Just thought I'd share my experience of fitting the Hoffman centre pipe and rear silencer, roughly £70 delivered from the 'Bay.
The centre pipe connects to the flexi pipe outlet downstream of the catalyst. The existing system I had on there (a pattern part of some description) was held on by rusty nuts/bolts which needed grinding off with the angle grinder.
Anyway once the heads were off the centre pipe fell off without much of a fight. Needed to cut the pipe again aft of the centre silencer to thread it out over the beam axle. I could have struggled with the connection between pipe and rear silencer, but couldn't be bothered.
Now I'm left with two "bolts" stuck in the flexi pipe flange. Well I thought they were bolts. But they wouldn't budge with the usual tactics, plus the flexi pipe is just flopping about all over the place when you try and give it some with a mallet.
Turns out they are studs, with a spline pattern, interference fit in the flexi pipe flange. They've been there in the road salt and the hot exhaust for over a decade. Could I get them out? Could I f__k.
In the end I used the grinder to cut some slots in the side of the flange to the stud holes, this freed them up enough to pop them out (after a lot of hitting and swearing). So the flange is a bit butchered but now have new stainless bolts with big washers either side to hold on the new centre pipe.
The Hoffman system seems reasonable quality, quite thick gauge (mild) steel. Welds look a bit ugly but it's all sealed OK. The attachment points to the rubber hangers seem a bit 'off', I wonder if this is because it was bent in transit. You could bend them into correct shape but this would require the strength of an ox plus a lot more room under the car than I had (on axle stands).
Be careful to align the system properly so it sits in the centre of the channel under the car, and make sure the silencer oval sits horizontal-ish otherwise it'll look wonky from the rear.
System doesn't include washers for the U-bolt/clamp things so I added these (OCD). Used plenty of fire putty exhaust sealant at the joints.
Top tip, release oil/WD40 helps the rubbers slide off the hangers easily.
Next project is to change the manifold, although I'm tempted to pay someone to do it for me as the access is so pants. Also try and fit a catalyst in there somehow.
Results: the Hoffman system is slightly louder than standard but still very civilised. I'm amazed how little the centre silencer seems to do (this system deletes it). Perhaps a touch bassier, bit louder but really marginal. You won't be annoying the neighbours with it anyway.
In terms of looks it's fairly subtle too, no bling chrome anywhere just a sleeved tip with rounded edges that looks quite classy. In fact the old pattern part was much more 'wide boy' in appearance, surprisingly.
The centre pipe connects to the flexi pipe outlet downstream of the catalyst. The existing system I had on there (a pattern part of some description) was held on by rusty nuts/bolts which needed grinding off with the angle grinder.
Anyway once the heads were off the centre pipe fell off without much of a fight. Needed to cut the pipe again aft of the centre silencer to thread it out over the beam axle. I could have struggled with the connection between pipe and rear silencer, but couldn't be bothered.
Now I'm left with two "bolts" stuck in the flexi pipe flange. Well I thought they were bolts. But they wouldn't budge with the usual tactics, plus the flexi pipe is just flopping about all over the place when you try and give it some with a mallet.
Turns out they are studs, with a spline pattern, interference fit in the flexi pipe flange. They've been there in the road salt and the hot exhaust for over a decade. Could I get them out? Could I f__k.
In the end I used the grinder to cut some slots in the side of the flange to the stud holes, this freed them up enough to pop them out (after a lot of hitting and swearing). So the flange is a bit butchered but now have new stainless bolts with big washers either side to hold on the new centre pipe.
The Hoffman system seems reasonable quality, quite thick gauge (mild) steel. Welds look a bit ugly but it's all sealed OK. The attachment points to the rubber hangers seem a bit 'off', I wonder if this is because it was bent in transit. You could bend them into correct shape but this would require the strength of an ox plus a lot more room under the car than I had (on axle stands).
Be careful to align the system properly so it sits in the centre of the channel under the car, and make sure the silencer oval sits horizontal-ish otherwise it'll look wonky from the rear.
System doesn't include washers for the U-bolt/clamp things so I added these (OCD). Used plenty of fire putty exhaust sealant at the joints.
Top tip, release oil/WD40 helps the rubbers slide off the hangers easily.
Next project is to change the manifold, although I'm tempted to pay someone to do it for me as the access is so pants. Also try and fit a catalyst in there somehow.
Results: the Hoffman system is slightly louder than standard but still very civilised. I'm amazed how little the centre silencer seems to do (this system deletes it). Perhaps a touch bassier, bit louder but really marginal. You won't be annoying the neighbours with it anyway.
In terms of looks it's fairly subtle too, no bling chrome anywhere just a sleeved tip with rounded edges that looks quite classy. In fact the old pattern part was much more 'wide boy' in appearance, surprisingly.
