rusty aftermarket stainless exhaust

[Slow Ride]

Has anyone had this issue besides me? I installed a Banks Monster cat back and LPP headers at Christmas time. 3 months later I go under my truck to lower it and find the whole system is rusty. The pipes are completely covered in rust and the muffler is rusting at all of the weld seams. Pretty crappy that I spent over $1000 to get stainless and it is rusting faster than aluminized or painted would have.

My camera batteries were dead so I'll try to take pics tonight.

My bumpers are also shot. They were perfect when I bought the truck in October. Now the back one is completely pitted and rusty. The front isn't pretty either. I wash my truck weekly in the winter

[George C]

not all stainless is the same. 409 stainless which is a cheap grade of stainless is used by most companies out there. magnaflow is one of the companys that use a 409 stainless.

theres a good bit of difference in price between 409 and 304. 304 is usually near double the cost of 409. 409 is a few bucks more then alumumize mild steel.

you living where they salt the roads its nothing new to see your exhaust rust.

welds will rust if they didnt use stainless wire and Tri-mix. using regular wire and 75/25 will bond the metal together however will rust sooner then later

[Slow Ride]

I understand this. I'm a mechanical engineer. I just was not aware that the aftermarket was gouging their customers with sub standard materials. The original exhaust still looks good after 5 years and the new stuff is crap in 3 months.

[Slow Ride]

I need to rework the hangers for the drop.









and these bumpers were perfectwhen I bought the truck in Oct




How she sits with big ol' tires

[George C]

well you being a Engineer you should of known what to expect


and its only scale, in some cases the scale actually helps prevent the metal from fully rusting thru

[KeJessie]

take some chrome polish to those bumpers alot of that will come off but not all. JMO

[CHEVROLADE]

too much salt?any sound clips of that banks exhaust?

[Slow Ride]

well you being a Engineer you should of known what to expect


and its only scale, in some cases the scale actually helps prevent the metal from fully rusting thru

I fully expected a bit of oxidation. What bothers me is the rate and the pitting. The pictures do not show how the pipes feel.

[99silveradodude]

they must use way to much salt where you live.

[kam2265]

My LPP long tubes and ORY look similar to yours, maybe a little more shiny. I was surprised how they rusted but nothing on mine has gone through. All the welds are still good. My Gibson exhaust system looks better than my headers lol.

+1 I think the scale layer might help protect the headers too.

As soon as I get my mechanical engineering degree I'm moving south. I'm sick of watching the money I have invested in trucks rot away. I want to be able to drive my 87 V20 and my 84 K5 all year!!