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- čas přidán 16. 09. 2022
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You're a brave man welding on CZcams where everyone is a professional fabricator.
You're right! My keyboard can weld better than a professional welder. Unfortunately, I, the person, can only weld about as good as Ray. My welds are ugly, but they work.
Nice call!
I've never welded before, but I'm confident that my armchair is a better general than yours.
@@61rampy65 Except his first weld didn't work because he never followed the basics.
Unless you are charging people for your welding, then it doesn't matter.
He implicitly states a few times that he's not a welder, but does what he has to to get it to work yet STILL people come here to point out what he did wrong. I'm sure he knows what he did wrong and doesn't need 105 "experts" telling him the same thing over and over. Leave him be and let him do his job the way he wants to. He gets it done and helped save a customer lots of money. You think that person's going to care that the weld wasn't done perfectly? I highly doubt it.
Had a shop one time try to tell me I needed $900 exhaust replacement because there was a hole in my muffler. Asked them to show it to me. I told them, "Take my truck off your rack," and I paid for the work they'd done and never went back. Why? Because the tech pointed to the weep hole in the muffler and clearly thought I didn't know about such things. Wish shops had more people like you, sir.
Did HE know?
@@skodovkar likely not as usually they’ll just make the hole if they do know 😂
The same dang thing happened to me years ago.
Back then, I did not know about the hole for moisture to escape.
My decision not to replace the muffler was I was broke and the hole was small.
Now, I am thinking the guy was trying to rip me off.
Glad you told me. Never knew about that.
You've just sent me off on a half hour journey, learning all about weep holes. I certainly didn't know about such things. But I've never had a garage suggest I replace an exhaust that didn't need it, so that could be why. Why so expensive for a muffler back box?
Ray, you might not be a good welder, but you are damned good mechanic and a trustworthy person... well done sir, well done indeed!
Ray was doing the best he could with what he had and it's obvious that the shop didn't even provide them with a welder the wild already had work good and I think considering the rest the exhaust system and the combination of various metals they did a great job really I'm impressed have a good night
if it holds he did good 👍😸
Its hidden away i agree if it holds who cares what it looks like. I must say im cringe about it not looking "nice" but hey its functional and the problem is gone so hats off my man you can fix my car any day ray when your in Australia ill pop in 😊
As a welder shivers go down my spine seeing you weld Ray, then again saving people a ton of money makes up for that,and aslong as it works its a job well(d) done🤣 maybe a tip as i've seen somebody else already said, it clean the spot you want to weld with a flap disk or something
I remember when I was in my 1 and only welding class I set my self on fire. It got hot down there 🤣
And wear gloves, or a glove...
I was about to say something about the welding but didn't want to sound harsh or anything,
@@michael931 Safety is important. :) UV burns from arc light sources is just as dangerous. Skin cancer is no joke.
@@ericspecullaas2841 had 2 buddies, one burnt him self ,jumped under the car, knocked him self out.He was fine.
I still laugh,piece of slag landed on his balls. Was a female nurse.Nope not putting in an injury report.
I'm not a welder either, but I have found that spending a couple of minutes cleaning up the areas to be welded helps heaps, and you actually spend less time on the job over all. Flapper disk in a hand grinder does the trick, or even sanding disks. You clean up the gunk from other parts before re-assembly, welded parts are no different
was thinking exactly the same. Plus, of course, the pipe looks like it's coated....and that won;t help the weld stick.
This
Same here. Not a great welder but I definitely get a nice bead easier with clean surfaces and a good ground.
Im in the same sinking boat, lol. Except, I had to learn to just weld 2 seconds at a time with the metal he took off. I had found CZcams videos on how to do that since my welder only has High and Low.
That is true, always prep the surface you are going to weld, especially if you are going to use a squirt gun.
Ray, what you lack in welding skills you make up one thousand fold in skills and integrity. You obviously could have made a better commission selling them a complete exhaust system but you took the high road. Thank you for being the type of person that society needs more of!
On the bright side,how many people are ever going to see your fix? It would work on my truck.
Ditto that!
I accept this
I agree with Oxford. Society needs more techs like Ray. I've been saying that ever since I've watching his videos.
Exactly 👍
Really nice of you to do this for this guy. Posting your weld video on the internet was also brave because even the best welders have critics.
It’s only nice if it were free. He should have referred him. That would have been the right thing to do
You sir Ray are a true asset to your employer. I have posted this exact sentiment to your channel in the past, but it just is so apparent to me how good of a guy you are and how much you really care about doing right by your customers. Your willingness to do whatever it takes to help the customer out is what makes you stand out to me. I APPLAUD you Rainman Ray, as you deserve to be commended, time and time again, this time for putting yourself out for armchair welding experts that chomp at the bit, looking to critique your work, to simply do the right thing for a customer. Please never change Ray. You are an AWESOME human being and a STELLAR mechanic as well!!! Fred
I think it's his business?
And he was fired....sadly.
