Broken Exhaust straps ?

[Joe Larussa]

So I had a Powerflow exhaust installed about 20 hobbs time ago. Found both straps broken over the weekend. What gives?

[Bob_Belville]

It appears  the new exhaust may have been installed with the old rubber hangers...

I have 500 hours and 7 years on a PFS but I've gone through 3 hangers. (My E is different from your J though.) 

[carusoam]

Bob hit on the key detail...

The question is a good one for your installer...

Which tire did he use to make that rubber strip from?

Often a mechanic will cut an interesting part with a good year logo on it... or some really cool graphic that says 30 psi on it...

If the rubber part came directly from the muffler company, it failed and should easily be a warranty repair... if the timing window hasn’t been closed. 

Rubber shouldn’t normally separate from the threads of a new tire... that one may have some unusual age on it already...

Let’s see how well the customer service group is working.

Pp thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[Bob_Belville]

After my hanger broke for a second time I put on my genuine engineer hat, the one with the locomotive on it, and came up with a stouter geometry w/o the 90 deg twist that had been in the rubber. Oh, I spent $10 at my NAPA store for a tailpipe hanger complete with bolt holes rather than cutting a strip of tire. 

Your J geometry is different. The idea is to align the strap to minimize the stress to the rubber at the bolt.

[ArtVandelay]

Looks like the straps were too short for the new PF exhaust, and they just stretched them to fit. The straps should not be under a heavy stress.


Tom

[67 m20F chump]

Looks like the old straps were used on the new exhaust.  I don’t know if power flow calls for different hardware or not bot Bob’s solution looks like it’s working.  I wonder if an IA would notice.

[67 m20F chump]

My other thought is Bob has more clearance as the exhaust makes it’s way past the fire wall.  Are your motor mounts sagging?  

[N201MKTurbo]

I always thought those straps were worthless. On the surface they appear to support the exhaust, but in reality, they just try to stop engine  motion on the mounts using the exhaust as a lever.

[Joe Larussa]

17 hours ago, 67 m20F chump said:

Looks like the old straps were used on the new exhaust.  I don’t know if power flow calls for different hardware or not bot Bob’s solution looks like it’s working.  I wonder if an IA would notice.

You are correct! My new 5,000 freaking dollar exhaust was installed with 42 year old rubber! I replaced them after work today. Jeeze!

[Joe Larussa]

17 hours ago, 67 m20F chump said:

My other thought is Bob has more clearance as the exhaust makes it’s way past the fire wall.  Are your motor mounts sagging?  

Mounts were replaced at overhaul two years ago.