I’ve started on the exhaust for the camper whilst I have some spare time.
The centre section needs replacing and as I was pricing one up I realised that I could probably build one in stainless for the same price as I could buy one. I thought if I build one in stainless it would last years and would probably go onto the next camper too.
This was the part that I need replacing.
Big hole.
All the parts were bought from Custom Exhausts in Cardiff. In all it cost about £90.00. This is the list of parts.
A bag full of Wadding, off a roll not the loose stuff.
2 meters of 2” perforated tube.
4 silencer end caps.
2” stainless tube bent to go over axel. 2 meters long.
2 swage fitting to take a 2” tube.
I simply welded the perf tube to standard tube in places to create one long section that will have two silencers. The total length ends up at about 1.6 meters long and each silencer will be about 700 mm long.
This is the tube with the end caps welded on. It’s basically the same length as the original two silencers.
When an silencer is build over 500mm long, the inner perforated tube starts to vibrate and it doesn’t matter what material it’s made out of (mild, stainless, titanium, etc) the inner tube starts to fracture and then rattles before falling apart. I can help prevent this by joining the perf tube to the standard tube in a overlapping sleeve method instead of butt welds or with strengtheners, etc. I don’t have a swage machine so I’ll strengthen the perf tube in places.
The flat sheet stainless has a small fold in it that sits inside the silencer. The strengtheners are attached to this and the perf tub.
I’ve started to wrap stainless sheet all the way around the end caps.
Stick the wadding in before sealing it up.....
That’s all in place now... it’s just being held together with spots tho.
The end caps are now welded I’ll do the rest (flanges, hangers, etc) when I have a bit more time over the weekend. The new and old exhausts are next to each other to see the difference. The stainless silencers are narrower but each one is also longer than the old ones and hopefully it shouldn’t be any louder. I made them slightly narrower because I have a water tank fitted so there is a reduced gap.
Next thing to do will be to get all the bumpers and the plastic vents which go on the side painted in silver, might be able to do this next week. After that I have to make the gas door and put a wood floor in and then MOT it....yeay......... perhaps it will be done by the end of the month... still in time for summer...... I’m actually getting excited about my old camper now....
Catch u later guys....