@@donegone6314 Maybe because he wouldn't overcharge people?
Ray, you have to clean what you're welding. You can weld just fine without gas, flux core wire is perfectly acceptable, but you have to use it on steel, not rust.
Exactly this, clean parts = cleaner welds.
Edit: Going through the comments now it's amazed me at how little people pay full attention/retain what ray said. He wasnt hooked to gas, he didn't prep the weld surfaces, but he checked if it was magnetic in case it was stainless steel. Sure, rookie mistakes, but he doesn't make money for being a welder, he makes it for being a problem solver, he made it work and did his best to ensure that his fix helped the issue stay fixed, I give an A+ for improvisation.
yes, flux core wire must have clean metal or it will not weld right. Using gas with it will weld through unclean metal.
@@lar4305 100 % wrong. Gas welding needs clean base metal. Flux core is designed for burning through rust. It is very aggressive.
@@lar4305 flux core that is designed to use shielding gas needs it, and self shielded flux core does not and actually has problems when you run gas with it. Both should be ground clean to remove rust and ideally wiped down with acetone (but that’s not very common) to make a satisfactory weld. The part he was welding was kinda thin so personally I would’ve ground off the rust, wiped it down with acetone then TIG welded it but I’m biased cause I’m a TIG welder. I understand why he did it that way.
Toyota exhaust systems have a Zink coating on them, knock that coating off they will weld.
As an ex welder turned weld inspector, your welds failed TREMENDOUSLY lol however, you saved your customer money and are honest and that makes up for , well, none of your failed welds, but you did say numerous times “I’m not a welder” soooo not bad my friend, not bad. I’ve seen muffler shops with work that ended up looking significantly worse than this!! Most shops today would’ve told them to go to a muffler shop, if not charged them hundreds to “fix” something it didn’t need fixed. Great job as always!!
Do you think Ray's welds will hold over time?
@@ptroinks honestly they probably will. I’ve seen some absolutely beautiful welds fail epically and the ugliest welds hold. Also depends on the procedure they’re being inspected too also.
You wouldn't believe how many "custom exhaust" shops run 409 stainless and don't have the equipment to weld 409 stainless. They just glob on the Er60S4 and call it a day. The hope is they haven't damaged the stainless that much and the weld is thick enough that it will take time to rust through.
@@KendrasEdge757 Something I've never understood about welding, is how a welder can be sure that the weld is good. Without ultrasound or x-ray, that is.
@@ptroinks when you’re welding you can see the puddle and you know that it’s fusing to the base. It’s gonna be solid but X-ray, PT, VT and MT and UT Is gonna show surface to sub-surface cracks and porosity. A visual inspection is sufficient for most welds and most welding schools teach basic VT to welder, level 1 typically. Basic exhaust welding like this doesn’t have inspections and typically mechanics haven’t done much if any welding school. They just don’t do much welding past tack welding. Which is completely normal. It’s not cheap when your main job is mechanican.
I appreciate you finding alternate solutions rather than just replacing the entire exhaust system. My mechanic thinks the same way. Saves me thousands of dollars.
Ray Charles could see where the next leak will appear. Instead of trying to mate galvanized to stainless, heating and bending the hanger rod 180 degrees over top of the exhaust pipe, then clamping and welding to the clamp only would have mitigated the stress on the thin gauge exhaust pipe. The pinholes from the mig will be apparent in no time. Your effort was shade-tree101 used car lot fixem up. I still love your channel though-- from a former GM mechanic.
Hey Ray - just a small warning - please wear welding Gloves when you weld! The ultraviolet which the helmet shields your eyes from - also does SEVERE damage to a person's skin... you don't see it Now - but will in some years. So be nice to yourself; invest in some welding gloves - and WEAR them - even on very small welding jobs...
As someone who's received many "sunburns" from welding... I concur. I used to get them on my chest/neck between my t-shirt collar and welding hood.
Welded in a squat position for half hour in cutoff Jean shorts. I’m a ginger. Second degree radiation burns. Ow.
And with breathing all that BRAKE KLEEN, not good
@@aaronbritt2025 I attached a leather flap to the bottom of my welding helmet after doing the exact same thing. At the time I was wearing bifocals and had to look out of the bottom of the lenses when welding which meant raising my chin and exposing that area even more.
Now I have a helmet with a much larger (taller) lens and I wear “cheaters” so I don’t have to raise my chin. Problem solved.
@@Dave-ei7kk I bought a neck guard. It looks like an ascot.
I will point out that they sell clamp-on exhaust hangers for $15-20. 🤣
"I'm in a constant battle against a throw away society" Your store really needs to keep up with making t-shirts with your words of ray wisdom.
all mechanics in a nutshell
Should be called Raysdom
My wife had a similar problem a few years ago (one hanger rusted off and some sort of band around the muffler gone). Of all places, the guys at the dealership offered to try and weld it first and only get a replacement band, because in the first place it was only offered together with the muffler. All other shops, independent as well as "well known chains" (I did not say well known for superior quality and craftsmanship!!! well known for "affordable prices") right of the bat claimed, nope, have to replace everything from the catalytic converter to the rear.
