Exhaust Hangers - Are they worth it?

[PaulW]

On my first Roadster I used the J pipes and mounted the exhaust hangers because of the ball and socket joint at the Mustang Headers. Even leaving them loose I managed to crack both side pipes at the hanger mounting point (which FFR replaced without question). This time I am using headers on my FE and of course the pipes bolt right to them. I do not see any way for the sidepipes to droop and do not see the hangers as particularly useful. Is there something i am missing?

[DaleG]

Many of us with the 4-into-4 set-up do not use the hangers. I haven't used them on either of my two builds. Your choice, though.

[mikeinatlanta]

Mine are pretty stout without them but I'm supporting my pipes anyway. I'm using a simple thick aluminum strap on the bottom of the 2X2 with a pad the pipe sits on. Simple, nothing to crack, and looks clean.

[2FAST4U]

I used them on my first Roadster and using my own design on this build

[NukeMMC]

I have read plenty of folks saying they haven't used them. I have read plenty of folks say that they are to use only 1 bolt on the sidepipe connection when they do use them. Personally, I went with the latter. I haven't heard anyone coming up with a reason that using them hurts the build. After all, it's only 4 holes to drill.

[AC Bill]

My hangers are on, but they don't offer any real support. They dampen vibration a bit, but that's about it. I mounted them so there would be some play, specifically because when building the roadster I heard many tails of side pipes cracking. It seems that rigidly mounting the bracket was the culprit. The single bolt to the pipe, using a locknut, is a good way to allow some movement without fatigue.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Do you really want those 25 pound side pipes hanging on a 4 foot fulcrum bolted to your heads? I didn't think so... Yes, only use bolt on the pipe to hanger tabs (snugged, not tightened).

Jeff

[Gumball]

I'm with Jeff on this one - that's quite a bit of weight to swing around from the four welded joints of the header tubes, so I decided to modify the FFR-supplied hangar brackets and make them function more like a production car piece.

Link to my "how-to" thread: http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?9382-Sidepipe-Brackets-My-attempt-at-avoiding-cracks-in-bracket-mounting-flanges

3500 miles of not-very-easy driving and no issues with any cracking on the sidepipe housing:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/SidepipeBracketDirectBehind_zps5e92d5ab.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/SidepipeBracketDirectBehind_zps5e92d5ab.jpg.html)

[PaulW]

Do you really want those 25 pound side pipes hanging on a 4 foot fulcrum bolted to your heads? I didn't think so... Yes, only use bolt on the pipe to hanger tabs (snugged, not tightened).

Jeff

I get what you are saying and that is the way I did it on my first roadster. I have to wonder however what if any support they are offering? They need to move a bit with engine torque and the bolt is only snug and they are on a rubber hanger. I am sure they will work a bit against the torque and dampen it a bit but then again that is why they tend to crack the pipe mount if installed according to spec. The best I can see that they may hold the pipe up off the ground if at some point there was a catastrophic failure at the header to pipe joint. I have no problem putting them on and probably will but I still don't see much if any value from a support point of view.

[skullandbones]

PaulW,

You are right. It does not give support like a traditional muffler hanger. However, if you look at the dynamic nature of the situation, the side pipe is being moved in different directions. As you mentioned, torqued by the engine: one up and one down in an arch. Then the up and down movement from pot holes along with multiple inputs, they are shaking in several directions. I like the damping effect of the FFR way even though it is a flawed design requiring the mod (upper single bolt). It stabilizes it left to right but still gives good motion up and down and twisting a little too. Mine is good (I check often) at 5K plus miles. This is one thing I would do on another project without changing it.

WEK.

[edwardb]

One only needs to stand at the launch area at the London Cobra Show street "rides" to see how much some pipes move, especially those without hangars. I've looked. Convinces me to use them. Clearly they are dampening some of the movement. Yes, you could maybe get away without them, and many have. But it's cheap insurance and I recommend you install them. A little off topic, but another reason I like the Gas'N pipes. The weld tab is more robust, it uses a single bolt connection by design, and the hangars themselves are a bit different.

[DaleG]

Mine are pretty stout without them but I'm supporting my pipes anyway. I'm using a simple thick aluminum strap on the bottom of the 2X2 with a pad the pipe sits on. Simple, nothing to crack, and looks clean.

Never thought of that option; best yet!

[AC Bill]

Mine are pretty stout without them but I'm supporting my pipes anyway. I'm using a simple thick aluminum strap on the bottom of the 2X2 with a pad the pipe sits on. Simple, nothing to crack, and looks clean.

Yeah that's a new idea I hadn't heard of previously.

So Mike, when the engine torques, and the side that the pipe would naturally move downward, does it have enough give, so that the welds at the header to side-pipe, or the headers at the manifold, aren't stressed?

[mikeinatlanta]

Car isn't up and running yet, however, solid motor mounts.

[PaulW]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. You have convinced me. They will be going on.

[Mark Reynolds]

Gumbal is correct. Do not attach the inner bolt. Let it hang like an OEM exhaust.

[Avalanche325]

I didn't put them on. At 4000 miles I had a broken #1 pipe right at the head flange.
A friend of mine didn't put them on. Guess what? He broke his header at the exact same place in fewer miles.

I'll consider that proof enough for me.

[Derald Rice]

I used them on both sets of pipes, snd after 13 years, i have not had any issues. I had the same thoughts as others here. Too much unsupported weight in a high vibration location seems like asking for trouble.

Derald.