Stainless steel exhaust system?

[stagmark]

Hi all

I have a small hole in my silencer (noticed a couple of years ago, and it has been patched up).

I have been wondering whether to look at replacing with a full stainless steel exhaust (from the manifold back), and noticed the Jan offer in the rimmer brochure - ÂŁ252 for a full system (normal SS - non 304 grade).

Does anyone have this system and is it worth the money? Or should I look elsewhere for something better/different (either quality or sound - I wouldn’t be adverse to increasing the sound a bit either - though don’t want anti-social!).

Thanks
Mark

[Goldstar]

I’ve no experience of buying a SS exhaust but it’s worth noting that Paddocks is cheaper at its standard price. You can get big bore tailpipes which I think is about it on the modification front. I have them on mine and they sound good. Have you done a forum search a couple of people have had experience of buying I think mole42 (might have been someone else) bought a system from a non stag specialist - gasp!!

edit. I’ve just had a flick through the forum and was reminded that Tony Hart (eBay only) sells through centre pipes which seem to make a nice noise.

[Phil S]

stainless will give a different tone due to the way the metal vibrates, but you will notice the biggest difference as any new system will flow the gas far better untill it starts to clog up.
I changed fron stainless to a bigger straight through system but was surprised at the amount of carbon in the old boxes. the weight of each was around 10kg but the new ones were about 4kg.
anything that lets you hear that exhaust note is worth it...but you pay your money and take your choise, we all love our cars..go for it
Phil

[marshman]

I had a stainless system from Rimmers for my Land Rover about 21 years ago. It came with a lifetime warantee. 21 years later and it is still OK. The silencer is 304 and still looks like new. The pipes are not 304 and look quite discoloured and the tail pipe end (last 6") is actually quite rusty now but it does sit right begind the rear wheel and gets blasted any debris on the road picked up by the wheel. I think 304 is only essential if you will routinely go out on wet and salty roads. Even then as I say my Landy one has survived 21 years and over 100,000 miles. This of course assumes Rimmers are using the same suppliers which they may not be!

I also have a stainless system on the stag. Again the silencers are 304 (non magnetic) but I think the pipes are not. It is at least 10 years old and all still looks like new. As Phil says stainless system will sound a little different to an old mild steel system, there will be a "tinny" note for a while until it cokes up a bit. But to be honest the burble from the tail pipes will drown it out.

My conclusion would be that any stainless system would last a very long time, it's up to you if you want to pay the extra for a complete 304 system. I also think there may be an issue with 304 not being as resilient and being more susceptible to suffering stress cracks around welded mounting points - not 100% certain on that but seem to remember it from somewhere.


Roger

[mole42]

I have the Double S exhaust from Rimmers on my Stag, bought in their Jan 18 sale and fitted about November. It works well, but is a pig to fit since Double S don’t seem to have correct formers or templates. Having said that, it doesn’t leak, is quiet and looks well on the car.

[72BLUE]

...... It works well, but is a pig to fit since Double S don’t seem to have correct formers or templates......

Too right! I had to apply serious heat to my front pipes in order to increase the radius of the front bends off the manifolds. Quite a bad fit really!


Keith

[DJT]

Too right! I had to apply serious heat to my front pipes in order to increase the radius of the front bends off the manifolds. Quite a bad fit really!


Keith

They must have reduced their quality standards. I fitted one of their exhaust systems to my Mk1 Stag in 1992 and it was still on when I sold it in 2008, despite being removed many times in the intervening years for various reasons. My current Stag had a DoubleS system fitted several years before I bought it in 2008. It too has been removed several times in the past 10 years and gone back on ok.
I go past the factory regularly when I visit my Daughter, just up the M5 in Cullompton.

[Seaking]

Mine are a really good fit.

[richardthestag]

I have a rimmers stainless system which is been on my stag since I bought it 23 plus years ago still performs. no leaks no rust and it comes apart easily with the help of a can of WD40 when I need it to.

I got fed up with my Range Rover Classic eating through mild steel exhaust systems on an annual basis so invested in the stainless system 4 years ago and again that is outstanding fit like a glove sounds awesome.

[trunt]

Has anyone installed those S/S exhaust manifolds on a LHD car? Rimmer says they will fit except for A/C cars.
I will have A/C but not the huge York compressor so wondered just how they look on a LHD car.

[stagmark]

Thanks all - I am a bit on the fence now! I think I may look around a bit more before pulling the trigger!

[DJT]

Thanks all - I am a bit on the fence now! I think I may look around a bit more before pulling the trigger!

Don't get splinters in your bum!

[mole42]

They must have reduced their quality standards.

I have fitted DoubleS exhausts several times before (Alvis TD21, Triumph 2.5PI, 2500S) back in the ‘90s and they always fitted perfectly. Alvis was the most awkward because it’s a twin pipe system and both are threaded through the chassis but it fitted well.

Richard

[dasadrew]

I've got a Rimmers Stainless exhaust on my Stag (LHD Mk2) - came new from previous owner. Fits perfectly on to the standard manifolds and goes through all of the openings and bends spot on with no tweaking at all.

Downside (a): at one of the joints the slits in the tube have been cut too long and, when everything is nicely positioned without any stress about 7-8 mm of the slit is still visible. I didn't notice it straightaway and have now simply wrapped a thin alloy "bandage" around it. Not sure if that problem is a one-off.

Downside (b): it tells the time. When I fire it up early or late, some neighbour's window opens to tell me the time "Do you know it's 06:30?" "Do you know it's a quarter past ten?". Personally I find the normal Stag burble is totally adequate. If I need everyone to listen to my exhaust (!) I've got a Group 1 Escort and a Vantage V8 so I would secretly prefer the Stag to be a bit more "gentlemanlike".

Drew