Stainless works exhaust problems...

[jream]

yeah chris I knew when this thread became an advertisement for how great SW is. I installed mine on a lift on the tires so we were at ride height. I first had my guy install. he could not make the fit between the BMR panhard support bar. for four days consecutive, we along with my dad, who can usually make anything work no matter how crappy it is. We tinkered and tried it, drove my car in weather i never would have, over and over and over again. and that pos still hits the body. I think your bender guy went on a bender. I am totally disappointed ... my problem is the bend that goes over the rear end and through the panhard support bar. now I have this banging ass piece of junk on my car makes me sick ... unless you can say that every bend is done perfectly in your place, then i will 100% take the fall on the 1500$ I have spent on horse shit, never mind the shop time. I don't care. But when anyone asks, I will say I should have listened to my parts guy on here, he told me that SW parts don't fit ... I should have listened to him. Sorry for the hijack Jream.

Larry

no hijack at all larry... i'm sorry you're dealing with some of the same issues too! i'm with you... i'm just sick with this whole thing and i was already disgusted with it all... then the complete idiotic post by this chris kid from stainless works just put me over the edge! i called my buddy at home depot and told him about it and how this idiot tried using them as an example on f'd up items and not returning them! lololol he said the same thing that people shouldn't talk about things they have no ideas because it makes them look that much more stupid.

this is by far the biggest pain in the ass i've ever dealt with trying to mod. and i'm a mod junky and been doing it my whole life! beyond pathetic!

 

[Chris@SW]

chris, go back to grade school and learn to read. your idiotic reply to this post shows you paid NO attention to anything said, because its the complete opposite of what i wrote! god! this further illustrates the problem with you and your company.

i didn't have to pound together and then pound apart! your lack of customer service and leaving me hanging for a freakin month is the problem and is when i decided to take matters into my own hands and make it fit. you expected me to leave my car in pieces for a month in my garage!?!?! ridiculous! last time i spoke to you (A MONTH AGO), my conversation was exactly as this: i installed your pipes. did it on a lift. have a problem w/ one of the pipes, it won't fit together all the way. had to hit it with a mallet to get apart and took 1/2 hour to get it apart because something is wrong and it was dam near welded together. i'm worried about any damage to it and if a dent will hurt it. i need a new piece of pipe. YOU said, you are not supposed to install on a lift. a dent wont hurt because its 3" pipe and its plenty big. if you want a new pipe its $250 and a month to get it. i said i'm not paying for a defective pipe and you never said anything about not using lifts and provided NO instructions at all. you said ok no problem, let me see what i can do, i'll call you back in a little bit. verbatim our conversation! so your "i'll call you back in a little bit" turned into several calls leaving you voicemails, waiting a month, then crickets on your end.


as i said multiple times... installing it on the lift, (which you never said not to) all the pipes fit together. but the 3/4 " engagement that was needed to go further down in the expanded joint was NOT noticeable until you drive it and see that it bangs the crap out of the car. the pipes slid together about 3 or 4 inches out the gate... didn't need force... but with your self described tight fit problems and needing to adjust the hell out of it with centimeters to get it right... that 3/4" problem in the pipe FROM YOU out of the box was the problem... it was NOT going in the expanded joint all the way. AGAIN not noticeable UNTIL YOU DROVE IT because it slid in 3 or 4 inches out the gate and looked normal... after finally getting it apart... and after lining them up next to each other you could see where it originally stopped going in and to get that 3/4" distance further in the expanded joint, you needed to pound it in with a mallet... as i stated! but again AS I STATED that was not UNTIL after you had to pound it to take it apart from originally installing it by hand without force!!! but after installing it by hand and testing it out and having it bang around.... it welded itself in place and wouldn't budge.... AT THAT POINT TO GET IT OFF IS WHEN IT REQUIRED POUNDING!!!! read that again... jesus!!!

go to home depot... buy that door that is supposed to measure 36"... take it home and try to install it, push on it and it breaks or the glass shatters...then measure it and find out its 37"... take it back to them... they'll fix the problem! my best friend is a GM at depot over on the other coast in Holiday. his name is Frank. Here's his number: 727-943-5048... Call him and learn a little about customer service and don't make yourself sound more ignorant than you already are. you picked a bad example to try to justify your lousy customer service!!

stainless works has completely dropped the ball with this!

others that are considering this exhaust system take notice. other systems out there that don't have these issues. some have had no issues, some have. in my honest opinion, it isn't worth the gamble OR the headache that i've gone through with this exhaust and this company.

