[Shop-talk] Adjusting exhaust

[shochschild at att.net]

I'm surprised no one else has mentioned this, but enough heat to make it 
bendable might discolor the stainless, or even worse, 'sugar' it, which 
is a term I have heard to describe what happens when the nickel is 
melted off, leaving the stainless less so.  This would matter to me if I 
was putting a car as old as I am back on the road...

> OK, I know the basics about bending tubing.  The situation I have is 
> that I have purchased a stainless exhaust system designed for my 
> particular model car.  The problem is, it is not perfect.  Some 
> adjustments have to be made for it to fit into the car.  I can take a 
> torch, get an area red hot and apply a little pressure.  I think if 
> things go wrong,  the side of the pipe that is being compressed tends 
> to kink.  I try to apply more of the heat to the stretching side.  I 
> also try to adjust by taking the bends that are already there, and 
> increasing or decreasing them.  Does anyone have any tricks I don't 
> know for this job?  Thanks.