fitting exhaust pipes

stupid question but i need a tip. i have a 66 olds im putting on a custom dual exhaust i had bent up from an online place. what is the best way to get the alluminum pipes to fit together (they are flanged and ready to bolt on) they wont slide into each other. i dont have a torch or a lift and my garage is very cold. any tips on how to get them together easily without heating them? the tollerance is to tight and probably shrunk after shipping. help...thanks in advance :screwy:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=37354 maybe?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=37354 maybe?

I've never seen one of these that actually work unless the pipe is just very slightly deformed and just needs to be rounded. Usually the best of them(NOT Harbor Freight Tools!) can't really exert enough force to increase the diameter much at all. If you really wanted to do this, you would probably need a hydraulic powered version. Depending on what needs to be done, you may be better off filing the high spots with a half round file...

I've never seen one of these that actually work unless the pipe is just very slightly deformed and just needs to be rounded. Usually the best of them(NOT Harbor Freight Tools!) can't really exert enough force to increase the diameter much at all. If you really wanted to do this, you would probably need a hydraulic powered version. Depending on what needs to be done, you may be better off filing the high spots with a half round file...

Yea, HF's stuff is pretty iffy. I've seen the hydraulic ones before, I definately wouldnt mind having one.

butt them together and brake out the welder....or find someone with a welder.

Just a regular old butt joint is the way to go.





hehe, I said butt

just take it to a muffler shop and have them expand one of them. Like said above those rarely work, and to get enough force on it you have to clamp it down in a vice witch then squishes the other end.

quickest way to do it is get the pipe in place and toss 2-3 tack around the tubes so it keeps in place then seal it up with a full weld , weld dont need to be to big considering it isnt load bearing. If you dont know how to weld thin aluminum like that without burning though take it down to a welding shop or muffler shop and have then do it. I usually just mig weld steel tubing up , ive never done an aluminum exhaust yet.