Jream my name is George Rumore, the sales Manager here at Stainless Works.

I have read over your post's throughout this thread and I can see what is making you upset to a point. We could both go back and fourth and reiterate all of the post's, but this is not why I am on here. I am on here to say If you would send back the system that you purchased, I will give you a complete refund of your money. I feel at this point that this is my only option. Now I know you said your issue is with customer service and I hope helps to show you that we do care about our clients both before and after the sale.

I do apologize that it has taken this long for me to get involved. I was unaware of the deep state of unhappiness you were going through. I hope this helps you. I will have Chris issue you an RGA number once you inform me that this is the path that you want to take. Again, sorry for this and I hope this eases your heart ache about our product. Now this refund is completely outside our normal policy. I am just trying to make you as satisfied as will be possible in the end.


Ford13 I now see that you have shared your experience with our product as well. I can see if I can help your situation too. I see that you are saying that it hits your Pan Hard bar. Does it hit the bar itself or the pan hard bar support? If our exhaust hits an aftermarket suspension product I am just curious to see if you have called the suspension company and ask them if they have any issue with the stock or aftermarket exhaust interfering with their products. A lot of times we as exhaust manufactures do not take aftermarket suspension companies product into our R&D due to the simple fact that we can not make a product that supports every product. The same goes for the suspension companies. Can you please provide me with this information so I can assist you in anyway possible?

-George R

 

[ford13]

I have friends on here, who have the same BMR suspension parts I have with no issues at all. To avoid hitting the spare tire tub, the pipe has to be right up beside the panhard support. the backside of the first bend is too (tall) tight to the body, I was told it had to seat 1 to 1.5 inches, but without banging it on i am too tight to the body already with having a normal seat. if we pull it away there, it hits on the body on the bottom bend. not to mention the stretch from warm to cold. the non use of the third support doesn't help matters as it is heavier and needs support to stop moving around. We have been told to tinker and we would get it right, my guys won't give up, but my shop times are right up there already. We talked about getting custom bent pieces here, or maybe trying to get new bend pieces from SW. I wish it all fit nice and worked, my car is on ice and has been for 10+ days. I chose SW because I thought it was the best stuff for me to use. I am very frustrated, but I am going to continue to support SW or go back to stock. It is very hard to be optimistic, I am lucky to have two guys that can figure anything out, at the same time they too have reached a point where they too are scratching their heads. Never thought I'd get my ass kicked by a catback.

 

[BUCKET]

I have a 13 boss twin turbo and as far as sound with the stainless works setup. I love it. Fit..... Wish I would have gone to bassani. Email with pics and phone calls exchanged with SW happened then nothing. I am running the X pipe and full back from there. Exhaust is lowest point on the car. Rear pipes hit and tips stick out to far. After doing everything myself and trying to find options I went an exhaust shop and paid shop rate to put the car on drive on lift. We pulled and re-fitted and tacked each seam.

Few months later. Still bangs. Still too low. Tips still out.... And now have to cut tack welds to pull it off to do anything. To resolve the hang we need to trim an inch or more from
Pipe just before the axle joining the over axle pipe. Trim rear mufflers to pull tips in

I also mention in few phone call and pics an option to eliminate the 2.5" spot and factory clamp at spot the X joins the other pipes. It's less than 3" spot. Whole exhaust from turbos to tips are 3" but that point. Just feel it should be 3".

Sounds great. Used SW in the past and loved it. Was in open communication with George about these matter. Understandable to fact people are busy, But ball dropped. If I felt like spending another grand for no reason I would pull this exhaust to go to something else.

Figure I would post my Stainless works setup.

 

[ford13]

right on bucket thanks. I hope we all can get this resolved as I too love the sound, the fit not so much.

