TTE exhaust - tip height / alignment

Bossworld · February 16, 2020, 22:58

I know it's often a struggle to get both tips aligned but I'm left scratching my head a bit.

From what I see, we have a fixed alignment point from the silencer itself, (though no guarantee that it's positioned centrally.)

We've then got the lower hangers, which depending on age/condition have a little movement, and again depending on type of rubber hanger fitted, may have different widths allowing for a small amount of adjustment in making the tips reach the silencer.

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Speaking of which, at the silencer, there's a metal gasket and a clamp. If the tip wasn't connected to the rubber hanger, you'd be able to rotate it 360 degrees and keep the connection between the tip and silencer in perfect line.

But, as it is connected to the hanger, we've not got that luxury.

So it seems the option is to either have the connections in perfect alignment, but looking wonky from the back of the car, or risk one of the pipes not being in true alignment (and possibly not sealing?) but more aesthetically pleasing.

I suspect today's attempt has left me with option 2 - I used a little RTV sealant on the gasket rings to see if it makes a difference and gave the clamps a bit more torque.

Anyone else got experience to add to my ramblings?

Ardent · February 17, 2020, 00:10

My experience, just mimics yours.
I'm happy with how the left sits. The right looks a little droopy. But perfectly sealed.
But for aesthetics it needs raising.
@Mikeymead had the same issue, and has sorted his alignment out, but by his own admission, might have been more luck than judgement.
Pivot points? A small adjustment one end can have a large effect the other.

Bossworld · February 17, 2020, 07:23

Quote from: Ardent on February 17, 2020, 00:10My experience, just mimics yours.
I'm happy with how the left sits. The right looks a little droopy. But perfectly sealed.
But for aesthetics it needs raising.
@Mikeymead had the same issue, and has sorted his alignment out, but by his own admission, might have been more luck than judgement.
Pivot points? A small adjustment one end can have a large effect the other.

To your point, I wonder how much leniency/give the clamps have in terms of alignment? They do something in terms of keeping the two ends and the gasket together but it seems there's no guarantee the top of the clamp is fully aligned to the bottom.

I was perhaps overly scared of tightening the clamp too far last time, as when I took the old ones off I found one bolt on both had become only finger tight. That said I'm sure I've seen at least one TTE for sale with damage ostensibly due to overtightening.

Petrus · February 17, 2020, 09:00

Oh my, so TTE stands for restrictive, blowing packing, developing rattle ánd wonky??

Nah, just kidding

The things are all getting on in years and being exhausts lead a rather stressed life..

Bossworld · February 17, 2020, 10:41

Quote from: Petrus on February 17, 2020, 09:00Oh my, so TTE stands for restrictive, blowing packing, developing rattle ánd wonky??

Nah, just kidding

The things are all getting on in years and being exhausts lead a rather stressed life..

Age won't affect this (other than the rubber hangers and/or a bent hanger), it's the way in which the connections are designed

Petrus · February 17, 2020, 11:49

Quote from: Bossworld on February 17, 2020, 10:41Age won't affect this (other than the rubber hangers and/or a bent hanger), it's the way in which the connections are designed

...and I thought I was giving it some leeway ;-)

kwnelson · February 17, 2020, 23:10

The guy who designed the TTE has a lot to answer to! I went to Exhaust A Fix in Darlington to get my TTE sorted, £50 quoted, declined, who would there be to talk about zorsts if this quirk did not exist?

Ardent · February 17, 2020, 23:23

Just the good folks here perhaps

Bossworld · February 18, 2020, 09:33

Quote from: kwnelson on February 17, 2020, 23:10The guy who designed the TTE has a lot to answer to! I went to Exhaust A Fix in Darlington to get my TTE sorted, £50 quoted, declined, who would there be to talk about zorsts if this quirk did not exist?

What was wrong with it? Are you looking at a repack or something else?

I had a new flange welded on mine which cost a pretty penny a couple of years back, the more I see them hacked apart and such, I wonder if it was money well spent or not.

MisterK · February 18, 2020, 14:28

The alignment on my TTE exhaust has always been fine since it was fitted by Mr T when the car was 6 months old 15 years ago. Rogue removed it and opened up the silencer last May, removed all the packing and welded the loose joint. The unit was refitted without the packing....it hangs perfectly and sounds even better to me...slightly louder & with a nicer tone. I love my TTE exhaust👍😃.

househead · February 18, 2020, 14:40

Quote from: MisterK on February 18, 2020, 14:28The alignment on my TTE exhaust has always been fine since it was fitted by Mr T when the car was 6 months old 15 years ago. Rogue removed it and opened up the silencer last May, removed all the packing and welded the loose joint. The unit was refitted without the packing....it hangs perfectly and sounds even better to me...slightly louder & with a nicer tone. I love my TTE exhaust👍😃.

A louder than stock TTE exhaust? And I thought my neighbours had it bad

They do sound bloody great!

Mikeymead · February 18, 2020, 20:28

To be honest I find the doughnut gasket clamps to be both a blessing and a curse. They do allow a good bit of adjustment but do have a tendency to work loose. Got a bit fed up with adjustments I seem to have to do fairly regularly. Probably not helped by the really poor fitting sports cat I have. Still once I've fitted that Blitz Nurspec it might all be different, you really can't have one outlet out of alignment can you?