What should I say, the dealership managed to weld it back together, they managed to get a spare band and I paid about 45 EUR for the repair. The were fair enough up front to say, if they could not weld it or not get only the part, replacing the exhaust there would be about 600 EUR including labor. which was surprising as well, as all others asked at least 700. And the repair held up for at least 6 or 7 years until we sold the car. For that car I never went everywhere else except for that one dealership location afterwards, as they always had lower prices than others, even for a simple oil change or inspection.
Sadly I am almost sure in other dealership places it might have looked a lot different as well.
Also, having known a mechanic that work in one of those chains locations as a master craftsman some years back (back then they still did proper repairs, today good luck having them replace anything with something that is at least an OEM quality part. And here in Germany a shop cannot run by only journeyman mechanics, you will need at least one master craftsman to be allowed to operate a regular repair shop. It is different for those oil or tire change places though, who don´t do repairs) I know that it´s not necessarily the mechanics qualification and abilities that limits what they attempt as a repair or don´t, it is simple company policy only to offer parts exchanges where other shops may offer having parts rebuilt or trying to repair.
If Ray doesn't shoot the parts cannon enough, the service center might look at his sales statistics since the computer spreadsheet easily ranks merchanics in order of sales revenue to the shop. If Ray keeps saving money for the customer, his sales statistics will be at the bottom. He'll be let go for that and the shop will hire a new mechanic that is more profitable.
@@animejanai4657 Have you see the latest videos? If it were my business having customers that return to your shop because of your honest dealing with them and the word of mouth that creates both in person and online would be far more preferable to quick grab and run rip offs.
I like the way you think Ray. We replace and throw away whole assemblies, instead of fixing the small flaws/broken piece. I have found ways to fix a lot of my own vehicles as well as other household items by just taking a few minutes to figure a fix. Keep flighting against the “Throw away,” society when you can. Love the way you work and how you Think. Stay true my friend!👏🏼👍🏼
Hi Ray! Being a mechanic and an Expert on exhaust sytem and pretty good welder I'm shocked that your saying there's no gas. In my old shop (retired now) we had a mig welder but it used Argon gas. Koodos for the repair insted of the replacement. For your rubber bracket next time put a little grease on both hangers, once the rubber on it will not slip off even with the grease. Love your videos .. Mark from Montreal Canada.
I like it. I'm a commercial refrigeration mechanic. We rig on the fly on a regular basis. I rarely see auto mechanics improvise like this. Good stuff!
I love the ingenuity with getting the job done and saving the customer the money. But I would love to be there when they have to bring this car to a muffler shop and hear the comments from the tech. Great job Ray as always.
That exhaust system is more than likely made out of grade 403 stainless steel (UNS S40300), one of its physical properties is being magnetic another is that it has good corrosion resistance. The problem with welding that material is that you get loss of chromium where it is welded, hence the corrosion around the areas that have been welded unlike every where else that is devoid of any corrosion.
Yup or 409. 409 is used for furnace heat exchangers as well, it can get some surface rust, but it's more resistant to cracking from heat cycles. 316 would have even better corrosion resistance in the salt belt, but would be more expensive.
Good coat of high heat primer or maybe ceramic paint would save it from rusting again. Multiple solutions to protect those vulnerable spots from pesky cancer.
I doubt its stainless unless its an aftermarket system. Stainless is what it should be but then it would never need replacing and unfortunately that is no longer how cars are made. Except maybe as a dealer extra upgrade at 5 times the actual cost
@@Scott_A A lot of OEM's use stainless for there exhaust systems. They are using 400 series stainless steels, be that 403, 405 or 409, not to be confused with 300 series which aftermarket specialist exhaust manufacturer use. With the long warranties that OEM's now have, it would cost them a small fortune in having to replace the exhaust systems at their expense. So paying a small premium for 400 series material is a cost saving. As I stated 400 series has good corrosion resistance as opposed to very good/excellent with 300 series or poor with untreated carbon steel. The problem with 400 series is when welding thin sections there is a large heat affected area, this leads to the loss of chromium due to the formation of chrome carbides, net result is loss of corrosion resistance in the heat affected area, the corrosion is not just surface but also intergranular, which then makes it susceptible to cracking, that exhaust showed all the classic signs of that.
@@iwb316 my bad, you are correct. Tho from what i just read the 409 seems to barely be better than normal steel but as you say its simply to pass the longer warranty periods now offered
Welder here. main issue is that you tryna weld self-shielded fluxcore through some sort of anti-rust coating like galvanisation. makes it bubble up and look narsty as well be super weak. Glad to see you doing it in a way that will work well and save the people some money :)
I was thinking the exact same thing. I'm definitely a novice, but I was taught the grinder should have come out before the welder :)
@@innomin8251 Thank you for saying that! The rust and metal parts have got to be CLEAN! I am not a master welder but I have been wrenching for 30yrs I was taught to make sure the metals are RUST free before you weld!
