What new tools have you got lately?

[Ricko1966]

I can try that. I have a 2 5/16 ball on a stinger not doing anything. I also have one of those pipe fixer upper gizmos with three rollers in a triangle with a handle screw that sets the diameter I could use to roll out the one end of the muffler that has the ding in its end. There are options. I wanted to be able to open the ends of pipe just to the others O.D. for slip fit without going the hydraulic expander route.

Or go like 78 C10bigten did with band clamps. Welding seems to be optimum so I guess it will end up how it ends up when the time comes.

Good idea Ricko, thanks!

To make sure we are on the same page. Use a ball smaller than your pipe.Ball inside the pipe hit the pipe above the ball with the hammer, the metal below the hammer will flatten and stretch slightly, stretch,stretch, stretch. A little here a little here, a little here, all the way around and id/od will have to grow. A little heat would help. A vice and round stock would be a better anvil. But most people have a reciever and ball.

 

[Radiohead]

Yup, I'm going with the 3" exhaust since I've already acquired the mufflers and cats in said guage. 2½" is probably the better choice, but I'm already at 3, so...

I have a vise and some 2 something heavy pipe I can try too. Never was much of a body guy, was always an under hood/under car tech so it won't hurt me to learn something like that.

I will experiment on some scrap pipe to get my technique down and certainly won't be banging on the cats to size them; size their inlet/outlet pipes instead. Thanks for the nudge Rick. Some long tubes (in the parts pile already) and I'm off to the races.