 

[BUCKET]

I know of another TT boss running same system where a piece of rubber had to be used on panhard bar brace to keep exhaust from banging on it. I beat my car pretty hard, made 862rwhp thru the exhaust. Of my build so far the exhaust fitment is was makes me the least happy.

 

[ford13]

If I had access to a lift today, I would seriously consider re-installing my stock pipes.

 

[biminiLX]

Jream my name is George Rumore, the sales Manager here at Stainless Works.

I have read over your post's throughout this thread and I can see what is making you upset to a point. We could both go back and fourth and reiterate all of the post's, but this is not why I am on here. I am on here to say If you would send back the system that you purchased, I will give you a complete refund of your money. I feel at this point that this is my only option. Now I know you said your issue is with customer service and I hope helps to show you that we do care about our clients both before and after the sale.

I do apologize that it has taken this long for me to get involved. I was unaware of the deep state of unhappiness you were going through. I hope this helps you. I will have Chris issue you an RGA number once you inform me that this is the path that you want to take. Again, sorry for this and I hope this eases your heart ache about our product. Now this refund is completely outside our normal policy. I am just trying to make you as satisfied as will be possible in the end.


Ford13 I now see that you have shared your experience with our product as well. I can see if I can help your situation too. I see that you are saying that it hits your Pan Hard bar. Does it hit the bar itself or the pan hard bar support? If our exhaust hits an aftermarket suspension product I am just curious to see if you have called the suspension company and ask them if they have any issue with the stock or aftermarket exhaust interfering with their products. A lot of times we as exhaust manufactures do not take aftermarket suspension companies product into our R&D due to the simple fact that we can not make a product that supports every product. The same goes for the suspension companies. Can you please provide me with this information so I can assist you in anyway possible?

-George R

George:
I feel it is commendable to post this and offer the full refund.

Do you feel SW needs to verify the fit on another GT500?
Possibly take more pictures, improve the installation instructions, tweak existing kit design, etc?
I am in Ohio (Toledo area) and my 2014 GT500 has 1000 miles and is stock except for a tune.
I would be willing to drive down to purchase a complete exhaust system from headers to tailpipes if you would be willing to install correctly.

I will be buying headers and mid-pipe (leaning towards ARH and matching H-pipe) and planned to keep the factory catback, but the SW kit was the only catback I was considering due to the muffler and tailpipe design----that is until this thread.
I would like to support an American (and Ohio :beer company and assist other GT500 owners, and it appears there may be an opportunity to make this product better for all of us GT500 owners.

jream, ford13 and BUCKET---very sorry to hear of your troubles, I hope they are resolved.
-J

 

[TORQJNKY]

Hence why I am glad I kept the stock axle backs and only changed the headers and midpipe. Hope it works out for your guys.

Same here. I didn't know of any axle back issues with the S&M before I bought their headers and mid-pipe. The stock axle back sounds great IMO. After hearing all this, I'm glad I went the route I did. Hope you get it worked out.

 

[Chris@SW]

George:
I feel it is commendable to post this and offer the full refund.

Do you feel SW needs to verify the fit on another GT500?
Possibly take more pictures, improve the installation instructions, tweak existing kit design, etc?
I am in Ohio (Toledo area) and my 2014 GT500 has 1000 miles and is stock except for a tune.
I would be willing to drive down to purchase a complete exhaust system from headers to tailpipes if you would be willing to install correctly.

I will be buying headers and mid-pipe (leaning towards ARH and matching H-pipe) and planned to keep the factory catback, but the SW kit was the only catback I was considering due to the muffler and tailpipe design----that is until this thread.
I would like to support an American (and Ohio :beer company and assist other GT500 owners, and it appears there may be an opportunity to make this product better for all of us GT500 owners.

jream, ford13 and BUCKET---very sorry to hear of your troubles, I hope they are resolved.
-J

BIMINILX Hello sir I am sorry I am just seeing this now. I really do appreciate your offer and I would really like to take you up on this. Can you please give me a call so we can make all of the arraignments and get this going. I will take video and pictures of the entire process for the community and redo our instruction so that the average mechanically inclined individual can do the install with more confidence.