Don't forget when welding with gasless wire you really need to knock the slag off between welding strikes. Welding over your Slag is not usually ideal. I think if he would have cleaned that pipe and bracket before he started this would have been a shorter video. I personally would have wired brushed the galvanized coating off the clamp 1st as well. It would have making this job a little easier on him from the start.
Some exhaust piping are made with "Aluminized Steel Piping" - mild steel coated with aluminum silicon alloy, to prevent corrosion
IT student here: the shielding gas is there to help protect the weld from inclusions while it is being formed, without it the risks of an inclusion forming joins the 40 mile high club. so without it your increasing the likely-hood of the weld breaking in the future. there's also making sure your metal types match -certain wires don't mix with certain metals in welds because mixed metal corrosion is always fun!
you do what you gotta do Ray but Industrial tech guys will HIGHLY encourage its use when possible
An old trick learned 80 yrs. ago...when you're trying to slide rubber over metal like that hanger has, just spray some regular rubbing alcohol on either part. It will slip right on and the alky evaporates without leaving any residue.
So much respect for you Ray. I do most minor work on my own cars so I know a bit about my vehicles. When I don’t have the skill, time or tools for a repair I’ll take the car in to a pro. I’ve run into many dishonest or lazy techs that will cost a customer money or flat out steal from them with an unnecessary repair. It’s refreshing to see a guy who likes solving a problem with the customer and their wallet in mind. Keep up the good work brother.
I personally think that when you do Ppl right, good things come your way, but I still try to treat Ppl good no matter what bc we never truly know what someone's going through!
People have this misconception that because they bought a welder at Harbor Freight that it makes them a welder. After nearly 50 years of watching people weld everything from natural gas transmission pipelines to power station boiler tubes I can tell you that it doesn't.
It takes years of practice and experience. Even at that there are various levels of certification for various jobs.
Ray, you have nothing to be ashamed of. When the power station offered a welding course I declined. I was an Instrument Repairman and Electrician, and we don't lean into the arc, we make the arcing stop.
Welding is an artform. The technical side can be taught in a classroom but the reality of building consistent properly penetrating welds is an art. It's about seeing and hearing the weld process. Can't get that anywhere else but spending hours under the helmet.
There is a difference between a MECHANIC and a parts replacer. Anyone can bolt on parts, a real MECHANIC fixes things. Great job Ray!
The clamp to attach things to exhaust pipe is the most secure method i have found. I use this method whenever I need to fix ot add a hanger to thin pipe. I usually just bend up a new hanger from 3/8" or 1/2" rod and then weld that to the long edge of the stamped portion of exhaust clamp. This allows clean metal for good secure welds. I find welding to dirty, rusty and thin old exhaust pipe a problematic thing many times. Really like your channel.
Your welding woes may have been caused by the exhaust being plated in something that was not weld friendly. Maybe a some kind of bronze/zinc mix to prevent rusting. In future try taking a zip wheel to it and take the coating off, so your through to steel coloured steel, not that goldish type colour. Especially important to do if your trying to weld to a surfaced that's got a galvanised coating, not only is it a pig to weld to, the fumes are also somewhat poisonous to breath.
It's stainless steel not coated you need a tig welder for stainless
@@bigdaddymak1439 you don’t have to use TIG you can use a MIG with stainless wire.
Stainless steel is no big deal to weld ,however not having a shield gas is .I find Tig is the smoothest weld but even stick can be done well with practice .Compliments on saving that exhaust system ,finally doing repair work instead of assembly line parts changing .
Your customer should give you a handsome tip.?
I agree but its probley stainless. You will need stainless wire and sheilding gas or a tig.
Exactly what I was going to suggest. I'm no welder by trade just another tech. But I know from my experience cleaning the surface before welding will usually make your welds stick a smidgen better. Great work ray!
Again I've interrupted my watching our Queen lying in state (God bless her!) to see your latest video Ray, this is the interest us retired mechanics have in watching other poor buggers struggle and strain! Modern electronic and mechanical devices help but they are useless unless they are in the hands of someone who gives tuppence! UK Pete.
add one for some of us yanks for Her Majesty, willya?
@@anonymuswere consider it done Sir/Madam!
Much love! No disclaimers needed for your welds. Take a wire bush to that muffler and bracket piece before welding, might help a little.
Muffler shop veteran pro tip. A little shot of PB blaster in the rubber insulator and they slide on smooth as silk. Another great video Ray! 👍👍
I haven't commented before but I had to say bravo on this repair. Not gonna lie - that's some janky welding but once you got to the metal you were able to make that one single component. That is some mad skill and I must give to you a tip o' the hat. Watching you work is very relaxing and wholesome and I just wanted to give you kudos. Thanks - keep the videos coming!
