Some exhaust welding help needed

[limp]

Practicin welding on the old single exhaust muffler Going to take a cut off piece of the hanger and see what happens when I try to weld it to this old muffler.... Based on my practice welds to this old muffler, looks like I won't have the burnthrough problems like I had on the car floor.... One reason this project is dragging a bit, I don't want to mess up any of my new exhaust items..

 

[limp]

Here is a pic of a new and a bent exhaust hanger....
I tried to heat it with my propane torch and really not sure if it helped much or any at all... Waiting for it to cool down to check the fit was really time consuming and I thought about renting a car trailer to haul it to a muffler shop....
Ended up clamping it in the vise and just hitting it with my 4lb hammer.... The hangers seem very malleable ( they bend well) and I was pleased with the results I got NOT using an heat.. The bent hanger in the pic was done with NO heat....
Both sides are ready to weld to the back of the mufflers... Hopefully later today I can post a welded picture...

I installed the 99-04 muffler hanger brackets that have two arms each for two hangers on each pipe.... With my tailpipe conundrum, I think I will weld the hanger that goes on the muffler only at this time, then when the car is back on the ground decide if I will install the correct LX tailpipe... The hanger, that attaches to the second arm on the 99-04 bracket, welds to the tail pipe... I can come back and do this later to which tailpipe I decide to use...

 

[2000xp8]

I wouldn't weld anything until you sort out what you are doing with the tail pipes.
Clearance with 2.5 pipes can be a pain in multiple places. If you land up mixing and matching brands and catbacks it will surely involve tweaking (which is why i like bolt together catbacks, infinitely adjustable).
Sometimes they hit the axles tubes, other times they hit the upper control arms and then you have the pipes hitting the corner of the gas tank.
With a GT exhaust that really can't be seen you can align it however you like to make it not hit, you mess up lx tail pipes and it will be obvious because most tips are slash cut.
There is a lot of twisting and turning of the parts to get it all straight.

 

[limp]

I wouldn't weld anything until you sort out what you are doing with the tail pipes.
Clearance with 2.5 pipes can be a pain in multiple places. If you land up mixing and matching brands and catbacks it will surely involve tweaking (which is why i like bolt together catbacks, infinitely adjustable).
Sometimes they hit the axles tubes, other times they hit the upper control arms and then you have the pipes hitting the corner of the gas tank.
With a GT exhaust that really can't be seen you can align it however you like to make it not hit, you mess up lx tail pipes and it will be obvious because most tips are slash cut.
There is a lot of twisting and turning of the parts to get it all straight.

You don't consider this a bolt together exhaust? I have clamps on the front and back of both mufflers?

 

[2000xp8]

Sure, but it's not always that easy.
Tail pipes vary by manufacturer.
Some are one piece over the axle, some are two.
Some reach all mufflers, some don't.
And some plain old run a different route. That's why there are only certain kits that fit with panhard bars and torque arms.

Realistically, you could slap it together in minutes, or pull your hair out for hours.
If you weld that hanger on and it has to be moved, there is a good chance you may have to grind it off.

The dynromax ultraflo welded (muffler name) lx catback i have required the hangers to be welded to the mufflers.
I got it where i wanted, then welded it. Though I do have a saleen kit, so that does make alignment tougher.