 

[masonh]

Nice, a full refund. You can't beat that for customer service, especially considering one of the pieces is known to have been butchered.

I don't see how anyone can complain about this. Yeah so you're out some labor. If you have have been modding long enough this won't be the first time it's happened.

SW did the right thing here.

 

[jream]

Just thought Id update the post.

I got George's reply offering to refund... it was a nice gesture but honestly it shouldnt have gone this far and taken a month for someone at SW to finally acknowledge me and my problem! I am wondering why it took multiple posts from me and others with bad press for SW to finally contact me? Not sure that equals good customer service... to me its seems more damage control, but regardless it was a moot point by the time anyone finally got involved from SW as I got tired of waiting weeks to get a return call. So I decided to go ahead and take matters in my own hands. I had already started figuring ways to make this thing work. No pipes were destroyed as others have made mention of in their replies?? The defective pipe simply had some dents on it from forcing it and there is a relief cut to allow the defective pipe to seat properly.

I had to bend the defective pipe a bit more which tweaked it enough that it appears it is clearing the space now without banging. I also machined off about 1/4-3/8" of the over axle pipes to allow the tips to be pulled in closer as they sat WAY too far out the back and looked silly. I also had the tips powder coated matte black as the chrome stands out too much in my opinion. Final product looks 100 times better after all the mods and tweaks and machining. This was NOT a fun experience by any means! I'm happy with the final look and sound but it wasn't easy getting there!! Much of this could have been avoided if Chris from SW didn't completely drop the ball! I hope SW is able to tweak their design a bit using biminilx for further testing to help others. Also hope they learned a little about customer service and not leaving their customers hanging for weeks on end.


Some updated pix

 

[mike69440]

Couple of sugggestions.

Back when I bought my SW system SW took care of me regarding muffler baffles coming apart, but that was 8 years ago on an 03 Cobra.
I have not had problems with the repacement mufflers and they sound better than the original SW mufflers.

Have customers with problems sent Photos back to SW of the fitment issuses?

Suugestion for SW Works:
As markng of metal products have come a long way, mark the insert depth range and add angle mating marks as well as label each pipe. A fits A' etc

Installation photos, videos and even the writtem English word instructions should be posted on line.

PS. if my car was out of service for a month, I'd be ballistic!

 

[jream]

couple more pix

here's how much i machined off the ends of the over axle pipes:

 

[ford13]

+1 I am going to get things done locally as well, the BMR suspension cop out is exactly that. Watch the youtube video where buddy says that fitment won't be a problem even for racing applications. While other friends on here have the same BMR set up, with no issues George wants nothing better than to say that I didn't do my homework. If anyone figures that 30+ hours of shop time for tweaking is an acceptable by-product of modifying the stock exhaust on a Shelby, well I don't know what to say.(not done yet either) I feel the hue of George making reference to the fact that we are all mechanically inept ... I am a tradesperson, my trade requires absolute precision. I don't fight at work, but I fight with high end aftermarket parts that DON'T FIT ... Oh and no offer of a refund ever came my way ...

 

[Chris@SW]

+1 I am going to get things done locally as well, the BMR suspension cop out is exactly that. Watch the youtube video where buddy says that fitment won't be a problem even for racing applications. While other friends on here have the same BMR set up, with no issues George wants nothing better than to say that I didn't do my homework. If anyone figures that 30+ hours of shop time for tweaking is an acceptable by-product of modifying the stock exhaust on a Shelby, well I don't know what to say.(not done yet either) I feel the hue of George making reference to the fact that we are all mechanically inept ... I am a tradesperson, my trade requires absolute precision. I don't fight at work, but I fight with high end aftermarket parts that DON'T FIT ... Oh and no offer of a refund ever came my way ...

This is out of control you are reading way to much into it. DID I say I was going to make the instructions better for you FORD13. NO. If you had to deal with the amount of people we do an a daily bases and deal with some of the question we do then you wold understand. I am glad you are a tradesmen it is getting harder and harder to find skilled help in this country. That is why alot of companies outsource over seas. Ford13 send some pictures of your problem area to me [email protected]. If I cant see where the problems are how can I correct it. As for your BMR comment I called them and asked if they had any problems with their pan hard bar and they said no they did tell me that they did have some interference issues with their panhard bar relocation kit. That's why I asked but hay it's a cop out as you stated. I look forward to receiving your email so we can address your concerns.

