Date:         Mon, 15 May 2006 06:04:40 -0700
Reply-To:     "Greenamyer, William L" <william.l.greenamyer@BOEING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Greenamyer, William L" <william.l.greenamyer@BOEING.COM>
Subject:      Exhaust brackets and muffler strap
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Got a question about exhaust brackets/supports.  My 84GL seems to break
the driver side two supports on a regular basis.  Weld them up and they
get broken again.  Guess the vibration is pretty bad on that side with
the Y-pipe and the cat attached.  Seems to always break the right angle
piece that attaches to the engine most often.

Is this a regular problem with this engine?
Is the bracket just not make strong enough to take the
vibration/flexing?
Would stronger brackets (heavier metal) work better or could they break
something else?

The other questions relate to the muffler strap.  Seems that this strap
holders the muffler fine but there is rubbing against the header pipe
which causes the strap to wear and break.

Is this characteristic of the Vanagon design?
Is there a fix to prevent the wear and breaking of these straps or do I
just beaf up the metal (straps) in those areas to take the rubbing?

William