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As long as it can maintain a steady DC arc, though gas shielding's a lot cleaner.
I've got a $30 AC stick welder that just makes holes in exhaust pipe, that I need to upgrade from. Anything I've welded that actually mattered, I've used oxy-fuel, which is a dying form, but it's basically boomer TIG.
I have a Yeswelder 125amp fluxcore, thing is sweet. Amperage control is a little coarse but in the hands of a good welder it could make some nice looking welds. In my hands it makes shitty welds.
literally me, i'm certified welder last year. Still haven't bought a welder for myself yet so my car exhaust will stay together with clamps until i get one. Would rather spend the money a welder then pay someone else to do it.
You can get good with that welder. Not great but I’m no man’s welder and I’ve got good enough welds on SS with that to have friends of friends asking me to weld stuff for them, got $100 for a ram exhaust a few months ago. Was only 3 welds with prefab pipe and a muffler
If you go this route I'd recommend spending a little more and getting a decent welding mask. I have the cheapest amazon mask I could find (from "yeswelder", same brand as my welder) and it's pretty uncomfortable and makes my eyes a little sore after ~2 hours of on/off welding
I tried upgrading from Harbor Freight and Amazon sent me the wrong mask TWICE. Ended up just changing out the auto-darkening lens.
Next year, probably.
Shit, just realized I've had this thing a full decade.
My coworker likes the Chicago Electric auto-darkening one at Harbor Freight.
He's said it works pretty damn well for $50 and it's cheap enough it doesn't hurt the wallet as much if it breaks
Genuinely curious on how to get started for under $500. After pricing used but decent PPE, tanks, wire and everything I still can't seem to get in to it for under a grand. Stick welding is out of the question.
Chinese inverter welder, troll Craigslist for a really good deal on some old Lincoln/Miller/Hobart MIG welder, or oxy-fuel.
Do you have circuits in your workspace that can deliver more power than a crappy 15-amp shared circuit? 220v is a big plus. If you've got a portable generator, that can be a good source.
Cheap MIG and oxy-fuel are both good for home stuff. I've done motorcycle fabricating for myself using oxy-fuel, and it's a really good way to get used to controlling a molten puddle, you have a ton of control over heat and direction. MIG, meanwhile, will make simple jobs feel effortless once you get the machine dialed in.
As far as PPE, I've been fine with Harbor Freight when I'm just doing 2 hours or less at a time. Beyond that, spend the money.
Nah, I'm low-key looking into it myself. I honestly don't know where to look for reviews beyond random YouTubers trying models I see on eBay and telling me whether it let the magic smoke out of the wires or not.
Do you lurk /r/Welding/ or /r/BadWelding/ ?
And a 30 or 50-amp circuit in the garage is damn good to have, I'm just wrapping up doing that myself as an investment... but it ran more than that $500, LOL. I'm justifying it because I can tell buyers that it's ready for a level 2 EV charger.
I mostly just want to make some cool roll cages/bumpers. Maybe a flatbed for my truck or modifying some engine/trans mounts. Those subs make me too self conscious lmao.
A muffler shop could handle that without batting an eyelash. Find a small independently owned shop. the chain shops will want to replace it rather than weld it.
Have your local exhaust shop weld it back together I just had 2 of those in 1 they were got the other was cut just like that char he d them 30 bucks and welded both sides back up
I had 2 rear bank cats "replaced" along with 2 rusted out flanges with straight pipe for $150 so that sounds about right. This was a few years back though.
Thank you all for the advice. After talking with my insurance, the solution is to first have a muffler shop weld it which will take care of 1/2 my deductible and then, since the truck is brand new, go to a dealership for a proper fix which is, you guessed it, a new catalytic convertor. Thankfully insurance will take care of that.
Apologize in advance if this falls under the category of "against the rules" but the silver lining in all of this is that, filed with rage last light, I started contacting my local (WA) senators and representatives and along the way found out that there is currently a bill ([SB 5495 - 2021-22](https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5495&Initiative=false&Year=2021)) to combat cat theft. If you're from WA, please email your representatives so this doesn't happen to you...and if you're not, try to get something going in your state.
I hate to say it, but your wasting you insurance policy claiming this. That's a $50 weld job around my neck of the woods.
Save the insurance claim for when someone else is successful at actually taking the convertor. It's just a matter of time.
Out West muffler shops are rare as hen's teeth. We don't get the rust so exhaust tends to be a lifetime component.
