It could happen, if you want to watch your Borla Muffler race down the track..

[DARK AGE 53]

don't check your welds, on the other hand if you would rather not spend $220+ on another  new Borla Muffler do check the welds. In the last few weeks I've seen three ( including my sons ) mufflers come off there cars, poor welds on the muffler tab or header tab has caused this. Ours was a poor weld on the muffler tab, once we got the new muffler I added extra weld ( mig ) to the muffler tab as well as the tab on header tube.

Later,
Al

[Racinjj]

Thats interesting, I saw 2 fall off this weekend too.

[DARK AGE 53]

the tab was welded on both sides, the problem was there was only the size of a BB holding the tab onto the muffler...the rest of the welds never made any penetration into the tab.

[JGRacing]

I wonder if it is related to the muffler being stainless steel.  Isn't stainless sort of tricky to get good welds on?

[VMS Motorsports]

I lost mine this weekend, tore the bracket off the muffler and the pipe...nice big holes in each, so I didnt have a weld issue...they held too good! Kinda wish the bracket would have broken off instead!

[JGRacing]

Doesn't stainless steel get brittle when it is welded?  If so, it might be the reason that they broke holes in the pipe and muffler. 

[VMS Motorsports]

I know its harder to get good penetration with stainless, can't comment on how it changes molecularly though. I think my issue was more getting hit by a car I was passing on the high-side than welding.

[VMS Motorsports]

Heres an interesting link concerning welding stainless...if you're a freakin metallurgistic engineering doctoral candidate!

http://www.gowelding.com/met/austenitic.html

[JGRacing]

A little JB Weld and racer's tape, and you should be good to go. 

[VMS Motorsports]

Racers tape...I could see getting dq'd for that, the inspector would probably think it was an unfair advantage...some type of header wrap or something. My MIG worked fine...it's ugly but it'll hold...Im a realtor, not a welder!

[Racinjj]

If it breaks again Jim I can TIG weld it for you.

[VMS Motorsports]

Thanks Jeff

[DARK AGE 53]

I've never welded SS before but I found for the few inches I did it was no big deal,  maybe if you were welding a large amount you might need to have a better understanding of SS.

[Racinjj]

SS really isnt all that different and its not a big deal welding SS to mild steel.  The most important thing is to get enough heat into the metal but not too much heat.

[racerrad8]

I have been using the same Borla header/muffler manufactured in 1994. The reason the tab(s) break off either the header or muffler it from the twisting of the header pipers inside of the muffler. The header touches the chassis, the front of the chassis has a ton of flex and moves the header around. If you don't beleive me, next time you have your header off, look at where it rubs on the chassis.

The fix is to leave the bolt loose allowing the tabs to float. I use a longer bolt, leave an 1/8" gap, double nut it together and let everything float. The tab(s) will not break off.

Randy - RPM