 

[biminiLX]

Email sent George.
-J

 

[Tob]

Is this the system?

Looking at it in pictures, looks like a nice system. Looks to be well laid out. The fact that it is larger in diameter than stock means that clearances are going to be tight. If I had purchased it, it would be with the expectation that I may have to tweak it here or there.

I would have started by verifying that everything fit together on the ground, before trying to fight anything in the air. Based on the portions that get clamped and the fact that they fit inside each other, I'd have lubricated each connection to allow for easier rotation as well as removal if need be. And dents at any of these areas may mean a slightly oblong hole and thus a trickier install. For that, a file and possibly a belt sander.

Once installed, again, verify potential contact points. A mini sledge and a socket extension work well to tweak as well as a pipe or large prybar to gain additional clearance. Nothing gets clamped or clamped tightly until I'm satisfied there is enough room.

I've installed a number of systems on a number of cars and trucks as well. Trucks are a bit too easy because there is always plenty of room. My experience with exhaust systems on the S197 (and I have a bit of that too) has been that it can be tight at certain points along the tailpipes. Panhard bar clearance, having installed a few of Maximum's panhard bars/brackets on Fox chassis cars, is almost always an area to pay extra attention to. Especially when installing oversize diameter tubing.

I wouldn't expect most to go as far but I have no issue using a sawzall, cutoff wheel in a 4" grinder, or firing up the MIG (let alone the TIG) to address an issue. Then again, I aim low with respect to expectations of others and their work, always hoping to be pleasantly surprised. Having to do extra work to ensure that things are done the way that I want them seems to be the norm as far as I see it. I'm a tradesman too.

 

[ford13]

thanks Tob it will all work out. I appreciate the help.

Larry

 

[jream]

Is this the system?

The fact that it is larger in diameter than stock means that clearances are going to be tight. If I had purchased it, it would be with the expectation that I may have to tweak it here or there.

Watching their videos of the product and their descriptions stating things have “ample clearance”… I personally wouldn’t expect that there would be the level of tweaking and adjusting to get this thing right! Maybe they should redo their videos since this thing does NOT have ample clearance!

Is this the system?

I would have started by verifying that everything fit together on the ground, before trying to fight anything in the air. Based on the portions that get clamped and the fact that they fit inside each other, I'd have lubricated each connection to allow for easier rotation as well as removal if need be. And dents at any of these areas may mean a slightly oblong hole and thus a trickier install. For that, a file and possibly a belt sander.

Once installed, again, verify potential contact points. A mini sledge and a socket extension work well to tweak as well as a pipe or large prybar to gain additional clearance. Nothing gets clamped or clamped tightly until I'm satisfied there is enough room.
.

That’s the main issue with my problem. I did all of that. It all looked good and seemed to go together off the car. But since this thing rides SO close to everything on the car… the ¾” problem in the defective pipe couldn’t be seen until assembly was done and tight. But that's where our opinions differ. I made it work. I shouldn’t have to!! Spending the amount of money for welded bent pipe… it should be perfect in my opinion. But I know that is expecting too much!!

And like many other well qualified people on this forum, I have the tools and skill set to do most anything in my garage. I’m fortunate enough to have things like a lift, tools for machining, etc. Basic fact is that its piss poor that we have all become accustomed to having to “fix” brand new things. The hard earned dollars we spend on a product don’t come easy. I for one am tired of the lazy, arrogant, non-caring attitude of a lot of companies. It’s even evident in the post above from the SW employee… “If you had to deal with the amount of people we do an a daily bases and deal with some of the question we do then you wold understand.” I don’t care if you get asked a hundred times a day the same question… it’s your damn job buddy! It’s called customer service! People earn the right to call you with a lot of questions when they pay you a thousand dollars for some bent pipe! It’s your responsibility to handle each one with respect and in a timely manner. That, my friend, is customer service.