Hi there, I have a 96 mk3 ABF 16v, with a milltek stainless exhaust. It sounds great but when i hit any small bumps/potholes/turn hard, my backbox hits either the heatshield above (its about 1cm away from the heatshield), naking an annoying rattling noise; or also the tailpipes hit the cutout on the rear bumper (they are about 1.5 - 2cm away)... making annoying thumping type noises! My question is, can anyone advise me on something to stop this? I was thinking of putting some neoprene or something between the bumper cutout and exhaust tips, as this would stop the exhaust bouncing up.. but im worried it might melt over my nice polished tailpipes, or even worse - catch fire! Im sure this is a common problem so any advice would be much appreciated! Cheers Scott
Don't put anything by the exhaust that can melt/catch fire from serious heat. Take off the offending part of the exhaust (the back box I'm presuming) and try stretching out the rubber hangers a bit so that it sits slightly lower.
What exhaust rubbers are you using, the standard ones aren't man enough for aftermarket exhausts really as their too heavy and they just stretch the rubbers. I got some wire reinforced ones on my mk1 which has stopped all the banging around, available from gsf for a couple of quid.
I assume that if the exhaust is sitting high enough to bang on the bumper that he is already using wire enforced hangers. With gentle persuasion you can still stetch these a bit to lower the exhaust and stop it banging on the heatshield/bumper.
It could also be fouling on the rear beam which isn't as easy to fix. Mine had the same problem before I sorted it myself. I'd called in to ATS fpr allignment and asked them to look at the knocking exhaust. They pulled it down still on the rubbers and threw a massive rubber hanger in ontop of the body of the back box making it sit about 3" lower again!! - mupets! You can either get longer rubbers to let it hang lower or shorter rubbers to hold it tight against the underside (not ideal as it may bubble the paint in the boot if it gets too hot or the heatsheild is removed. You'll have trouble 'stretching' exhaust rubbers btw.
hmm im sure its not hitting the rear beam, I dont really want it to sit any lower as i think that would make it look a bit bodged.. it was sitting higher previously (nearly touching the back bumper) and there was less thumping (as it didnt gather so much speed before hitting the bumper) but the twin pipes werent sitting evenly, so i shimmed the rear mount with some washers, which has made it a little lower but completely level. Interesting idea about the wire reinforced rubbers, i may have to get some of these. The current rubbers are i beleive the standard black rubber ones, with the exception of two yellow powerflex ones before the rear beam. someone should make a heat resistant foam to put between the body/bumper and exhaust!!
My magnex system's rear box (big) knocks against the metal jig point just before the exit at the rear. I've tried re-inforcing using jubillee clips around the rubbers but they don't stay put, I'll be trying the wire-reinforced rubbers, as this system (including wrapped tube manifold 4-1) eats hangars constantly. Sounds good tho. Refinement not an issue with my car, anybody used purely metal hangers...?
i used to work at a compnay who used to make fire resistant material (paint mainly) but we used to used sheets (similar to esbestos) which was fire resistant. i cant remeber the name of it right now, ut this material was hard and sound insulating and could be wedged between the exhaust and heatshield. once i remember what it is, i will let you guys know. it came in a creamy sort of colour and was available in various thicknesses. try looking up some companies on google for fire retardent material.
what about putting some chunky rubber in the gap of the hangers, preventing them from compressing so much?
interesting topic, I get this aswell but also when I pull off with too few revs and exaust vibrates more rattling against something.
Mine started doing that, noticably (dont often hear too much over the engine/exhaust note anyway). I think the rubbers have stretched out ever so slightly which means its now fouling on the rear beam, ever so slightly.
Bit of an update, i moved the rearmost hanger as far to the left as possible (it still looks central though), and also temporarily fixed one of the points on the heatshield where the crappy clip had rusted and broken off - the exhaust is now no longer vibrating ont eh heatshield when pulling away/cornering. The tailpipes still hit the rear bumper when going over large bumps/potholes, went down to my local gsf today and they showed me the "only wire reinforced mount" they do which was nothing like the mk3 golf ones - so will have to keep searching for those, anyone got any links to other people who do them?
do you think that the position of the back box or centre silencer would have any effect on exhaust drone in the cabin when cruising at ~3000rpm? I mainly get it on motorway, which means I have to go faster to make it quiet.
I can't remember exactly, but does the rear mount for the mk3 look like this one? Taken from the site Phil posted, part PX667 - PolyX.
Ring Vince @ Stealth for Powerflex hangers, or try Halfrauds who can order them in. The Mk2/Mk3 hangers are code EXH 006 iirc (Just found out I've got a melted one which is causing the extra rattle.)
they look quite alot like the pic above, except they are on a swivelled metal bracket that bolts to the underside of the body.
i found that the shorter HD mounts stopped the rattle when pulling away/cornering, just stretch them over the hangers (might need to use a small pry bar or something to get them over) the mounts under tension reduce the movement in the exhaust dramatically. get them from GSF just ask for the HD or reinforced ones go to their main branch in felthem if u can they always have em in stock. i don't get the problem with the tip hitting the rear, maybe bcause my exhaust is a standard GTI one.
