If I was to go with a custom setup, should I use aluminum mandrel bends or stainless steel bends. Is there a benefit to having either one. It sames as if the aluminum is cheaper in price then the stainless steel. Also where is the best place to get or order mandrel bends.

Yea but who are you going to find to weld aluminum for you? Aluminum is a lot more expensive to weld, especially shops like RJ's, JC performance, DRT, and ect. Any muffler shop can weld steel so take your pick.

Well if someone will please correct me. If im correct, stainless steel is more expensive. It wont rust that easy and its easy to weld. But the alum, its difficult to weld. Its cheaper though and it will rust...Unless the piping is powdercoated, so... Its a toss up. I know on the Blitz IC kit for Silvias(cause our friends have it) That the throttle side is alum and the turbo side is stainless. But he powdercoated both sides so.

I kind of think he meant "Aluminized Steel" instead of Aluminum. If you have the final bends powder coated or even hit it with a shot of high-temp Rustoleum, rust shouldn't be much of an issue. If you were feeling crazy, you might even send the finished parts to a plater. ;)

From what I've seen, aluminized steel exhaust systems primarily corrode from two things; exposure to salt and exposure to moisture from inside. A catalytic converter's job is to turn HCs into H20, which explains where the water inside came from. Under your hood and behind your bumper, there isn't as much salt as there would be under your floorboards. Some shops that make aluminized exhaust systems even warrantee their systems against rusting for up to six years!

It's your call, but I can't justify spending the money on Stainless.

I kind of think he meant "Aluminized Steel" instead of Aluminum. If you have the final bends powder coated or even hit it with a shot of high-temp Rustoleum, rust shouldn't be much of an issue. If you were feeling crazy, you might even send the finished parts to a plater.

Yeah that is what I meant, the u-bends I would get is from jcwhitney site. They Have a choice, one ubend in stainless steel cost about $50 or so each, and then they have the aluminumized steel for about have that.
Also what size would be best for a T28 setup 2 1/4 or 2 1/2in ubend.

1. Go with the 2.0 or 2.25 inch pipes. Doesn't matter all that much, really. A Bluebird IC has a 2.37" (2 and 3/8") inlet/outlet, by the way...

2. Get the thinnest gauge metal you can order. Especially if you're using a hacksaw to do the cutting. Your arm will thank you later. ;)

3. One 180-degree bend does equal two 90-degree bends, but with a really long leg on one end. and a really short leg on the other.

4. If you really want aluminum (and I've seriously considered it, too), then go check out www.BurnsStainless.com and see what they've got. I know they've got 90-degree bends in aluminum. :D

1. Go with the 2.0 or 2.25 inch pipes. Doesn't matter all that much, really. A Bluebird IC has a 2.37" (2 and 3/8") inlet/outlet, by the way...

So I should just go with the stainless steel pipes, unless I want to get aluminum for Burns Stainless Steel.

Fwiw HK$ also sells aluminium bends. Amazingly for HK$ prices they're not all that expensive. Still not getting my money though.

i went with aluminized bends from JCwhitney. they work fine, and you could just high temp paint them (make sure to lightly sand and wash the pipes before hand) and they will look fine.

dupont, IIRC, has a really cool anodized paint.

Aluminum does not rust, so you are wrong there, Stainless and aluminum are about the same price, depending what grade stainless you get vs grade of aluminum. Not anyone can weld stainless, not many people can weld aluminum so you are up in the air there. Aluminum is lighter then stainless, Stainless is heavier then mild steel. So if weight saving is a priority then you may want to consider aluminum. And finally but not least aluminum contains different heat properties then stainless, It radiates heat a lot more then stainless or mild steel, for a greater duration of time. So under hood temperatures may be greater for longer.

Originally posted by nismo200
Well if someone will please correct me. If im correct, stainless steel is more expensive. It wont rust that easy and its easy to weld. But the alum, its difficult to weld. Its cheaper though and it will rust...Unless the piping is powdercoated, so... Its a toss up. I know on the Blitz IC kit for Silvias(cause our friends have it) That the throttle side is alum and the turbo side is stainless. But he powdercoated both sides so.