Waldron’s 225 Exhaust Issues

Just received my Dauntless “Stock “exhaust from Waldron’s and bolted it on and I am wondering if a little more than one finger of clearance between the Y-Pipe and the front driveshaft is going to work?

I do have a 2 inch suspension lift and larger tires at the moment...here’s a photo:




I can also report that when I inspected the weld at the Y, whoever welded it up didn’t do a very good job and there is a daylight spot between the bead and the rear pipe.

I know that’s an easy fix but I am Not very happy to have to weld on something brand new that just cost me almost $500. Have an email into them to see what they want to do about it.

Looks like If I can even get this to work I will be re-running at least one brake line:

 

I had the same issue/question about the one I got from them, was close to the drive shaft. I took several measurements of the Y pipe and sent them to Walden, they said it was made right. They ended up sending a 2 or 3 inch piece and I welded in the pipe on the passenger. Move the pipe away from the driveshaft. I still like the exhaust passing over the skid plate

 

That's a bummer. As you saw, I just did this 4 days ago, and yes, I went out to check DS clearance. Mine looks fine, but it has stock springs. All the welds on mine were OK. I don't think this is for modified jeeps, and actually I wouldn't run it on anything I might high center.

 

The stock routing of the passenger side is much better. It passes under the U-joint so driveshaft clearance isn't an issue.

Here's the stock setup on my '69:


From how bent my skid plate is, the Waldron crossover would have removed itself a long time a ago.

 

Gah. Well thanks.....I’m not sure what to do now. I can’t re-run what my Jeep came with and the Waldrons seems like the best option short of slicing and dicing it up.

@Steve's 70-5 can you post some pics of the piece they sent you and how you welded it in?

Dumb (?) question - could I have a muffler shop put a slight bend in the low point of the Y pipe on the RH side so it gives more clearance?

Also we have a hydraulic tubing bender at Roundhouse, how does one bend hollow thin pipe? Heat and Fill it with sand? Just thinking out loud about options.

 

I suppose you could jack the front up by the front bumper till the wheels are off the ground and see how much shaft clearance
you might have (or not have) by axle drop.

 

As I understand, a tubing bender should hold on to both ends of the tubing and stretch it over the form. The result of the tubing bender is what you see in the Waldrom pipe, where the inner radius has been pushed in by the bender. Get some straight exhaust tubing and try it in the bender.

Your custom exhaust shop can fix this up. They may decline to change the existing tube and bend a new tube to replace the one with poor clearance. NB these shops won't build a slip-together system like the factory does, but instead will weld joints. They can make a complete system if you wish.

 

Yeah, not to pile on, Truckee, but this is what's kept me from the Waldron setup for my 198. I think I had decided that a custom job would be pricey, but that i could point and tell a local shop exactly what I wanted and emphasize that my rig would be a rock-bouncer as well as a single-track cruiser.

For your setup, I think you have a very nice product - even with it's flaws - I would do what Tim is alluding to, and maybe have a shop take another shot at that part that loops under the driveshaft (after you've flex tested it.) You're almost there, buddy!

 

Thanks Tim. I guess having the Waldron Y pipe as a template for a new one (but with clearance mods) might be useful. Then I can either return to them, sell on Classifieds here, or see if Sam down in Carson might accept it.

Appreciate everyone’s feedback, as always.

At the end of the day it can’t be worse than what I’m currently dealing with which is trying to put a 1.975 year old with an ear infection on an airplane to go see grandparents....

 

oh jeez, bro. Prayers for the little one. This is a cake-walk compared to that. (3 kids here)

Sucking and chewing is good for plugged little ear-drums. Helps equalize/relieve pressure and pop, if they’re gonna pop.

 

After 3 kids I have learned a few things. A doctor once told me about the Benadryl allergy medicine that we had on hand for my daughter. My daughter gets mosquito bites often and with a severe reaction so we vacationed with Benadryl in the travel bag. One dose was good for allergies, one and a half and it and it makes them drowsy and sleepy. Not suggesting, just saying. YMMV. Good Luck and God bless.

 

Yup agreed. We’ve only used “Benny” a couple times for our kiddos, my wife, or even myself in that way, but when hammered by bug bites, allergies or the like, when relief and rest are in dire need, it’s a God-send.

i’m such a lightweight, that even a normal dose gets me drowsy enough for a good restful sleep.

 

If you bend it, I would worry about sucking up length on the Y pipe so the flanges wouldn't line up on the manifolds.

 

I remember the cross over at rear bottom of bell housing
it was one of those idiosyncrasies the PO did to my jeep . wondered why he cut 2" piece out of stock pipe beer can with hose clamps
I later figured out why . he didn't pull the transmission cover to replace clutch

 

Thanks for the help and suggestions you guys, both with the baby and the exhaust. As far as the exhaust goes, My gut tells me it’s either going to be surgery or using the Waldron’s as a template for a new Y pipe.

The poor little guy got a cold on his first half day of daycare two weeks ago which led to an earache that needed a visit to the doc for antibiotics, that mostly cleared it up.

We got home last night to Lāna’i after a full day of traveling and he was a trooper with nothing but some Motrin and the magic of Mom’s lap. Pretty sweet to see the grandparents and the rest of our ‘Ohana for the first time in over a year!

 

Good stuff truckee4x4. Glad the little one feels better.
I have to ask about the Hawaiian references?
Wimea high school (Kauai) class of 87 is curious!

 

My parents moved to Lāna’i in the early 1970s, and I was born there, so that is home. Kaua’i is so nice!!

 

I rolled a jack under the front cross member last night and got a few inches of air under both front tires, and the clearance b/t the front propellor shaft and the exhaust stayed the same at around ~1". Not ideal, but runnable...until it's not....right?

 

I tried the Benadryl trick with one of my kids... I learned that a small percentage of kids can have the opposite reaction to Benadryl and it keeps them wide awake. I tell people I once walked from Baltimore to Sacramento, albeit back and forth on the plane during a red eye flight (prior to 9/11).

 

Either way, I suggest you install either one or two flanges in the system. I've found that the ability to break the system into two or three pieces greatly eases access to the drivetrain and clutch. It also makes removing the exhaust a cinch.
A single flange behind/parallel to the t case.
Two flanges, one behind the Y intersection, one behind the t case.