Best location for flex joints for a set of side pipes

Where is the best location for flex joints for a set of side pipes. My side pipes have silicone bushings for mounts, but are semi rigid.

Looking for a point of flexibility between a moving motor and a stationary exhaust.

The exhaust consists of a set of shorty headers, and a set of chambered exhaust pipes along the rockers, 2 1/2".


It is my understanding that these short pieces (flex joints) are for twisting and turning, not lateral extension.

Is the best location right after the header, near the collector?

Any photos of your setup, the length of the joints you are using, and information of your satisfaction greatly appreciated.

Is there any difference in use or upkeep of the mesh ones verses the corrugated ones on turbocharged Indy cars.

Not speaking of the flexible pipes from the fifties/sixties.

Thanks for responding.

 

I have never used a flex pipe on side pipes.

I never saw one (for exhaust pipes) until I started doing exhaust on imports with transversely mounted engines. 1989 I made a lot of money replacing them on the imports because the factory pipes were very costly but until a few years ago I never saw one on a hotrod. They don't belong on an old hotrod IMHO They look stupid to me.

 

I placed mine right after the first bend in the exhaust. I had real tight quarters but I had to have the flex. I did not want to tear my exhaust and car apart. The pipes are moulded into the body, so the extra flex is a must. I made sure it was tucked away from visibility ( as much as possible ) to keep it from looking misplaced. Hope any of that helps.

 

My problem also. I have hidden the side pipes by cutting out just behind the rockers in my Studebaker, so must be held fairly rigid. I too must have some flex.

How long of flex joint did you use? I have mounted my motor 10" rearward, so the first bend of my pipes is laterally 90 degress out from the down pipe, toward the side pipes.

Any photos?

 

flex pipe is for farm equipment

 

Not always, The front wheel drive full size Caddys out of the 80's an later have a nice piece of mesh flex exhaust pipe just off the manifold that would probably work perfect for what he is thinking about.

You might have to invade a tuner shop as they seem to use the mesh flex pipes and they look to be fairly short and come in different diamenters. http://www.meganracingperformance.com/flex-pipe-225-inch-megan-racing-p-116944.html

 

http://m.summitracing.com/search/Br...nce/Product-Line/PaceSetter-Flex-Joint-Pipes/

These things?

The best place is going to be as close to the header as possible . But it's going to look out of place on a hot rod.

 

i have them somewhere in this thread I believe.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466595&highlight=choptvan

 

Solid motor mounts.

 

I would put them just before the inlet of the side pipe. But hey, I only do Exhaust R&D everyday, so I could be wrong
Summit Racing has a good selection as do most "Tuner" (Import) shops.

 

^^ This

If the flex pipe is too close to the header, it doesn't last too long (especially with a cam).

 

Hey, thanks for asking the question! I am close to the point of getting the exhaust done on my 49 truck and didn't even think about flex/solid pipe and where I want to run them (under the running boards kinda like side pipes). I've seen the braided SS flex hoses on engines in salvage yards too and wondered how well that they'd hold up. Mine is a stone stock late model EFI V-6 though, so the heat shouldn't be bad at all.

And "solid motor mounts"!?!? No way!!! The only two things that I've done to cars over the years that I've UN-done the VERY NEXT DAY were running 4.56 gears in an 8-3/4 rear in my daily driver small block Mopar (with relatively short F70-14 tires on it) and putting solid motor mounts in a car that had a moderate cam in it.

 

I will also add, that for the common mounting of side pipes, you don't need Flex Pipes. If they are mounted with the typical rubber grommets that we have been mounting them with since the 60's, you should not have any problems with breakage.
I'll agree that its a good idea for those that are rigid mounted due to being molded in or similar. And this is what was used in the 50-' and 60's for that application - would be a little more Traditional

 

Depends on your comfort level I guess. I feel they are well worth the performance advantage of not wasting torque on engine movement. I've had electric fuel pumps that were alot more annoying and they were rubber mounted.

 

Here is the setup on my 60 Chevy truck. Works fine.