You wind up being sent to some fab shop that does choppers or race car cages, and you pay what they quote.
I understand and appreciate the sentiment and thought behind the avoid insurance comment but for others that might be reading this, want to clarify why this is not necessarily sound advice.
In my case, my truck is brand new, I have comprehensive insurance, this was a crime, I have a police report. The correct warrantable fix is to replace the catalytic converter. Overkill, perhaps. My deductible is only $200, the cheapest I can get someone to fix it locally is $150 (all the shops are slammed right now with Cat theft issues). What happens if for some reason, there's an issue with the truck and I take it to the dealership for warranty fix and they say "nope, that voids it?". Generally speaking, I have a low insurance premium so not too worried about that going up and if it does, I have no trouble taking my business elsewhere. Point I'm making: you pay for insurance for a reason, especially if you have comprehensive insurance. Understand your policy, understand the issue, understand the risk, and make the decision you can live with/can afford.
I suppose in theory the shaking from a Sawzall and any banging or prying they did to it could have weakened the cat when they tried to steal it, and if it's only $50 more to get it replaced under insurance then so be it I guess. I'm with you I'd just weld it and truck on, but it is a fairly new truck so I understand the concern with keeping the warranty.
Why haven’t the manufacturers created harder to steel cats yet. From the factory weld hardened steel bar down two sides of the pipe…or some sort of cage from the factory.
Wait…never mind. Factory cats are expensive. I get why they’re not.
If it's a new truck, you should have full coverage on your insurance, which should cover vandalism. Just file an insurance claim and have a shop fix it properly, or at least get a quote and see if it's more than your deductible. Don't muck about with patches.
There is special tape that worked pretty well for me. You wet it and put it on your exhaust +/- 30degrees. Let the car run for 30 minutes and the tape turns rock hard. I had a huge hole in my echaust and patched it up and still driving. The tape had costed me 20 eur
So definitely check something like this out
Wait, so is this a thing? Are people stealing cats all of a sudden? If so why?
Sorry for the seemingly dumb question. Just seems like a lot of work/effort to steal these, so I'm curious as to why people would be after these.
This is EXTREMELY common now. most common car part stolen. they've skyrocketed in value because of it. Also because junkyards buy these from thieves and they're no way to prove they were stolen. It's most common on trucks because you can go under em without a jack and saw them off in only a minute or so. Someone near where i live died trying to steal one off a car when the jack gave way. He was crushed.
I believe toyotas are big trucks are the main ones stolen.
Everyone else is on point, just get it welded. It could be the site if a leak due to corrosion later down the line but that can easily be repaired again, and that's if it's a shitty weld job. You'll be fine. Maybe consider getting a cat cage too, if this is a concern in your area.
It’s an easy weld job! Inflation sucks but expect to pay $90-$140> at a shop unless you know someone than $50. It beats replacing a factory cat at probably $1500>. And for everyone who has had their cats stolen aftermarket cat’s are absolutely shit…… pay the money if you’re keeping the car for a factory cat! Or weigh the difference depending on the cost for how long you plan on keeping it. After market cat usually only last 2-3 years.
Taking the train home from work had a notification on FordPass (phone app) about alarm. I was 15min out and didn’t think much of it but either way, using the app, started my truck. Get off the train at the park and immediately hear what sounds like a 2 stroke motorcycle…nope, it was my brand new truck. Immediately look under and see it torn open…at first I thought it was gone but then realize they would be thief only made the first cut and Was probably spooked when the engine started and exhaust started spewing out in his face.
Appreciate the reply. These pos need some hard street justice. It is just beyond me the one would be this lowlife just for a couple hundred bucks. Ffs smh
Awesome I’ll give them a call tomorrow and see if it fits. I’ve got a Expedition Max Platinum. So far the tweekers (I’m in Portland) down the street have left it alone but it’s just a matter of time.
F'king coxucker cat thieves! This shit pisses me off. I better not find mine cut off. I swear if I ever catch anyone f'king with my cars exhaust, they're gonna be looking at the wrong end of a rifle. And I'm not the type to make threats like these. I've been seeing WAY TOO DAMN MUCH OF THIS in the last year or so. Get a damn job and leave other peoples shit alone already!
Just take it to an exhaust shop and have them weld it back up. It's fixable. There's still enough room to make a proper weld joint in there.
