Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format
914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Source for lightweight muffler brackets/hangers
Posted by: campbellcj Jun 27 2015, 11:10 PM
Hi all,
At the track today my muffler/megaphone hanger broke. Does anyone know where to get this type with the holes? I thought it was pretty cool, except for the breaking part. It did last several years.
I know I can use a stock 2.0 one for this application but I don't think I have one at the moment and I think it's heavier and boring lookiing. 
Thanks!
Posted by: lonewolfe Jun 27 2015, 11:15 PM
Hi all,
At the track today my muffler/megaphone hanger broke. Does anyone know where to get this type with the holes? I thought it was pretty cool, except for the breaking part. It did last several years.
I know I can use a stock 2.0 one for this application but I don't think I have one at the moment and I think it's heavier and boring lookiing.
Thanks!
That's an Engman exhaust hanger. Unfortunately he is no longer with us. He made some great products and was a really nice guy. I'm surprised that bracket broke like that. I have one that I'll be installing as soon as my new motor is finished being built.
Posted by: falcor75 Jun 27 2015, 11:59 PM
How does the unbroken end look? It's probably a fatigue crack that caused the failure.
It shouldnt be too hard to trace that onto a paper and go to a company with a lasercutter/waterjey and have some blanks cut.
Posted by: rgalla9146 Jun 28 2015, 08:05 AM
You'd think the reinforcement would prevent that failure.
Mmmmmmm......are you going to use that MFI cam ?
Posted by: RobW Jun 28 2015, 08:13 AM
Cool piece, and I would probably want one too.
For me, the stock piece and some time at the gym would get it done. 
Posted by: Andyrew Jun 28 2015, 11:29 AM
Why not reweld it?
Posted by: barefoot Jun 28 2015, 12:18 PM
You'd think the reinforcement would prevent that failure.
Mmmmmmm......are you going to use that MFI cam ?
that reinforcement termination was the cause of the break by creating a hard point for bending to originate, continued flexing in that area led to fatigue.
Posted by: mepstein Jun 28 2015, 12:27 PM
Or just weld back what you have with a tiny reinforcement on each side and your good to go.
Posted by: 914_teener Jun 28 2015, 12:58 PM
You'd think the reinforcement would prevent that failure.
Mmmmmmm......are you going to use that MFI cam ?
that reinforcement termination was the cause of the break by creating a hard point for bending to originate, continued flexing in that area led to fatigue.
Yep....also heat expansion/contraction.
Trace it draw it up in cad and have someone burn it out for you Chris.
I have Pro E or Solid Works if you want it done. I can't fab it though, a 4 foot laser table is still on my bucket list.
Posted by: campbellcj Jun 28 2015, 06:51 PM
Thanks everyone! Shoot, I had not realized it was an Engman product. I did buy several bits from him. It does seem correct that the break was in between the reinforcing weld points.
I can't simply re-weld as the broken-off piece is somewhere at Willow Springs -- I hope not embedded in somebody else's car. 
Thought about having a small run of these made but I figure like many boutique vintage parts, I'd probably sell 3 and be stuck with the rest for eternity. Would be extra sweet in stainless steel, I think.
I'll do some web searching and if nothing turns up, maybe I'll try drilling holes in a stock one "R" style. 
Posted by: brant Jun 28 2015, 11:28 PM
Sorry for the track problems.
Fab one from aluminum. Not hard and you can someone else weld it cheaply if needed
Posted by: falcor75 Jun 28 2015, 11:58 PM
I'd go with Stainless over aluminum...if the steel part suffered from fatigue failure the aluminium will do the same but much quicker unless you make it really sturdy.
Alu will also have the chance of transfering more heat into your gearbox.
(Fatigue strength increases with the yield strength of the material.)
Posted by: maf914 Jun 29 2015, 07:35 AM
I remember those exhaust brackets when posted on the forum several years ago. I wondered at the time how much lighter they were versus a stock 914 muffler bracket. The stock brackets are steel metal stampings with the strength and stiffness increased by the curvature of the stamped shape. The light weight version appears to be a flat sheet with a welded rod added to increase the stiffness. Add more rod, add more weight.
Does anybody know the weight difference?
Posted by: Krieger Jun 29 2015, 09:04 AM
Get a stock one and drill some holes to lighten...
Posted by: rjames Jun 29 2015, 10:15 AM
How much of a difference between where the end of the hanger end wants to rest when not bolted up and where it sits between the muffler and exchanger when installed?
The end should line up fairly closely at rest to where it's at when bolted up. If not, you're going to stress the hanger unless it's made to line up properly.
Posted by: barefoot Jun 29 2015, 05:21 PM
How much of a difference between where the end of the hanger end wants to rest when not bolted up and where it sits between the muffler and exchanger when installed?
The end should line up fairly closely at rest to where it's at when bolted up. If not, you're going to stress the hanger unless it's made to line up properly.
If it lines up in the North-South direction at room temperature, thermal growth of the H/E's or headers at operating temperature will result in the little ends moving south by perhaps 1/2". You need flex capability to accommodate this movement or the result will be what you saw in this thread.
That's why the stock hangers do not have reinforcements like these.
Posted by: 914forme Jun 30 2015, 08:12 AM
Just make your own, tube, and FLAPs exhaust hangers mounted off the trans like stock via a flat plate. A little 
your done. Wish I had pictures of my old setup but it is long since gone, and I just cut it up a month or two as I needed the tube for another project. IT was 3/8" tube, or maybe 1/4" can't remember. 1/8" wall though, so it took a conduit bender to fit it up.
Posted by: brant Jun 30 2015, 08:49 AM
version 1 that we made:
Attached image(s)
Posted by: brant Jun 30 2015, 08:50 AM
version 2:
Attached thumbnail(s)
Attached image(s)
Posted by: campbellcj Jul 14 2015, 09:53 PM
So I have a new repro one in-hand now but am unsure that drilling or cutting some of the material away is a good idea with regard to overly weakening it. Obviously the weight savings would be negligible (although every ounce counts) and it'd largely be for looks.
Thoughts?
Posted by: Montreal914 Jul 14 2015, 10:19 PM
Your car looks great as is. 
You don't need a fancy bracket that will break again.
This bracket needs to bend in the length direction of the car as the heat exchangers will thermally expand a lot (1/4"+), pushing the back part of the exhaust system toward the back end of the car.
Posted by: stownsen914 Jul 15 2015, 07:29 AM
Your car looks great as is.
You don't need a fancy bracket that will break again.
This bracket needs to bend in the length direction of the car as the heat exchangers will thermally expand a lot (1/4"+), pushing the back part of the exhaust system toward the back end of the car.
What he said, re: it needing the flex in the fore/aft direction. It's the first thing I thought when I looked at the pic in your first post. The brace welded along the length of your bracket probably caused it to flex too much in that one spot and eventually broke there ...
Posted by: campbellcj Jul 15 2015, 07:42 PM
10-4 guys. I'm gonna stick with factory engineering on this one. Thanks again for the inputs. 
Powered by Invision Power Board (http://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (http://www.invisionpower.com)