Crappy Weld Job by Mineke

Jamesn · 07-10-2005, 08:41 PM

Had my exhaust installed my Mineke and 1 month later noticed one of the tail pipes swinging freely. The weld broke and looking at it I now have a hole in my t-304 stainless steel pipe. How should they fix this? Do you think they can re weld the hanger to that spot or will they have to weld it to another and patch that hole? Pisses me off. First of all they installed it and the tips stuck out the back to far. I took it back and they cut the tips and rewelded them shorter but what a ****ty job. Sure it works, but looks like crap. They told me that it happens all the time with cat back systems....they never fit like they should. I've never heard anyone else have that problem. Now the hanger breaks off! What do you think?

By the way....that is a hanger holding it temporarily untill I get fixed. At least they didn't do that.

I will post later how they resolved this.

Bayou Titan · 07-10-2005, 09:01 PM

Shouldn't they have used a clamp-on hanger rather than a weld?

Jamesn · 07-10-2005, 09:07 PM

there were hangers welded on and the guy said they didn't line up with the factory locations so he had to weld on new ones. Unfortunatly I just didn't know enough to qestion what they did. I trusted they did the right thing.

Treebasher · 07-10-2005, 09:25 PM

Don't be afraid to contact the coporate office if that shop doesn't fix it, completely. At worst they would have to replace the pipe from the cat back.

Meineke Corporate Office link

ecbmxer · 07-11-2005, 06:17 AM

I have almost the same story. I had an exhaust put on a cavalier I had (yea I know, sad) and they weld it on and everything. Well the muffler hanger broke and the muffler was just swinging. I take it back and for some reason they can't just simply drill and retap the threads for the bolt. Instead they do the most half-*** job of welding it back on. It was welded at an angle on the corner of the hanger tab with just a big ole gob of weld. Looked like 7th grade shop class. I won't go back to them.

bestatchess · 07-11-2005, 07:08 AM

Isn't this just the natural result of having work done at Meineke (or Midas)?

avroflyer · 07-11-2005, 07:14 AM

That bites. It just sounds like shoddy workmanship to me surrounded by opinion-based excuses. I had my exhaust "custom" installed by a local muffler shop, and they used hangers no problem. And when one of the welds broke on a hanger, I took it back and despite having every bay full, they pulled out one of the longer jobs and not only re-welded but re-hangered "just in case" and checked every other weld, for free. They even let me watch and talked me through what they were doing.

I say take it back and diplomatically demand re-welds with hangers and no excuses and if that doesn't work, do what Treebasher suggested and go over their heads (and maybe to a different Meineke... and if that doesn't work, contact George Foreman himself and he'll take care it (he IS there spokesman!)

Clancy · 07-11-2005, 07:37 AM

Before I moved, the local Meineke shop was the best in town. They did quality work fast & cheap. Once, when I thought I had clogged a cat, the put the car up, cut the bolts on the cat flange and even let me look into it. It was fine. They replaced the gasket, installed new bolts and didn't charge me a dime. I can think of more than a few places who would have simply sold me a new cat...

Jamesn · 07-12-2005, 01:14 PM

Ok..today I brought it by the shop and they rewelded it. The Owner/manager told me it was just a "CLEAN BREAK." Is there anyone with welding experience that can tell me by my pic i posted at the beginning if thats what a "CLEAN BREAK" looks like. I figure a "CLEAN BREAK" wouldn't leave a freaking HOLE in the pipe! It's fixed and thats all that matters but I went a little "postal" with the owner about this and before I tell everyone the details about his customer service I would like to check my facts.

dragonhead08 · 07-12-2005, 01:52 PM

what I want to know is why is there a coat hanger holding that thing?

IMADOGMAN · 07-12-2005, 02:08 PM

Welding hangers to the pipe is common practice, but they should have formed the hanger to the pipe, and then welded it along each side for at least an inch or so. Yours was done poorly for sure. Hope the new weld holds. I would keep an eye on it.

As for being a "clean break"....yeah, it ripped the side out of the pipe real nice...duh!

I just went back and looked at the picture...the rest of the welds look like they were done by an amateur too.

**gr8titan** · 07-12-2005, 02:14 PM

My system is T-304 SS and does not use clamped on hangers. Check the attached thumbnails.
Welded hangers should be "hooked" rather than tap welded. They should know better. There is no excuse for their crappy welding technique. They are responsible and should fix or replace the pipe.

phlydude · 07-12-2005, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonhead08

what I want to know is why is there a coat hanger holding that thing?

uhhh...because the weld broke and he rigged it...

MIAMI*TITAN091702 · 07-12-2005, 03:03 PM

look my fathers company who i work for...we are distrubutors of many welder machines (lincoln+miller) for any type of steel. i know about welding and let me tell you i have hired workers that say they know how to weld....when i see they do a horrible job like they did on your truck i fire them. anyone can say they are welder, but proving it is tuff. those are crappy welds. sorry man

Maryland Hunter · 07-12-2005, 03:19 PM

Jamesn,
As I welder, I can tell you that the welds look very bad. It's a little hard to see from the picture, but it looks like the weld may not have broke, but the metal around the weld did. When steel is welded, if done right, the weld is the strongest part of the joint. Looks as if the parent metal was pulled apart. Although the weld teqnique can lead to this on thicker materials, it shouldn't make a difference on a thin exhaust pipe. I don't know what he was trying to say with " a clean break", that just means to me that it broke.
Either way, the welds are horrible at best, but for what they do, they should work. We had a guy around here who worked on custom cars, and he did great exhaust work, he seemed to care a little more about the vehicle. Maybe you have something like that out your way? Might be worth a shot, Hope I was of some help.

MH