's why I am asking.. and the semi cool factor..lol

 

start making some SS mandrel bends in various pipe dia and sell them here.

 

Yeah, they did the downpipe/IC work on our Integra turbo. Just don't like how difficult it is to get the cars in there.

I really didn't want to disparage Grand or Bijan's new job. It just seemed this thread could lead to an experiment doomed for failure when there is tons of information against the idea.

Bijan, I'm sure the job will teach you more about cars and mandrel bending than most of us will ever know. Congrats on it by the way.

 

True that....I've learned a lot already....but there's TONS of fabrication work they do that I havent even scratched the surface of.

Bags...what metal challenge?

Titanium is a very expensive pipe to get, but we can get it.


Well, about the aluminum....and this thread --- I figured for boosted guys, 3" Al might be the best for them since it's so much mroe light weight. VERY light.


DanNY - yea, I was thinking 2 3/4" exhaust....for N/A -- bigger than 2½" and smaller than 3".

 

err you might want to do 2.5 and 3 also because not everyone wants their entire system redone...maybe just to add a mandrel bend or something.

just make some 45 90 and 180s (ubends).

 

is 2½" the most popular --- for N/A cars? I know it'd be stupid to put 3" on a N/A car.....but 2 and 3/4".... yee haw

 

Show a before and after pics of the aluminum tubing being bent. I'm skeptical about it being able to be bent any usable amount.

 

Aiiiiiiiight....I'll take a pic tomorrow