Best source for 3 1/2" stainless exhaust components

[bill_396]

I'm building a 3 1/2" T-304 exhaust system from my merge collectors back. I already have an X-pipe from Burn's but now I need some expanded 3 1/2" sections to slip over my collectors. Burn's has "slips" listed on their website but the shipping from CA to Michigan is almost as much as the parts. Because I'm piecing this together figuring as I go it will likely require numerous small shipments. Hoping to find someone closer with decent pricing that might ship by USPS or something else a little more reasonable.
 Will be needing a bunch of mandrel bends and straight sections too. When I was shopping for the X-pipe I did notice that some vendors did not mandrel bend in 3 1/2" stainless. Thanks for your input.

[Barry_R]

Try Woolf
Not cheap - but local

http://www.woolfaircraft.com/index.html

[TravisRice]

I just bought some from a place out your way. Name slips me at the moment. I'll post it when I get home this evening. I also bought some stuff from spintech but was not impressed what so ever.

[jgkurz]

I use these folks a lot. Not sure if they have 3.5" 304

http://www.mandrelbends.com/

[thatdarncat]

I haven't bought anything from these guys yet, I may this summer, but they are in Minnesota, somewhat closer to Michigan.

http://www.stainlessheaders.com/

[cjshaker]

Bill, have you looked at Summit? They carry all sorts of 3 1/2" stainless stuff, and it's about as local to Michigan as you can get.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/department/exhaust/part-type/exhaust-pipes-individual-bends?N=4294948820%2B4294897439&SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=stainless%203.5

Edit: Unfortunately, I don't see any straight sections. But they do have all the radius' that you would need.

[TravisRice]

http://www.stainlessheaders.com/

^^^^^^^^^^ This is who I just got some transitions and swelled straight tube in 3-1/2. I previously had some Spintech fittings but these fit, look and weld like crap. They are unmarked as to where they are made so I would assume over seas. The Materials I got from Stainless Headers is 304 USA Made............. big difference.

[Qikbbstang]

I noticed my Magnaflow Stainless pipes "rusted" and in fact corroded pits in them where the steel of the mandrel bender got into the stainless.

               I was given a tour inside the storage tanks of a chemical tanker ship. The cargo tanks were 100% stainless including the large staiways, the Port Engineer had me hand him my shoes for him to inspect for tacks/nails in the soles. Where iron touches the SS the super phosphoric acid cargo will eat through SS.
              I figure the corrosion where the steel knurled mandrel bender teeth of the dies got into my SS pipes caused the corrosion.

[427Fastback]

There are dozens of stainless alloys...Your kitchen sink is SS and it will rust,so are most knives..It is true if SS touches steel,is formed bent or drilled it will rust.Grinder spray and steel tables will contaminate it as well.
Most store bought stainless headers and exhaust I have seen are made from 400 series SS and it will rust...
If a magnet sticks to your stainless....it will rust..
Having it electropolished is one way of removing all contamination...

[Nightmist66]

Fwiw, I put a replacement aluminized steel exhaust on my daily driver last fall. When I did, I used an old trick of taking a rag and soaking it with ATF and wiping the pipes with it. I did it at install and once more about 5-6months later. It is going on the second winter here, and the exhaust still looks pretty good, considering. Just a light rust at the flanges, which I expected because I couldn't treat those areas quite as well. My first car, I ended up putting a set of JBA stainless shorty headers on and used a metal treatment first and it didn't hold up very well. They rusted right away. I wonder how they would have been, had I used the ATF technique.