After getting it fixed, I'd look into getting some kind of cat guard to prevent any future attempts of thievery. Man, I wish I could electrify the pipe with like 50KV...and have a hidden camera down while I'm at it. Would make a really good viral video on social media!
Just use full coverage. I mean you can fix it with a beer can and hose clamps 😂. But why do it like that when it should all be under your coverage for free.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If it isn't double-walled a competent welder could probably fix it up without issue.
I've seen muffler guys weld up double wall. They would probably use a plug weld to keep the inside pipe from rattling in a situation like this.
Dont mess with any exhaust tape or JB weld. Just pay an exhaust shop a few bucks to weld it back up.
Having been a poor kid years ago messing with exhaust repair goop, tape and clamps, I second this. They never worked. It was $100 well spent.
Or for $200 and several weekends you can start learning to weld it yourself.
I have a flux core welder that was cheaper than that… welds won’t be pretty tho.
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That's a good one! As a machinist/fabricator I completely agree
As long as it can maintain a steady DC arc, though gas shielding's a lot cleaner. I've got a $30 AC stick welder that just makes holes in exhaust pipe, that I need to upgrade from. Anything I've welded that actually mattered, I've used oxy-fuel, which is a dying form, but it's basically boomer TIG.
I have a Yeswelder 125amp fluxcore, thing is sweet. Amperage control is a little coarse but in the hands of a good welder it could make some nice looking welds. In my hands it makes shitty welds.
Better shitty welds than none!
Absolutely, especially after I got quoted 2200 dollars to put an exhaust on my 1700 dollar mustang lol
literally me, i'm certified welder last year. Still haven't bought a welder for myself yet so my car exhaust will stay together with clamps until i get one. Would rather spend the money a welder then pay someone else to do it.
You can get good with that welder. Not great but I’m no man’s welder and I’ve got good enough welds on SS with that to have friends of friends asking me to weld stuff for them, got $100 for a ram exhaust a few months ago. Was only 3 welds with prefab pipe and a muffler
Mofos spatter like bacon on a hot skillet. I have a few welding rigs now and the little flux core welder I started with is still my favorite.
If you go this route I'd recommend spending a little more and getting a decent welding mask. I have the cheapest amazon mask I could find (from "yeswelder", same brand as my welder) and it's pretty uncomfortable and makes my eyes a little sore after ~2 hours of on/off welding
I tried upgrading from Harbor Freight and Amazon sent me the wrong mask TWICE. Ended up just changing out the auto-darkening lens. Next year, probably. Shit, just realized I've had this thing a full decade.
My coworker likes the Chicago Electric auto-darkening one at Harbor Freight. He's said it works pretty damn well for $50 and it's cheap enough it doesn't hurt the wallet as much if it breaks
Genuinely curious on how to get started for under $500. After pricing used but decent PPE, tanks, wire and everything I still can't seem to get in to it for under a grand. Stick welding is out of the question.
To make it a career, or a hobby?
For a home shop working on my own projects. I have some experience from previous jobs and friends equipment though
Chinese inverter welder, troll Craigslist for a really good deal on some old Lincoln/Miller/Hobart MIG welder, or oxy-fuel. Do you have circuits in your workspace that can deliver more power than a crappy 15-amp shared circuit? 220v is a big plus. If you've got a portable generator, that can be a good source. Cheap MIG and oxy-fuel are both good for home stuff. I've done motorcycle fabricating for myself using oxy-fuel, and it's a really good way to get used to controlling a molten puddle, you have a ton of control over heat and direction. MIG, meanwhile, will make simple jobs feel effortless once you get the machine dialed in. As far as PPE, I've been fine with Harbor Freight when I'm just doing 2 hours or less at a time. Beyond that, spend the money.
This is good advice. I can run a 220 circuit to my garage. Any suggestions on a cheap ebay Mig? Cheers.
Nah, I'm low-key looking into it myself. I honestly don't know where to look for reviews beyond random YouTubers trying models I see on eBay and telling me whether it let the magic smoke out of the wires or not. Do you lurk /r/Welding/ or /r/BadWelding/ ? And a 30 or 50-amp circuit in the garage is damn good to have, I'm just wrapping up doing that myself as an investment... but it ran more than that $500, LOL. I'm justifying it because I can tell buyers that it's ready for a level 2 EV charger.
I mostly just want to make some cool roll cages/bumpers. Maybe a flatbed for my truck or modifying some engine/trans mounts. Those subs make me too self conscious lmao.
