Forge exhaust - NEW version, first impressions
08-11-2002, 02:29 PM
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Forge exhaust - NEW version, first impressions
So I ordered a Forge exhaust back in March, but Zev said that they were temporarily out. After a looooong wait, it turns out that they were re-engineering it and doing the muffler themselves instead of using Miltek (or that's what I think they said). So I finally had a chance to put it on today (I've had it a little more than a week and I was told that I was one of the first people to receive the NEW Forge exhaust).
SO, not having driven yet, here's what I think:
It sucks. First off, more than a box of metal would have been nice; maybe a packing list, pictures, instructions... anything. That would have saved me the last minute trip to the hardware store to buy a bolt that wasn't shipped with it. I don't know if I got the right bolt, but it fit in the washer that was there, so that was close.
It came in parts, and so I started installing it, cat connections first. First few pieces - niiice - I was really digging it. First hanger, perfect fit. I was excited at this point.
Second hanger - a little to the left (driver side). No problem, it can't be 100% and it didn't seem that bad. Then I get to the last piece, the second/rear muffler. There is a crappy bracket that slings around it and that attaches to the final two hangers; the muffler itself has nothing at all on it. The nice part was that the bracket could go either way, but only one way was correct (of course, it was the second attempt before I figured out which was correct. Unless you really knew what was going on, it was ambiguous enough that you would have to try it both ways, so I was lucky I didn't get it right the first time, because I would have thought it was screwed up (yes, the fit is that bad) and I would have put it the other way, only to find out it was right originally).
So after I got back from Home Depot with the bolt that was missing for this ambiguous bracket, I put it on. The tips are slanted up to the right, and they are not centered; they are more on to right side. So I can fix it, I figure. I get under the car but realize that the fit for the second hanger is too far the left, and the final hangers are too far to the right - it's an engineering flaw. Or at least as far as I could tell. I pushed and pulled and twisted for 25 minutes, but nothing was doing it. It's that crappy bracket, for starters.
I'll go test drive it now, but hopefully someone will have some input for me by the time I get back. If not, this isn't what I paid $900 for and I'll call Zev in the next day or two, and see how I can send it back.
Oh - and near the second hanger, it bangs against something on the car when I pushed and pulled on it. That can't be good, but due to the proximity of the hanger, there isn't anything that can be done. Wish I had a camera; I would have posted pics.
SO, not having driven yet, here's what I think:
It sucks. First off, more than a box of metal would have been nice; maybe a packing list, pictures, instructions... anything. That would have saved me the last minute trip to the hardware store to buy a bolt that wasn't shipped with it. I don't know if I got the right bolt, but it fit in the washer that was there, so that was close.
It came in parts, and so I started installing it, cat connections first. First few pieces - niiice - I was really digging it. First hanger, perfect fit. I was excited at this point.
Second hanger - a little to the left (driver side). No problem, it can't be 100% and it didn't seem that bad. Then I get to the last piece, the second/rear muffler. There is a crappy bracket that slings around it and that attaches to the final two hangers; the muffler itself has nothing at all on it. The nice part was that the bracket could go either way, but only one way was correct (of course, it was the second attempt before I figured out which was correct. Unless you really knew what was going on, it was ambiguous enough that you would have to try it both ways, so I was lucky I didn't get it right the first time, because I would have thought it was screwed up (yes, the fit is that bad) and I would have put it the other way, only to find out it was right originally).
So after I got back from Home Depot with the bolt that was missing for this ambiguous bracket, I put it on. The tips are slanted up to the right, and they are not centered; they are more on to right side. So I can fix it, I figure. I get under the car but realize that the fit for the second hanger is too far the left, and the final hangers are too far to the right - it's an engineering flaw. Or at least as far as I could tell. I pushed and pulled and twisted for 25 minutes, but nothing was doing it. It's that crappy bracket, for starters.
I'll go test drive it now, but hopefully someone will have some input for me by the time I get back. If not, this isn't what I paid $900 for and I'll call Zev in the next day or two, and see how I can send it back.
Oh - and near the second hanger, it bangs against something on the car when I pushed and pulled on it. That can't be good, but due to the proximity of the hanger, there isn't anything that can be done. Wish I had a camera; I would have posted pics.
08-11-2002, 03:13 PM
#2
OOOFDA $900 for a forge exhaust.. Sorry man, you paid quite a bit too much.
Sorry for the fitment issues, don't have them with the older forge exhausts. Did you take pics?
I haven't bought an exhaust yet with instructions..
Tory
I haven't bought an exhaust yet with instructions..
Tory
08-11-2002, 04:30 PM
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That was shipped - $875 per Avalonmotorsports.com. Oh well. And I took it to someone else for
a second opinion. He thinks it's not thad bad. I guess I was expecting the same perfect fit as the old Forge. It's still obviously crooked - looks ghetto.
As for the price - that's the only price I've seen. Maybe I need to beg next time.
As for the price - that's the only price I've seen. Maybe I need to beg next time.
08-11-2002, 05:15 PM
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I got the same one from him...
yes it was engineering flaw with the last bracket as well as the last two U clamp. My tip keep go to the left like some rice car just try to slam exhaust on the car. To fix all this problems I get the two stainless-steel band clamps from JC Whitney to replace the two U clamp, the two U clamp really stick to much out on the ground and you can't really turn it any other way since it will hit the car body, it is a really bad design. As for bracket, you are right they are suck, it didn't even come with the bolt. Also if you want to make your exhaust look perfect and center, you will need to re-bend that bracket. The way I do it make a mark on the original setting between the exhaust and the bracket,then straight out the bracket a little then re-ben it, in my case, the tips touch the left side, I bend it and twist to the left, then tight up the bolt for the bracket, after that you can screw the two piece left & right that hold the rubber piece into the car body. It look so much better now.. but not center enough for me. I will re-do it again, as for exhaust ? I think it is nice and quite, most people still think I have stock exhaust. The only complaint I had is that they didn't put their name on the exhaust tip like other vendor, but that's ok since my friend couldn't tell what exhaust I had and they start tell me I got the MTM. As for price ? I paid $875 but over the weekend Achtuning had it for less at NE Audi event...<ul><li><a href="http://www.jcwhitney.com/product.jhtml?CATID=14701&BQ=jcw2">http://www.jcwhitney.com/product.jhtml?CATID=14701&BQ=jcw2</a</li></ul>
