Front muffler repair ?

[Ed_K]

After scraping the bottom of my mufflers a few times when going in / out of driveways, the insides of my front mufflers are loose and make an awful rattle noise, most noticeable when at an idle. The overall condition of the steel appears good along with the tailpipes. I don't have the cross pipes/rear mufflers. Is there any way to drill some holes into or through the front mufflers and then hook or screw the insides tight against the outside to stop the rattles ? I could then weld around the screw to seal it up. Has anyone tried this or is there any other way to repair the loose insides of the muffler ? I would really like to stop spending $$$$ on this car for a while. I need to catch my breath after the last 2 years.
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[Keoke]

Hi ED, I can sympathise with you. I have the same problem and the system is SS rattles to high heaven. The only recourse I know is to replace the mufflers and try to reconfigure them to set up a bit higher. Part of my problem is the mufflers are round instead of oval which reduced the ground clearance considerably. However, I was fortunate enough to get an NOS exhaust sytem in mild steel on E-Bay Cheap, so I plan on integrating those mufflers with the SS Pipes. There is a set of mufflers on E-Bay now but they are also round and will probably give you the same problem I have.---Keoke

 

[Dave Russell]

Hey guys,
Here's the real solution to dragging mufflers. See attached. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
D

 

[healeyneil]

Imagine the pleasure of not clenching your buttock muscles every time you hit a bump ! Expensive tho

 

[Johnny]

Hi Ed, I would suggest you remove the mufflers and take them to a muffler repair shop similar to "Midas". A good shop will evaluate the condition of the mufflers and possibly open them up for you to inspect. They can offer repairs at a reasonable price if you so wish.
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[Keoke]

Midas Reasonable!! well if they are also similar to Midas I don't think they be reasonable either---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ed_K]

That would certainly take care of the problem. Maybe I could point them straight up in the air like an 18 wheeler !
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[Ed_K]

Thanks for the advice. I wonder how much they are actually reducing the sound with all of the insides rattling around ? Perhaps I should replace them with straight pipes or just empty muffler cans ? I don't have to get any inspection but I don't want them to be too loud. Does anyone run straight pipes on the road ? Would that be very much louder than my current situation of front mufflers only with the insides loose ? It is not too loud for me now, I just can't stand the rattling !

 

[100DashSix]

Here's a driveway horror story: The blue car in my signature was my fathers before he gave it to me, at which time it was in a state of hibernation. What made the car comatose started when he drove it down our highly-slanted driveway and past this small lip designed to keep the water out of the garage; the lip was maybe an inch off the ground, but it was enough to violently rip the exhaust system out of the car! Looking behind you and seeing the muffler is none too pleasant.

(Later, an exhaust manifold stud broken off when removing the exhaust greatly lengthened the Healey's sleep.)

 

[shorn]

Some time ago driving into my friends driveway, I bottomed out and separated both front pipes on my BJ8 at the flex in each pipe. I had to drive the car home w/o the benefit of the front or rear mufflers, although I was able to wire them to the underside of the car. They just were not connected. You can not believe how loud the car is w/o mufflers. Imagine standing in front of the speakers of the loudest rock concert you have ever attended, then add another 25%. Yep, that loud.

 

[Keoke]

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[Ed_K]

Thanks for the update. I guess straight pipes are out of the question.
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