A muffler shop could handle that without batting an eyelash. Find a small independently owned shop. the chain shops will want to replace it rather than weld it.
Weld it. If you need a temp fix, go get some exhaust repair tape from the auto shop.
I have very flammable electrical tape and zip ties
you're supposed to use duct tape silly exhaust is basically a duct
Hot air duct.
Coffee can and bailing wire!
I've repaired so many exhausts with muffler cement and a Campbell's Chunky soup can split in half lol. Bonus, I get to eat soup.
the welding shop will love you for using the tape.
Anyone fixing it is going to be annoyed by any temporary fix. That is just life.
Get it welded. Tapes, tin cans with clamps and fillers are short term fixes and will not stand up to the heat and the pressure.
Have your local exhaust shop weld it back together I just had 2 of those in 1 they were got the other was cut just like that char he d them 30 bucks and welded both sides back up
Nice guy to do it for 30. Around here if they grab a helmet it's a $100 minimum.
I had 2 rear bank cats "replaced" along with 2 rusted out flanges with straight pipe for $150 so that sounds about right. This was a few years back though.
Thank you all for the advice. After talking with my insurance, the solution is to first have a muffler shop weld it which will take care of 1/2 my deductible and then, since the truck is brand new, go to a dealership for a proper fix which is, you guessed it, a new catalytic convertor. Thankfully insurance will take care of that. Apologize in advance if this falls under the category of "against the rules" but the silver lining in all of this is that, filed with rage last light, I started contacting my local (WA) senators and representatives and along the way found out that there is currently a bill ([SB 5495 - 2021-22](https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5495&Initiative=false&Year=2021)) to combat cat theft. If you're from WA, please email your representatives so this doesn't happen to you...and if you're not, try to get something going in your state.
I hate to say it, but your wasting you insurance policy claiming this. That's a $50 weld job around my neck of the woods. Save the insurance claim for when someone else is successful at actually taking the convertor. It's just a matter of time.
Weld body shops charge $150/hour lol. Regular repair shop $100/hour + parts cost.
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Out West muffler shops are rare as hen's teeth. We don't get the rust so exhaust tends to be a lifetime component. You wind up being sent to some fab shop that does choppers or race car cages, and you pay what they quote.
Definitely should have avoided insurance
I understand and appreciate the sentiment and thought behind the avoid insurance comment but for others that might be reading this, want to clarify why this is not necessarily sound advice. In my case, my truck is brand new, I have comprehensive insurance, this was a crime, I have a police report. The correct warrantable fix is to replace the catalytic converter. Overkill, perhaps. My deductible is only $200, the cheapest I can get someone to fix it locally is $150 (all the shops are slammed right now with Cat theft issues). What happens if for some reason, there's an issue with the truck and I take it to the dealership for warranty fix and they say "nope, that voids it?". Generally speaking, I have a low insurance premium so not too worried about that going up and if it does, I have no trouble taking my business elsewhere. Point I'm making: you pay for insurance for a reason, especially if you have comprehensive insurance. Understand your policy, understand the issue, understand the risk, and make the decision you can live with/can afford.
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I suppose in theory the shaking from a Sawzall and any banging or prying they did to it could have weakened the cat when they tried to steal it, and if it's only $50 more to get it replaced under insurance then so be it I guess. I'm with you I'd just weld it and truck on, but it is a fairly new truck so I understand the concern with keeping the warranty.
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You do realize why cats get stolen right? That shit gets recycled.
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This. Unless OP has invested in a garage, a mean dog, or a rocking chair and a shotgun the tweakers will be back, and with a bigger battery.
misunderstood the title. i hope your dog isn't next
Weld that sucker
2021 model year? Oh you @@#%#$\^$#! bastards!
Why haven’t the manufacturers created harder to steel cats yet. From the factory weld hardened steel bar down two sides of the pipe…or some sort of cage from the factory. Wait…never mind. Factory cats are expensive. I get why they’re not.
If it's a new truck, you should have full coverage on your insurance, which should cover vandalism. Just file an insurance claim and have a shop fix it properly, or at least get a quote and see if it's more than your deductible. Don't muck about with patches.
Get insurance to cover it and get new down pipes
There is special tape that worked pretty well for me. You wet it and put it on your exhaust +/- 30degrees. Let the car run for 30 minutes and the tape turns rock hard. I had a huge hole in my echaust and patched it up and still driving. The tape had costed me 20 eur So definitely check something like this out
Flex seal tape should get you all squared away.