Argon gas shielding and a clean surface makes a big difference
Hey Ray, quick tip on your welding.
There is and old saying that goes: if there's slag, you drag.
Normal mig welding you "stab the weld" for flux core you want to drag your weld so that your liquid metal forms under the slag instead of through it.
Hope it helps :-) took me way to long to figure it out.
Btw I think its awesome you fighting the let's just replace anything society.
Hope you have a great day brother!!
I'm strong believer and replace repair rebelled reuse have a good evening everybody and goodbye oo
You save the customer big money, and gained a lifetime customer for the shop,nice!
Saving money with Rainman Ray is usually a GOOD idea.
Painting a fresh weld with high temp paint to avoid rust damage... I thought only mechanics in the rust belt (like me) did that? Kudos Ray!
It's stainless, 400 series stainless is magnetic, 300 series has nickel in the alloy which makes it low magnetism. For your purpose I'd recommend some Blue Demon 309L flux core wire, It's low carbon and will work decent on just about anything. The standard ER70 or E71 will make stainless very brittle, the carbon inside the exhaust will make it much worse. Your repair will probably crack and need repair again.
Thanks for tip. Ordering today , just in case
Muffler shop?
Talking about the pipe being 400 series or the clamp? Failing to see how the repair would fail if he didn't weld on the pipe, just the clamp.
@@zunar_j5_933 He started by trying to weld the original mount back on the pipe, that probably heated it up enough to absorb carbon from the inside of the pipe, along with the lack of shielding inside will make it brittle.
Shop that can't keep it's general equipment in repair (Mig Welder) for use when needed is indeed Poorly able to offer good service
Good for you saving the customer some money . I don't have a welder , but have made some stout hangers out of muffler clamps . You are a good guy Ray .
I know exactly what your talking about I found a place that makes J HOOK U BOLTS just for this purpose. I think I even saw a couple in at Home Depot one day when I went in there to get a few 2" U bolts.
Had a similar thing happen on my '09 Silverado 1500. Previous owner had an aftermarket exhaust installed and the welds rusted out. The holes were down stream from the cats but before the mufflers. I hammered some flat plate steel to the shape of the pipes and welded them on a patches then bent and welded a piece of 5/8" rebar as the brace. Since then I have cleaned all the welds and applied a heat resistant paint everywhere I could reach. No problems since.
A friendly tip to weld. #1: Clean all surfaces that are going to be welded. You had the right idea originally to tack the bracket. But then wire brush it, hammer it in place, then weld a full bead across it. Same for the upper surface.
Precisely what I was going to suggest, and I'm not a welder's middle finger. But that much I have learned.
Ray when using any reciprocating tool such as that saw push the anvil up hard against the workpiece. That way you eliminate judder, cut efficiently and lessen the risk of injury.
I've not been a welder for 40 years. This is the best damn weld I've ever seen.
1. You welded, it helded😊
2. A grinder and paint makes up for the welder I ain’t.
Good work Ray
cleaning the metal helps to make a strong weld. great job Ray.
And not clean with brake clean....clean like....grind it clean. Lol
I admire your solution! Not spending a large amount of money when it can be fixed for far less is admirable!
Actually you can buy a U clamp with the attachment piece already there, for just a few dollars.
you are one of the most honest mechanics I have ever met....they are few and far between...
There are very few things we dislike more than exhaust work. However, the local exhaust guys don’t do work on Peterbilt trucks so we must learn as we go. A buzz box does okay on this stuff, but overhead without gas is not ideal. So innovation and creativity are the foundations of the trade! Kudos on the clamp. Better than factory!
Perhaps use a MIG Silicon-bronze brazing wire for dissimilar metals. But as below comments surfaces still need to be shiny clean. Love your videos.
I had the same done to my 2005 V70 diesel (130K), exhaust mounts rusted through at the original weld. It still has the original exhaust after 17 years of salt winters in the UK !!
Nice to see a repair rather than replace Ray. Well done and I hope the customer gets a lot more mileage without having to replace the system 👍🏻👍🏻
I'm way too insecure about my welding skills to show them online, you're much braver than I.
Hint for better welds with flux core from a weekend welder: grind shiny the mating surfaces and whenever you stop a weld, even a tack, clean off the slag before continuing.
How about vise grips clamping the bracket sides to the saddle then weld through the holes in the bracket to the saddle?
That way, the hanger could be removed later if further maintenance is required down the road.
It may not be pretty, but it's solid!!
Great job on repairing that small problem. That is a whole lot less work than replacing the tail pipe. The customer will greatly appreciate it. Keep up the good work!
More dedicated honest mechanics are needed like you.
I remember my days working in oil field shop. When I helped the welder. Always disconnect the battery to the vehicle. An cleaning the area. He was going to teach me how to weld. But I didn't stay long there, I did learn how to use a cutting torch and a device that was like a little car but had a track and would cut metal straight. That was fun.
