Ground clearance with Torque Arm???

[marshall_mosty]

With my Griggs SD T/A in the car, my exhaust flanges on the H-pipe to flow tubes are only 2.5" off the ground with the H-pipe and rest of the exhaust at 3" off the ground... Is anyone in the same boat and if so, have you ever hung up your exhaust on stuff? Not saying I'm planning on doing some potato farming, I just want to make sure I'm not tilling the fields. :)

[Mike Bell]

Getting on and off the trailer was the toughest part for my AI car. :shock:

[marshall_mosty]

Mike,
That's what I'm worried about. I guess I'll have to use the Rhino Ramps, trailer jack, and my wood ramp blocks just to get the car on/off.

As long as I don't have any bigger issues (ripping off the exhaust off track), I will deal with it.

[AI#97]

Mike,
That's what I'm worried about. I guess I'll have to use the Rhino Ramps, trailer jack, and my wood ramp blocks just to get the car on/off.

As long as I don't have any bigger issues (ripping off the exhaust off track), I will deal with it.

while looking over JG's car up at PST a few weeks back (wonder if they found my boobie trap! :D) I noticed that his TA is also VERY close to the ground. I would think the only problems would be FIA curbs and on/off the trailer. My exhaust hangs about 2" off the ground and so far, the off track excursions didn't do much because the ground was soft....concrete on the other hand might cause some damage.

PS. Ask John how close his header flanges are off the ground! :wink:

[marshall_mosty]

Long tube header flanges often make me wonder how anyone lowers an engine (dry sump type oiling) and maintains a "stock" long tube? Or is this custom exhaust territory.

Not that I could ever afford that, but I'm just curious.

[chicane23]

If you lower the motor this would be custom header territory for sure!

A race car will be lowered a large amount and usually requires custom exhaust. All of my cars have had to have custom work for one of the following reasons.

Panhard bar
Watts Link
Torque Arm
Ground clearance.
etc.

[gt40]

If you lower the motor this would be custom header territory for sure!

A race car will be lowered a large amount and usually requires custom exhaust. All of my cars have had to have custom work for one of the following reasons.

Panhard bar
Watts Link
Torque Arm
Ground clearance.
etc.I'm still dealing with this sort of issue.

Some of you may remember that I ripped off my right-hand side exhaust in March while loading the car on the trailer (ramp slipped, dropping the car down just enough to let the muffler hang up on the trailer's edge.)

I took the opportunity to re-do the rear half of the exhaust, but it didn't get me much clearance -- the flanges at the tail-end of the x-pipe are still pretty low.

IMHO, the TA isn't much of a concern, since its lowest part is centered between the wheels, though hitting the curbing at an angle could bottom out the arm. Still, it's a pretty stout piece of steel, so I imagine it would act as a skid plate more than anything else.

Of more concern for me is the X-pipe. I run the Dr. Gas pipe and the crossover is located underneath the transmission -- much farther forward ompared to others like the Basanni. This really limits how far you can tuck it up underneath the car. If I had it to do all over again (and I may do this,) I'd move the X farther rearward in order to get the exhaust up higher. I might sacrifice a little power, but sne up with more ground clearance.

[marshall_mosty]

My issue is the H-pipe is very close to touching the T/A cross bar. The bar is tucked up to the floor per the Griggs instructions. The only way that I can see getting clearance is to go with ovalized tubing. Although, a couple good bottom-outs will probably accomplish the same thing.

Sigh.

[chicane23]

Please watch the torque arm bushing if your exhaust is real close to the bushing over time it will start to melt the bushing.
This is the issue I had with David's car at Houston. He has the Basanni X-pipe and the x is directly under the bushing.

The exhaust needs to be modified as well on his car.

[David Love AI27]

Long tube header flanges often make me wonder how anyone lowers an engine (dry sump type oiling) and maintains a "stock" long tube? Or is this custom exhaust territory.

Not that I could ever afford that, but I'm just curious.

My car is lowered and I have long tubes, oversized pan and torque arm... AND ALL my problems with the car involve my exhaust... At msrh. Amber high centered the car crushing the headers and effectively wrapped them around the engine which made it impossible to get them off without removing the engine. With new haeders and exhaust is was even lower and I ripped them completely off the car at msrc last month. that reminds me I need to put the exhast back on this afternoon...

[marshall_mosty]

John,
Thanks for the tip. The "H" is probably 6 inches forward of the front of the T/A. I should be okay in that respect, although I will keep an eye on it.

The problem with David's car was you were driving it too hard and getting the exhaust temps too high. Just scale it back a little and you won't burn the bushings. I'm sure everyone would think that's okay...

[AI#97]

Of more concern for me is the X-pipe. I run the Dr. Gas pipe and the crossover is located underneath the transmission -- much farther forward ompared to others like the Basanni. This really limits how far you can tuck it up underneath the car. If I had it to do all over again (and I may do this,) I'd move the X farther rearward in order to get the exhaust up higher. I might sacrifice a little power, but sne up with more ground clearance.

If you can, get the universal X pipe from Dr. Gas. It comes in pieces and is much easier to "make it fit". I built mine with the X right under the tailshaft of the tranny. There are two venues of thought on location of the cross over....closer to the engine supposedly has less back pressure and generates better exhaust flow and generates more HP...like 3-4 at best at our power levels. By moving the X further back, it creates moderately more back pressure and if placed properly can generate as much as 10 more rwtq than if placed very close to the header collector.... I played with mine and went for torque and ground clearance....that being the case, of all the motors my engine builder has put together, this one makes about 20 more rwtq than others with even better intake flow. If we uncorked it and put a set of cams with more intake duration (these are tiny in comparison), the motor would make 340/360 like it was built for. I just don't need the power or want to go to 1 7/8" headers and another set of $600 cams.... :lol: