450 Muffler Wobble

Minnesotan H · Dec 17, 2012

My dad called me today and said that his muffler has developed a "wobble" on his '59 450. I asked if it's a loose muffler clamp, and it's not. So before I run over there in the next few days to look at it, what could or should I be looking for? Loose manifold? cracked manifold? Any insight to this problem would be appreciated. Thanks

Huskers86 · Dec 17, 2012

Check out the manifold bolt to be sure they are tight but odds are its time for a new muffler.

Old-F20 · Dec 17, 2012

seen alot of times where the threads of the pipe in the manifold get loose and the stack will wobble. check that first

State of Jefferson · Dec 17, 2012

I second the bad threads on the manifold-pipe connection.

Ben

rustred · Dec 18, 2012

i third the threads.

NEKS · Dec 18, 2012

Its the threads in the manifold. I had to get a new manifold and went to the muffler like the M had. Less weight. Dealer tried to sell me a 560 muffler

Anonymous-0 · Dec 18, 2012

Check the bottom weld on muffler where the pipe of the muffler meets the body of muffler they rust out there.

Minnesotan H · Dec 18, 2012

Thanks for the info. Looks like it willl probably be the threads. Probably get him a new muffler too. Why not, it is Christmas!

mkirsch · Dec 18, 2012

He isn't very mechanically inclined, I take it?

It's pretty simple to walk up to the tractor before he starts it, and give the muffler a poke to see what moves. He could even do it with a stick from a distance if he can't reach up there for whatever reason.

Joe Dowling · Dec 18, 2012

Rent a Pipe Tap from your local plumber and clean up the threads (with lots of thread cutting oil) and put in a new pipe.

dhermesc · Dec 18, 2012

Agreed. Or you cut off the length of pipe with threads and rethread it after you clean up the threads in the manifold. You'll want new threads on the pipe as the manifold's threads will probably not be very sharp.

The one on my 350 must have wobbled for years as there wasn't enough metal left to make threads in the manifold and I had to replace it.

Trying to weld the pipe to the manifold will not have very good results.

Big Fat Herb · Dec 18, 2012

my old 2inch tap wont hardly clean the threads anymore i use my dremmel with cutoffwheel to help

Anonymous-0 · Dec 18, 2012

I have seen a lot talk about cleaning threads but nobody has brought up that you could braze the pipe in ( thats if the pipe is good enough to use). If not get new pipe with threads and thread it into manifold keeping straight and then braze it in.

rustred · Dec 18, 2012

brazing is not the answer, due to manifolds that can get red hot.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 18, 2012

I had one that was brazed and it was good till I sold it years later. If you want to spend the money you could have it welded but would have take off tractor to weld right.

Kenneth R Ohnstad · Dec 18, 2012

I couldn't find a tap for my 450. Got a 4 foot piece of schedule 80 2'. Had the hardware store guy cut threads and then cut some on a small piece.
Took the small piece and cut slashes with a hacksaw. Used that as a tap and cleaned out the threads in the manifold.
The straight pipe is on the loud side but earplugs are cheap.
K

Ellis Kinney · Dec 18, 2012

I have never seen anyone else do this but it worked for me. I ground the top of the manifold smooth and flat. I bought a 2" pipe fitting and cut the threaded part off and ground it flat also. I drilled 8 holes around the circumference of the fitting. I marked the holes through the fitting to the manifold and drilled and tapped them to 1/4 20. I cut up an old manifold gasket and bolted the pieces together. It has held for probably 20 years. Ellis

450 Muffler Wobble

Minnesotan H

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Huskers86

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Old-F20

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State of Jefferson

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rustred

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NEKS

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Anonymous-0

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Minnesotan H

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mkirsch

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Joe Dowling

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dhermesc

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Big Fat Herb

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Anonymous-0

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rustred

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Anonymous-0

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Kenneth R Ohnstad

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Ellis Kinney

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