But glad you saved him money. I like to say, good enough for government work. 👍
Glad to see someone trying to save someone money and not throwing away perfectly good parts. Good job.
Alot of shops would replace the whole exhaust just to make money but ray is like me save people money when ever possible yes it went in circles for him at first ray but in the end he got it done and saved the customer tons of money great job ray
I don't think it's "just to make money" - because shop make money on repairs - not on selling parts.
They will do it simply because it is easier - just order and replace, no brain activity whatsoever.
@@deadlymecury shops mark up parts by 50-100% everybody knows this
@@mentals555 aha, 200%, no, 300%.
Stealership be like you need a whole new exhaust the muffler the catalytic converter new oxygen sensors and we noticed the suspension why’ll we were under there looks dangerous I recommend new control arms and all new bushings too. We can do it for 8K
Another great, creative solution. You gave me the confidence to take a shot at changing the brake pads on my truck, and I couldn't believe how easy it was. I just dropped by to say thanks for all the knowledge you've shared. The best part of your videos is not the mechanics, it's your troubleshooting skills - they are elite.
@Nighthawk, congrats on the brake job!! 💥🤗🥇
so how confident are you in welding the brake pads?
He inspired me to matter of fact I went to the local car parts dealer got brake clean pads lubricant and oh yeah three dot brake fluid Ray is inspired me thank you Ray have a good day bye
Spot on. A great repair, i hope the customer understood the choice of a few grand (new) or a brilliant little fix to save a perfectly working good part. Need more like you Ray, good job
A warm Florida afternoon 25 years from now…. The Prius is parked at an antique auto show… the owner says everything was replaced over the years, except that super welded bracket. A continuous loop of this video is played as people file by admiring the work!
As much respect as i have for you I'd laugh my ass off seeing it coming to a workshop and finding that piece of art underneath. Cheers my good man, always fun to watch you work( should've said hear lol)
You r welds are better than mine
I was working on a car, and got under it and found the front end of the car held on with hurricane straps used on rafters. I correctly guessed which of my wife's family did that work (they're all in construction).
Love the guy at 23:34 and 23:49 wailing never ending story by Limahl
Glad to hear that you saved a customer money
As a Mech Eng I applaud your ingenuity Ray. The extra support bolt was a Masterstroke.
The Toyota robot welder flunked 😂 Ray to the rescue 👍
great repair Ray! on-the-fly fabrication with somewhat limited resources is the mark of a master mechanic, in my opinion. much respect to you, sir.
I doubt Ray has any lack of resources. Surely he has a tool box full of spare bolts! The finished product looked something like I would have done down to the black paint. I would have been pleased as Punch if that were my car Ray modified.
@@corvettebob96 ..... key words.. 'fabrication with limited resources' means 'using limited', as in a clamp and a bolt, no inference of any lack of resources. i'd be happy with the repair on my own vehicle as well. Ray to the rescue!😀
Welding is 90% metal prep, 5% practice, and 5% machine settings. Thoughts from an AWS 3 process guy. Love the vidja Ray
Yeah, just like painting, it's all in the prep work. Professionals give themselves every advantage, just like professionals in other trades.
I agree completely with your assessment concerning your lack of welding and fabrication skills. I also appreciate your honesty.
Flux core wire is perfectly acceptable. The only place you went wrong was grinding the muffler pipe and broken bracket clean on rust and oxidation.
You completed the repair, made money and saved the customer money.
Excellent work!!!!
Hey Ray. I love this. Philosophy spot on. FYI for next time - yes the exhuast is stainless, but its a 400series stainless which is slightly magnetic and also, and cold formed stainless ends up magnetic (the pipe is cold formed in manufacture). But no matter - for next time, keep you amps up a bit higher like they were at the start, just take it hot, and keep doing that. Works every time. Welder 20 years - stainless, aluminium and everything in between - sometimes you just gotta do the job infront of you with the tools ya got :-). I reckon if you'd kept the heat up at the start, you would have finished it :-)
Huh! I sure had to wonder about it being stainless. I stink at welding exhaust. I usually end up blowing holes in it, so I'd probably have turned the heat down like he did. Btw, what's in between? Stainluminum?😁
if i was that customer i'd have been EXTREMELY happy with that result.
It’s definitely prettier than a $1000 bill
Not me. I woulda been po'd
until the exhaust pipe fails for being overheated with carbon inside it. Then its a 2k repair instead of using a clamp in the first place.
Awesome video. A simple diagnosis, but an elegant fix. Your welding skills may need improvement, but your creative problem solving skills are at a pro level. You fixed it, saved money, landfill space, and left the parts guy sitting by the phone to wonder if you're gonna call. Bravo!
Yeah the people talking they used to Miller's hobart's in Lincoln's this was at off the shelf store bought little Wilder probably 110 volt and he did a great job I know what he was working with have a good night
Shitty welds are great if they safe you 1000 bucks.
It isnt structural, safety relatet or in a place you have to look at it so it is good enough.
