Hello, I have a 97 SC2 and today I noticed that clunking noise back by the muffler. Checked it out and it was the muffler clamp, the clamp that goes around the muffler holding it up. This is the third time it has rusted out. Have 40k miles on the car. I live in ILL and guess it is the salting of the roads here in winter that is causing it. Is there a better clamp? Am getting tired of having it replaced. TIA Dan.
See if you can find a stainless steel clamp...
Call a custom exhaust shop and see if they will sell you one.
Joe - V#8013 - '86 VN750 - joe @ yunx .com Ask me about "The Ride" on July 31, '04:
Man, that's weird, especially three times. I haven't heard of that problem. But I don't work at a dealer either. Maybe it's common and just hasn't come up here. Where does it break?
Where is the hanger rusting out? The part that clamps to the muffler or to the body? There should be a 'rubber' section in the middle of any hanger for vibration isolation and (sometimes most importantly) galvanic isolation. Hot dissimilar metals make small electric voltages which if short circuited can accelerate corrosion. If the hanger seems overloaded, look into adding another hanger to spread the load.
just my $0.02 worth, Oppie
I replaced the stock muffler with a Walker part on a 92 SL2 about 3 years ago. This muffler came with a strap-hanger bracket which was much more robust than the stcok item (which had also broken earlier).
I think the Walker strap-hanger is available separately from the muffler and probably too expensive - the muffler cost about $65 w/ bracket. The difference between the Walker piece and the Saturn is easliy seen (and has not broken yet).
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" ..... I ain't no bandleader!!"
It breaks right under the muffler in the middle of it. This last time, right where it broke there was a hole in the muffler. Had to replace the muffler. Dan
On the bottom side of the muffler right in the middle. Dan.
Just out of curiosity, is the U bolt for the clamp installed with the nuts to the bottom? I usually put the clamps on with the nuts facing to the side so there is no area where any water can accumulate and accelerate any corrosion. Still, heavy duty or stainless components are the best.
My Voyager had a stainless exhaust system. I replaced the muffler 3 times in
200k miles but the rest of the pipes were the originals.Oppie
I don`t really know. It was a snowy day when I realized it was broken again. I didn`t want to crawl down under the car to check it out. I just used my foot to lift the tail pipe and found the strap was broken. Dan.
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