WTB 304SS Mandrel U Bends

[suckerface]

Hey all,

Looking to find the best price I can on a couple of 304 Stainless Steel U bends to put an exhaust together this weekend.

Anyone have any leads or suggestions?

Thanks!

[1.5]

PM MalibuGuy, he is the resident exhuast expert

[cali yaris]

What price did you get so far? Those are readily available from quite a few places. $30 is average.

quick eBay search (but you could Google too)
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X30 4ss+mandrel+u+bend&_nkw=304ss+mandrel+u+bends&_sacat=0&_from=R40

[suckerface]

I'm finding most around the $40-50 mark, hoping to pick two up for around $50. The ebay ones listed for $30 have a $15+ shipping fee. I've been looking for a couple weeks, but need to buy today to try to put the exhaust together this weekend.

[1.5]

a little last minute huh lol

[suckerface]

Yeah, just found out yesterday that the guy is available this weekend. Could push it back, but would rather get it done asap.

This is the design of the Akrapovic exhaust for the MINI. Will two U bends be overkill? This attaches to the DP, so I'll also need a flex pipe. No resonator in the middle. Feedback appreciated.

https://www.southerncarparts.com/images/Akrapovic/Mini/Akrapovic-Mini-Cooper-Exhaust-4.jpg

[1.5]

what are the U bends for? that is such a straight down the middle setup i dont see how just cutting and welding a slight angle would not suffice?

[suckerface]

That's actually a valid point...the bends would have been to cut out the angles, but you're right, with how straight it is, cutting a straight pipe at an angle would probably be easier, and cheaper...

Why didn't you mention this sooner? :p

[1.5]

not to mention a good clean weld should provide similar flow. Or if you have it mandrel or crush bent, they can make thos slight angles all out of 1 pipe

[CTScott]

Are you actually going to use the Akrapovic Mini setup, or do you just want to copy that idea?

[suckerface]

Are you actually going to use the Akrapovic Mini setup, or do you just want to copy that idea?

I'd LOVE the akra setup, but I don't have a spare $3k sitting around :brokenheart:

I'm just going to do a 3" straight pipe from the DP back to a Borla muffler.

Did you have something in mind?

[CTScott]

I'd LOVE the akra setup, but I don't have a spare $3k sitting around :brokenheart:

I'm just going to do a 3" straight pipe from the DP back to a Borla muffler.

Did you have something in mind?

Nope - Just jealousy if you actually got your hands on an Akrapovic. I was taking to a guy in Paris a couple years ago who was running one of their systems on his Renault Clio and it sounded awesome.

Oh, and if you are going to go straight, like that, you will want to add a heat shield between the exhaust and the gas tank.

[WeeYari]

That looks like it would be more easily achieved with just a couple mild mandrel bends (hopefully your guy is equipped with one).

[suckerface]

I don't have a mandrel bender at my disposal, unfortunately, going to just be doing an easy fab job. This is really only for better sound, and a bit more power for auto cross, as I will be trading the car in as soon as I can order a '15 Countryman All4.

Scott, I'm pretty confident there's some heat shield material most of the length of the exhaust "cave" already in place, so that should be good to go already, but I'll be sure to double check that. And I know what you mean on the sound, and the CF tips are gorgeous:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhvUOWQ47mo

[WeeYari]

This is really only for better sound, and a bit more power for auto cross, as I will be trading the car in as soon as I can order a '15 Countryman All4.

Keep your money for the Countryman then is all I'll say...

[suckerface]

Keep your money for the Countryman then is all I'll say...

Yeah, I thought about it, but for how little this is costing, it's negligible overall (I'll be out less than $300, all in) and be able to recoup most, if not all, of the costs when I resell my aftermarket parts that won't fit the CM.

[1.5]

Thad, no crush bender access either?

Looks like most of us agree that just bending the pipe is your best bet

[suckerface]

I'm not 100% on the crush bending. Worst case, I'll just cut the angle. With the people that will be doing this work with me, I'm really not too concerned, and confident it'll turn out great (two master welders, one builds custom parts for bikes). I'll be sure to snap some pics as we work and get them posted, as well as some before/after exhaust audio clips.

[1.5]

nice! Yea sounds like youre in good hands.

[suckerface]

Yeah, fingers crossed I'm not missing anything obvious. Getting an (almost) 8' section of 3" piping, already have the muffler, need to pick up a flex pipe, and I think I should be good. Just need to measure to see if I need any additional piping, but I think the entire car itself is only just more than 8' long (will make picking up the piping...interesting).

[1.5]

flanges or are they just cutting and welding to stock pipe? Any bungs for gauges?

[suckerface]

No bungs, only thing I might need, now that I think about it, is a section to go from the stock DP to the 3" piping I have.

[1.5]

or have them weld a flange onto your exhaust so you can bolt right up to the downpipe and not have to worry about losing the ability to swap stock parts back on

[suckerface]

Right.

This image will help everyone see the "complexity" of the exhaust routing I'm dealing with :wink: @CTScott you'll notice heat shielding the entire length of the car, that's OEM

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l263/scottab36/My%20Mini/Aerodynamics/DSC_8740.jpg

[1.5]

dude that fore sure can be just one pipe bent or cut and welded no need for u bends

[suckerface]

or have them weld a flange onto your exhaust so you can bolt right up to the downpipe and not have to worry about losing the ability to swap stock parts back on

Looks like stock just uses a clamp on the DP?

http://altaperformance.com/images/F81799322.jpg

[1.5]

woah never seen that before so I guess its a pipe with a slightly large opening that fits around the DP and then a clamp to keep it tight lol thats different

[CTScott]

Right.

This image will help everyone see the "complexity" of the exhaust routing I'm dealing with :wink: @CTScott you'll notice heat shielding the entire length of the car, that's OEM



Ah, so you are doing this on a Mini, rather than a Yaris. I though you were replicating the Mini setup on a Yaris...

[suckerface]

Ah, so you are doing this on a Mini, rather than a Yaris. I though you were replicating the Mini setup on a Yaris...

Haha, had you forgotten I totaled the Yaris over a year ago, and have been rocking the MINI since?

Now I want to hear a Yaris with an Akrapovic exhaust...:drool:

[1.5]

So did this work out Thad?

[suckerface]

So did this work out Thad?

Ended up not having time to do it on Saturday. Scheduled to pull the stock exhaust Wednesday night, and get everything fabbed and mounted Thursday night.