Just to help you get your mig or flux core wire welding better; purchase a container of MIG nozzle cleaner and use it frequently while welding. It will keep your tip from getting full of spatter. Also always clean your area to be welded to clean metal surfaces.
Work on keeping your tip a small distance from your work and don't touch the nozzle against your work.
Stainless steel can be magnetic depending on the grade of stainless, but it still can be welded with a MIG welder.
Ray, I bought this car in 2022 with 220,000 miles on it. Everything underneath the car was rusted and had to be replaced except for your bracket. it was still like new....just kidding. You did a great job for the customer. He or she must have been a good friend of yours to put that much effort in it. Great job !!!
There are three types of stainless. One of them is ferritic which is magnetic. The other two are martensitic and austinitic which are not magnetic.
He saved the costumer a lot of money, i love this guy!
With flux wire I've found that grinding the metal clean before welding and between each bead helps the weld alot, tip if anyone wants it. 10 times better to just get gas tho..
Wish Ray was my mechanic…..saying that my mechanic is honest and goes the extra mile but Ray has personality and personality goes a long way :)
I just had to replace the whole exhaust system on my Tesla,I had a rattle also! The mechanic said it looked like someone tried to steel my converter but didnt finish the job. They kinda felt bad about it,so they sold me the new system at their cost and the labor was only 4 hours,so i squeeked out just shy of a grand! They are really good ,everytime I take my car to them!
exhaust on a Tesla?
watch out for those cooling nipples on the battery - one rock in the right place and you're in for $23k for a new battery, when $5 of plumbing fittings makes the repair better than it originally was!
This comment concerns me.
Hello Peter, what model Tesla has an internal combustion motor. Only ones with this need an exhaust. As Mediarav said "exhaust on a Tesla" - it only has an electric motor. Either you are taking a rise out of everyone or you are being deceived. Retired mechanic in Land Down Under.
This is a real, true story.
Just a tip that I learned as I was self learning to weld. Anything with slag takes quite the skill. That is why I stick to regular mig wire. It can weld almost anything a stick or flux core can and do not have to worry about slag. But yeah throwing things out bugs a lot more than I would like to admit.
Got to agree on the "Made to fail" assessment. That factory bracket looks like the most half-assed PoS hanger I've seen. At least your bodged together solution is going to do the job it's intended for and not break off after a few years!
I agree with your decision to repair rather than replace the entire exhaust. That was a honest decision. But you hacked that repair badly. This repair was beyond your skill set as a welder.
Great job and saved the customer a quid. That welding did remind me to get my piles sorted, Thanks Ray!
That turned out pretty good. Personally, I would have made a strap to wrap the tube, and overlap the original bracket. On the strap wrapping the tube, I would have drilled a couple of 3/8" holes to tack the strap to the tube, then using good clamping, clamped the two strap ends to the bracket and then welded. Matching the strap thickness to approx same as tube helps the welding as one part is not being much cooler than the other. In your case, the bolt, for example, being able to absorb much more heat than the bracket, tends to be cooler, requiring the aiming of the arc more into the bolt, than onto the thin sheet. Also, it is much better to always remove skin coatings prior to welding, on both parts. Think "match metals" and "try to weld pure". In the time you made this video, your welding skill appears to have improved, by the way.
exhaust hanger,with rubber/cloth anti vib, $8..
Don't listen to all the negative comments your a good man and a hell of a mechanic if I could drive and live in your area I would want you to work on my vehicle everytime the world needs more mechanics like you
So... I'm a hobbyist/ amateur welder with a friend who is a traveling mill write (professional welder). Things I've learned... anytime you're stick welding OR using Flux core wire, you need to remove the slag (the stuff the Flux leaves behind) before adding anymore weld. Adding more weld does NOT "burn the slag" out or away. Slag inclusions significantly weaken your weld. Also, this exhaust is quite obviously some alloy of stainless (11 years old and no rust. yes, most alloys of stainless are somewhat magnetic). You need stainless wire (that doesn't come in Flux core) and straight argon gas to weld it.
We are in a throw away society, and it's a damn shame. I don't normally take my car to shops, let along large chain shop (like dealership, meineke, or the like) simply because I'm very particular with how I repair and maintain my things, and I've heard awful experiences and seen a lot of shoddy work done at those shops. That said, I wish I could find someone like you, at a chain shop or otherwise. Many moons ago I befriended the owner of a small shop in a town (village) I lived in, and he was the best, let me work on my car in his shop using his lift and would help me too, I wish I could have moved him and his shop with me. He was a volvo nut, and I prefer toyota (lexus).
