This tuesday im having my american thunder 40 series muffler put on.. They said they are going to weld it and Im not sure what i should look for in good welds. What should i see in a good weld? I think this original 40 series will be much louder than my delta 40. Cant wait to hear it.

 

A great weld will be seamless and smooth
A good weld will look like it has "bands" in it from too much back and forth movement, but not enough circular movement. the weld itself however is solid and it looks more or less uniform.
An acceptable weld is one that will hold and wont have leaks, it might be a little uneven and look ugly, but gets the job done.

If you see welds that look like surgery scars, those are the ones you what out for. it usually means the weld didn't really penetrate the metals very much and its mostly just melted welding rod or wire on top.

Welding tubing that you can't move is pretty damn tough, it takes a lot of practice to control the pool of molten metal as you move around the pipe. Don't expect pretty, but do make sure it seals all the way around.

 

yeah, my current muffler has 2 exhaust leaks from when meineke installed my old muffler. So i want to be sure its good.

 

If they dont take off the pipe to weld muffler in they will only get about 3/4 of the way around it. Almost impossible on most cars and trucks to get all the way around, they also need to get metal clean of any rust or debris. I usually tack on each side til it gets closed up, looks good and wont burn holes through

 

I just have to ask; why are they welding in the muffler? especially since you seem to be trying new things with your exhuast I'd stay away from a weld. With a pipe expander and a couple of clamps you'd be all set.
Just my 2 cents.

 

Because its cheaper to have it welded on. Im fairly sure the original 40 series will be much louder outside and inside rather than the delta 40.

 

Cheaper than doing it yourself?

 

actually yeah because i dont have a pipe bender.. they have to bend 2 small pieces of pipe and i want it welded on. I dont know how to weld so i have to have a shop do it.

 

I prefer welding because I like to stare at the pretty blue light.[:-]

 

aim4squirrels, How many fingers do I have held up on my right hand?