Exhaust Tail pipe repairs

subtroll wrote:
Just discovered a large fist size hole in the exhaust tailpipe of my 2004 National Trop-ical. The hole is in the 90 degree bend 12 inches from where it exits the coach. The five inch diameter tail pipe is about 4 feet long and has one slight bend and one 90 degree bend.

Do Truck muffler shops have the capability to bend 5" pipe to order like auto shops? Can I patch the hole with exhaust patching material? Doesn't seem to be a safety hazard as its so close to the normal exit and there are several barriers to the inside of the coach.

Any suggestions?

I had one in our old coach just before it exited in front of the wheels. I wrapped thin alum. flashing material around it a few times and held it tight with twisted wire every few inches. It was there for years and when we sold it last year.

There are numerous places on the net that you can purchase truck exhaust parts from, elbows, straights, u-bends, clamps, mufflers and a whole lot more. Depending on your skill level, desire, ability to do the work, area to do it and some basic tools, you can replace that section with new parts for real reasonable cost.

I just replaced my junk Aero 50/50 XL Stainless muffler with a new really quiet one from Donaldson muffler. The muffler cost me a whopping $75 and the one 5" clamp, about $15 more. So, I saved a considerable amount by doing it myself. It was not hard at all.
Scott

Most 5" exhausts are Made from pre-manufactured bends welded into the exhaust pipe. a good truck exhaust shop will cut the section out and weld in a new section.

just replace it with Stainless and not worry about it anymore.

Most places will either weld a patch over the hole or scarf a piece of 5 inch pipe in upstream of the hole.