I have a friend who owns a shop but he only sees me for things that I absolutely cannot do in my own driveway. A fixed income guarantees at least 90% of maintenance gets done by my own 2 hands. I have always been a Shade-tree & spent some time as a Light Wheel Mechanic before being OJTed to other jobs "for the needs of The Army"😁. Even when I was in those other jobs, I still had a toolbox issued to me in the Motorpool. (I can promise you, it was a pain in my 4th point of contact come inspection/ inventory/ Chain of Command time)
Hey guys I went to the steam around me this weekend I pulled around my little red wagon with stuff that restored like a gasoline power blow torch a Edison toaster and I bought some mag wheels for my little red wagon hey you guys like to recycle your to go to that place they had everything and a lot of half pieces and parts where you can build stuff out of it matter of fact I built two liners today at a parts have a good evening bye
I take my car to a local chain (6 locations family owned) after many recommendations. I normally do all the work myself, but working on a 'stang sans a lift and half tools I used to own (theft) is a pain.
For those looking for good reliable mechanics, I suggest going to car shows and inquire who does their work. Quite a few don't turn their own wrenches and you can get good recommendations.
Good on you for not taking the easy and very expensive route at the customer's expense, though if I'm not mistaken, they do make universal hangers that could have made for an easier job. I've been binge watching for a while, great channel, awesome content. Thanks
My car been acting really weird a while and I heard pretty loud noise got under noticed I had a donut gone in the back of my catalytic converter the flange was gone now here I am stuck under my car cuz my belly finally took exhailed and got out took my car to a good shop they put a new catalytic converter new flex fitting and I took the car on the highway I cannot say how fast I went but when the turbo kicked in that f****** thing come to life and I had a ball hey have a good evening
I have had my mechanic do basically the same thing for me (literally saving thousands of dollars for complete new exhaust) which is one of the reasons he has been my mechanic for over 15 years.
I’ve just had a similar situation a bracket holding my brake cable came adrift because of a rusted bolt I was going to take the suspension apart and turn the plate round as is has a bolt hole on both sides then I remembered I’ve got an old welder in the shed ,but I’m not a welder so it’s either learn to weld or spend hours removing the springs etc , your channel inspires me to fix things
I used to be in a welding school. The first thing that's taught with Mig and most welders is that you must grind the surface clean like you did after fouling up the beads.
It's something to do with gas mixture, heat and contamination that causes it not to properly weld.
As long as the surfaces are clean then the weld should mix and properly bead if the wire feed speed and heat is just right. If it's turning black and popping something is wrong.
If that happens change speed and heat. I would practice on scrap metal that is around the same thickness and material of what I plan on welding and after perfecting the bead and settings I'd do the actual job.
In this case a junkyard exhaust pipe and a few Bolts would be perfect to test it on away from the vehicle.
It honestly doesn't take much time. Maybe 5-7 bolts on a peice of steel trying several beads until you get a thick beads that looks solid without popping.
Yeah, I'm gonna jump on with everyone else. I was really hoping you were gonna take that bracket to the bench and clean it with the burnishing brush, then clean the pipe where it attaches. That would have helped a lot with being able to run a good bead on the weld.
All about prepping
I'm not a welder either.. you needed to wire wheel/grind the clamp and pipe first, as always. That's a must. Also on the weld for thin gauges you need quick tacks to keep the red heat down with gaps between tacks with pausing in between. Then go back over it again slowly filling the gaps more and more. Most importantly pause as you go.
You did it, it works, and saved a lot of money. It will last for many years!
The spare bolt as a support was a nice Touch There Ray True car guys find ways to make things work @Rainman Ray's Repairs
I would have put a exhaust "U" clamp through those 2 holes in the support bracket and around the pipe. :)
But your approach is stronger than the original, and who ever looks under a car except mechanics and us DIY'ers.
Yep that would have been my approach and the clamp would have lasted longer than the pipe I suspect but I'm a hack and Ray's one of best so following his lead will always be better.
That’s what I was thinking. Oh well.
Ray, just fyi most tail pipes and mufflers are made of 409 or 410 stainless. It’s a low grade stainless and will rust some and a magnet will stick to it to some degree. Also you don’t need your ground that close to where you are welding. Just place it out of the way and weld away.
I really enjoy your videos!
A Welder you aint, i know you are supposed to melt the metal and filler wire but this was to the extreme🤦😂, absolutley bang on with the mad comment😂
complete respect for not charging the customer for a complete new exhaust system, a lot would have, you can always brush up on skills, Honesty comes from within.Keep up the good work👍
Great job, I would of done it a bit different they make universal hangers but I've be here a time or two. I think the weld is ugly but will hold just fine I'm glad you saved them money.
Years ago they used to sell universal exhaust hangers at the auto parts store and then everything got specific to every car and unless you had that part from the dealer for that car you couldn't fix it it's throw away society everybody's right it's ridiculous and as far as availability apart makes me laugh have a good night
I can just picture that car in a wrecking yard 30 years from now with everything rusted away except your repair. Very creative on your part I'd say. This gave you a chance to express your artistic flair. Great job!
you can weld stainless you just have to use the correct wire or rod, I've done it a lot, even welded my own traction bars up out of 316 stainless using 316 stainless rod.
This is the best! Saved the customer a ton of money and made the right decisions!