Mig welding stainless tubing - Lateral-g Forums

**KPC67** · #1 06-18-2011, 09:13 AM

Hey guys, I just bought a magnaflow exhaust kit for my old pick up.
long story short it doesn't fit

I need to re-vamp it a little but the only problem is I do not have a tig.
Do any of you have experience welding this stuff up with a mig? what do I need for gas/ wire? any tips?

**GregWeld** · #2 06-18-2011, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KPC67

Hey guys, I just bought a magnaflow exhaust kit for my old pick up.
long story short it doesn't fit

I need to re-vamp it a little but the only problem is I do not have a tig.
Do any of you have experience welding this stuff up with a mig? what do I need for gas/ wire? any tips?

You can MIG weld SS wire --- you'll have to buy wire -- and SS requires a "tri mix" gas --- so you'd need a bottle of that too....

The WidowMaker · #3 06-18-2011, 03:07 PM

greg, isnt it possible to mig with 70s6 and just lose the stainless properties of the weld? the magnaflow should be 409 and not 304.

**GregWeld** · #4 06-18-2011, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The WidowMaker

greg, isnt it possible to mig with 70s6 and just lose the stainless properties of the weld? the magnaflow should be 409 and not 304.

Yes you can.... but that wasn't really the question I didn't think. Thought since it was stainless steel he wanted to keep the stainless properties. But you are certainly correct - he can just weld it with "normal" MIG wire and gas.. Guess he could paint it if he didn't want it to rust?

**KPC67** · #5 06-18-2011, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Yes you can.... but that wasn't really the question I didn't think. Thought since it was stainless steel he wanted to keep the stainless properties. But you are certainly correct - he can just weld it with "normal" MIG wire and gas.. Guess he could paint it if he didn't want it to rust?

You are 100% correct Greg, I wanted to keep everything stainless.
my gas supplier did not have what I needed (i live in a very small town) so i went to one of our local welding shops, and he let me borrow a bottle of gas, and some stainless wire. I have the kit in, and it sounds great!
Thanks Greg

**GregWeld** · #6 06-18-2011, 08:00 PM

Excellent!

Tiger · #7 06-20-2011, 02:42 AM

I talked to a welding instructor, he said that you do not need the trimix for an exhaust (because of the non structural weld I think)
Anyhow I did my headers and my whole exhaust with my MIG using stainless wire and the normal gas (coloration off the weld will be different tho)

just my 0.02

toddshotrods · #8 06-20-2011, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiger

I talked to a welding instructor, he said that you do not need the trimix for an exhaust (because of the non structural weld I think)
Anyhow I did my headers and my whole exhaust with my MIG using stainless wire and the normal gas (coloration off the weld will be different tho)

just my 0.02

Ditto that. I welded up a pair of Borla (I think) SS mufflers for a guy once, that he had cut open to gut them. I used SS wire with the regular 75/25% steel mix, and it worked fine. Again, it wasn't structural so all we were concerned with was closing it back up, with no leaks and no corrosion.

Lights up real nice when you pull the trigger.

Y5e06 · #9 07-04-2011, 07:11 PM

That is interesting. Glad I stumbled along this thread. I typically use C25 w/ my MIG and was considering picking up a smaller bottle for use when building a SS exhaust. Although less economical, i thought it was what I had to do. Nice to hear I can use my same bottle and just swap out the wire for the exhaust work.
Thanks for the tip.

64pontiac · #10 07-04-2011, 08:42 PM

I have also done stainless exhaust, more specifically magnaflow, with ss wire and regular mig gas... turned out fine.

One tidbit I will point out, I have found that although it is stainless, magnaflow pipes (not the mufflers) are not a true 304...... they can't be..... unless i am completely out to lunch. Magnets stick to it, and on all the installs that we have done on year round vehicles, ie: trucks etc cat backs, they do tarnish/rust. The medical grade tubing we get for custom systems is actually not magnetic, and seems to hold out alot nicer.

That being said, I use magnaflow all the time and it is still stainless, and it looks great, especially when in fairweather vehicles!

Also, if your doing a kit, why go with some of the other brands when they are the same price for aluminized?>!?!?

Sorry to rant/go off topic!