'95 Chevy S-10 4x4 4.3 V6. I had a new Walker exhaust system installed by a mechanic 4 years ago. Recently the wishbone shape hanger that holds up the cat. pipe broke off due to rusting. The actual hanger piece broke off where it’s welded to the pipe. This caused the pipe to eventually crack off right at the muffler opening from stress.
My question is, can I have someone weld a new hanger on the cat. pipe? The pipe looks rusty but I think it’s still solid. I’ve looked at parts sites but can’t find any hanger parts that I could install myself there. Another question is, is there any way to repair the existing muffler, or should I just replace the whole thing? The inlet pipe broke off almost flush with the muffler body. It’s not all that rusty, it looks like it just cracked over time from fatigue. Thanks for any help.
If the pipe is good it can be welded…As for the hanger…Why does the hanger have to be welded to the pipe??
That’s what I’d like to know, the original was welded. What else can I use for a hanger that will fit the two top rubber mounts?
You could probably weld a sleeve on the broken joint and clean up and re-weld the old hanger onto it. If you can’t re-use the old hanger, you can probably get a shop to bend a new rod into the same shape as the old hanger.
That said, if you have to go through the trouble of making a new hanger, you might be better off replacing the whole pipe w/new hanger.
It’s the small pipe coming out of the converter with the broken hanger. I don’t know if that pipe is removable or not, I didn’t think it was. The old hanger isn’t re-usable.
I looked at this again. It’s the catalytic converter pipe with the broken hanger, it’s not removable. The pipe is very rusty looking, not sure a hanger could be welded back on. I’m thinking now I should just replace the converter along with the rest of the exhaust system. I do a lot of my own car repairs but I’ve never done any exhaust work before. I don’t know how to weld and I don’t have any power tools. I imagine the converter will be difficult to remove. Is this something I can do myself or am I better off paying someone else?