Well it's been a long time since I done any work to the old beast. My new years resolution this year was to teach myself to weld. So I snapped up a Clarke 151TE MIG welder on a machine mart VAT free day a few weeks back. I decided to start my learning off by fabricating myself a 3" bore stainless steel exhaust. I currently had a mild steel 2.25" straight though system that was welded for me by my local land rover place. Now a 2.25 bore is fine and it sounded pretty cool. Not too loud but a definite growl. I was hoping for a deeper growl from a larger bore and that's what I got. I purchased 3x 1m lengths of straight stainless pipe on ebay along with a premade 2.25" to 3" adapter. I then pie cut the tubes to create the shape. I fully heat wrapped the exhaust up to the adapter to where it goes back to the 2.25 mild steel section and bolts onto the downpipe. A coat of high temp black paint will hopefully extend the lift of that. The stainless jubilee clips are just there to hold the heat wrap in place.

Piccies below - Please go easy on my first welding attempt. It's certainly a skill that I'm learning and have a long way to go.....

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The 2.25" to 3" adapter

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I had to use some 3" hot rod axle U bolts and welded to the existing engine mounts. This wasn't the final product. I did go back over those welds to strengthen them.

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I used a flap disc on my grinder to add a pattern to the stainless that is the tailpipe.

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I've also bitten the bullet and ordered a medium duty Terrafirma 2" lift kit. Also a RTC steering damper. It's currently on 1" spacer blocks on the rear with heavy duty spec springs (Whatever the army fitted). The front springs are sagging and it's time for a refresh. The kit's going to arrive next week I hope but I may put off the fitting until we get some nicer weather. I know the rear shocks/springs are going to come off fine. Not sure about the front. I also ordered some galvanised front shock turrets, rings and spring plate. Watch this space for updates...... :D
 
lucifus said:
Well it's been a long time since I done any work to the old beast. My new years resolution this year was to teach myself to weld. So I snapped up a Clarke 151TE MIG welder on a machine mart VAT free day a few weeks back. I decided to start my learning off by fabricating myself a 3" bore stainless steel exhaust. I currently had a mild steel 2.25" straight though system that was welded for me by my local land rover place. Now a 2.25 bore is fine and it sounded pretty cool. Not too loud but a definite growl. I was hoping for a deeper growl from a larger bore and that's what I got. I purchased 3x 1m lengths of straight stainless pipe on ebay along with a premade 2.25" to 3" adapter. I then pie cut the tubes to create the shape. I fully heat wrapped the exhaust up to the adapter to where it goes back to the 2.25 mild steel section and bolts onto the downpipe. A coat of high temp black paint will hopefully extend the lift of that. The stainless jubilee clips are just there to hold the heat wrap in place.
Click to expand...

nice, but.. and i'm sorry for the negs :)

you sure 3 inch isn't too large? you can get issues if you go too large.

did you use stainless wire for your welds? if not they will rust and blow holes pretty quickly.

you shouldn't need the wrap, and it will probably end up being soaked in water/mud/snow and help rot the mild steel welds (if that's what you used)

oh and you have no box at all?! maybe a mot fail.

i'm thinking that it is loud as hell, esp on motorway.. how bad is it?

it looks nice though :)
 
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I used stainless wire for the welds and the mild bit at the front isn't wrapped. It's just taken back to bare metal (almost) and painted using high temp paint. 3" is fine for a turbo. I really don't think that there much requirement for back pressure on a turbo diesel like this. It's not that loud either You would be supprised at how quiet a straight though system is. I've had cars that are far far louder. It's passed the last 2 MoTs without a silencer in the system. At the very worst I'll just bolt my old system back on if it was failed. (I still have my old stock system with silencers in my garage).
 
lucifus said:
I used stainless wire for the welds and the mild bit at the front isn't wrapped. It's just taken back to bare metal (almost) and painted using high temp paint. 3" is fine for a turbo. I really don't think that there much requirement for back pressure on a turbo diesel like this. It's not that loud either You would be supprised at how quiet a straight though system is. I've had cars that are far far louder. It's passed the last 2 MoTs without a silencer in the system. At the very worst I'll just bolt my old system back on if it was failed. (I still have my old stock system with silencers in my garage).
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ah excellent. when i saw you were new to welding i hoped you hadn't used mild wire.

if it's all good with the mot and not too boomy then brill.

yeah it doesn't need backpressure afaik. i was on about gas velocity.

good job :clap2:

(looks like you could have turned the power up on some of the welds :) )
 
Stainless welding ain't easy good job. Couple of those welds maybe just need a smidge more power but looks quite good, I quite like the wrap.

Sound is mainly deadened by the turbo iirc
 
flat said:
Stainless welding ain't easy good job. Couple of those welds maybe just need a smidge more power but looks quite good, I quite like the wrap.

Sound is mainly deadened by the turbo iirc
Click to expand...

lol - I know they aren't pretty but I think not bad for a first attempt with a MIG. I've pretty much taught myself from watching every welding video I can find on youtube (much to my Mrs teasing). I tried the next power up setting but turned it down as I blew a few holes in the pipe. I'm going to plan a few welding projects over the summer to get some practice in. I was thinking of some kind of garden patio heater or BBQ project. I'll sign up to some of the welding forums for some inspiration I guess.
 
Get a welding book aswell for tips and stuff.

As for blowing holes yeah, it's a fine balance but penetration looks good, I like. I am a big fan of your landrover, looks nails
 
lucifus said:
I've also bitten the bullet and ordered a medium duty Terrafirma 2" lift kit. Also a RTC steering damper. It's currently on 1" spacer blocks on the rear with heavy duty spec springs (Whatever the army fitted). The front springs are sagging and it's time for a refresh. The kit's going to arrive next week I hope but I may put off the fitting until we get some nicer weather. I know the rear shocks/springs are going to come off fine. Not sure about the front. I also ordered some galvanised front shock turrets, rings and spring plate. Watch this space for updates...... :D
Click to expand...

That's an small fortune! Hope it works out for you! :) Just enjoyed reading the entire thread so far, pretty awesome! :clap2:
 
Thanks for all the comments guys. I've just gone back and read the whole thread again myself. There's loads more I want to do still.
 
Just a couple of photos that I missed from above. First show the exhaust fitted and second is the first foot of the exhaust. This is the only bit of mild steel that isn't wrapped before it opens to 3" stainless. It's painted in high temp black paint.

33B67F35-CBD2-4D2E-AED5-D3ED0B737E48_zpsogq3mc9c.jpg



5B121A09-BFE6-4A43-9174-33EDACF58CF0_zpsxpexb3p4.jpg
 
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