12-22-2012, 11:34 AM
Les,
Yours is worse than mine was, but I think you could find some one to "patch" it. A new muffler from Newell is under $900. A fabrication shop could build a patch or two or three and try to weld it. I say try to weld it because if the metal has rusted too much it may disintegrate when they weld it and you'll have to get a new one anyway. Of course you also have the labor of removing & replacing, which in my case was not a simple unbolt as everything was very rusty & seized. Now you need to weigh how much of the job you are equipped to do yourself & how much you'll need to subcontract. Weigh that against what a new one costs installed. Also consider that a "patch" is a temporary fix, whereas a new muffler will last you many years.
I had the benefit of having all the equipment and material to R&R the muffler, build two patches and weld it up. If it wasn't weldable I would have only lost a little time.
Hope this helps............................
Yours is worse than mine was, but I think you could find some one to "patch" it. A new muffler from Newell is under $900. A fabrication shop could build a patch or two or three and try to weld it. I say try to weld it because if the metal has rusted too much it may disintegrate when they weld it and you'll have to get a new one anyway. Of course you also have the labor of removing & replacing, which in my case was not a simple unbolt as everything was very rusty & seized. Now you need to weigh how much of the job you are equipped to do yourself & how much you'll need to subcontract. Weigh that against what a new one costs installed. Also consider that a "patch" is a temporary fix, whereas a new muffler will last you many years.
I had the benefit of having all the equipment and material to R&R the muffler, build two patches and weld it up. If it wasn't weldable I would have only lost a little time.
Hope this helps............................
Steve Bare
1999 Newell 2 slide #531