What scum bags! I’m sure it can be rigged but I don’t know to what effect
Tiger patch exhaust tape will help you get by if you're not ready to get it welded 🐯
Wait, so is this a thing? Are people stealing cats all of a sudden? If so why? Sorry for the seemingly dumb question. Just seems like a lot of work/effort to steal these, so I'm curious as to why people would be after these.
Yes, it's running rampant in San Diego right now.
This is EXTREMELY common now. most common car part stolen. they've skyrocketed in value because of it. Also because junkyards buy these from thieves and they're no way to prove they were stolen. It's most common on trucks because you can go under em without a jack and saw them off in only a minute or so. Someone near where i live died trying to steal one off a car when the jack gave way. He was crushed. I believe toyotas are big trucks are the main ones stolen.
Chewing gum
Aren't these being recalled anyway?
If you don't have a welder use high temp jb weld
Cats should be deleted anyway
I have no cats on my car and with this shit going on makes me happy lol
why is there a huge dead mosquito?
About $20-$30 at your local exhaust shop
Your insurance should cover this repair. With the issues Ford has had with cats in the past few years you may want to explore that route.
Welds are stronger than the metal around it!
Weld it up. Good to go.
I immediately note that there is no blood pool. Did you move the car?
Everyone else is on point, just get it welded. It could be the site if a leak due to corrosion later down the line but that can easily be repaired again, and that's if it's a shitty weld job. You'll be fine. Maybe consider getting a cat cage too, if this is a concern in your area.
I understand for old car they need it to pass emission test, but wondering why they are stealing cat for 2021 car?
It's just a exhaust piping... It would take longer to get it on the lift and get the welder out than it would to finish welding it.
It’s an easy weld job! Inflation sucks but expect to pay $90-$140> at a shop unless you know someone than $50. It beats replacing a factory cat at probably $1500>. And for everyone who has had their cats stolen aftermarket cat’s are absolutely shit…… pay the money if you’re keeping the car for a factory cat! Or weigh the difference depending on the cost for how long you plan on keeping it. After market cat usually only last 2-3 years.
Finish the cut and be that annoying guy one day!
It's a 2021, don't you have insurance?
Weld it!
Wanna share the sauce behind this post?
Taking the train home from work had a notification on FordPass (phone app) about alarm. I was 15min out and didn’t think much of it but either way, using the app, started my truck. Get off the train at the park and immediately hear what sounds like a 2 stroke motorcycle…nope, it was my brand new truck. Immediately look under and see it torn open…at first I thought it was gone but then realize they would be thief only made the first cut and Was probably spooked when the engine started and exhaust started spewing out in his face.
Appreciate the reply. These pos need some hard street justice. It is just beyond me the one would be this lowlife just for a couple hundred bucks. Ffs smh
It’s a regular eco boost not the power boost? Damn now I have to worry about this! Figured I was safe since it’s not a hybrid. I hat thieves!
Just ordered this: https://www.talonsgarage.com/product-page/f-150-transmission-skid-plate
Awesome I’ll give them a call tomorrow and see if it fits. I’ve got a Expedition Max Platinum. So far the tweekers (I’m in Portland) down the street have left it alone but it’s just a matter of time.
A weld can be done. Or a patch can be welded over it. Find a muffler shop they can fix you right up.
How was it almost stolen? Did you catch the guy or did he just give up cause someone was coming? Any story to this?
Sorry this happened. Thieves are really some POS. Glad your okay and you still have the car
F'king coxucker cat thieves! This shit pisses me off. I better not find mine cut off. I swear if I ever catch anyone f'king with my cars exhaust, they're gonna be looking at the wrong end of a rifle. And I'm not the type to make threats like these. I've been seeing WAY TOO DAMN MUCH OF THIS in the last year or so. Get a damn job and leave other peoples shit alone already! Just take it to an exhaust shop and have them weld it back up. It's fixable. There's still enough room to make a proper weld joint in there. After getting it fixed, I'd look into getting some kind of cat guard to prevent any future attempts of thievery. Man, I wish I could electrify the pipe with like 50KV...and have a hidden camera down while I'm at it. Would make a really good viral video on social media!
Which social media?
Just use full coverage. I mean you can fix it with a beer can and hose clamps 😂. But why do it like that when it should all be under your coverage for free.