Thermal cat back... Weld or Clamp?

[SugarMouth]

How many of you only clamped your Thermal cat back with no issues? Curious if I should weld certain areas of it during install or if the clamps have been reliable and no need to weld?

 

[2020STAWD]

I have been clamped for 2.5 Years. Only issue I had when I did my downpipes I had to use a little permatex to seal the Midpipe connection to the downpipes with the clamps

 

[JFam]

I clamped mine and no issues.

 

[JFam]

How many of you only clamped your Thermal cat back with no issues? Curious if I should weld certain areas of it during install or if the clamps have been reliable and no need to weld?

As a note, pay a lot of attention to the tips. They require significant torque and seem to take forever to fully hold. I did this and the next day could still twist by hand so hit them again.

Also , don't forget to flip the muffler hangers and knock the dog ear off that clips into frame. It is not needed as the bolt does the job and likely something from the factory/assembly process.

 

[GearHead_1]

I clamped mine and no issues.

^^^This.

 

[SugarMouth]

Also , don't forget to flip the muffler hangers and knock the dog ear off that clips into frame. It is not needed as the bolt does the job and likely something from the factory/assembly process.

Sorry not following here, the muffler hangers need to be swapped or?

 

[JFam]

Sorry not following here, the muffler hangers need to be swapped or?

The factory hanger mounts have a rubber side and plastic side of the grommet holding the hanger itself. The hanger of the thermal will eventually rub on the plastic side causing NVH and knocking sound. Some (including me), reverse the hanger mounts leaving the rubber side meeting hanger itself.

 

[JFam]

https://www.explorerst.org/threads/rear-exhaust-hanger-doohickey.5054/

 

[SugarMouth]

The factory hanger mounts have a rubber side and plastic side of the grommet holding the hanger itself. The hanger of the thermal will eventually rub on the plastic side causing NVH and knocking sound. Some (including me), reverse the hanger mounts leaving the rubber side meeting hanger itself.

Got it, thanks!

 

[2020FordRaptor]

I haven’t heard of anyone welding it all together, clamping seems to be just fine.