Exhaust Heat Shield

[leathermaneod]

Hey guys, 

Just wanted to show you all my little creation. I've been wanting to make one of these ever since I read about @KATOOM using an exhaust blanket to successfully lower his trans temp. I don't tow much at this point, but I figured keeping the heat off the trans and t case can't be a bad thing! 

My original intention was to take a piece of 6" exhaust and cut it in half. Then weld some anchors on to give it some standoff. Anyway, my father-in-law had some stainless sheet laying around that he said I could have. At first I though it was too light(it's a little thinner than a street sign), but it actually worked out perfectly! I toyed with the idea of attempting to make it round by ratchet straping it to a steel pipe, but decided to go with the three sided shape. Anyway I made a little 3 sided template by bending a small piece of the steel sheet with some angle iron and a shop press. Then I went to a local welder with my template. I asked if he had the capability of making my sheet into a half circle, but he didn't have the equipment to make it round, just one of the huge brakes,so I decided on the three sided shape. I actually think it's better though as the bends add rigidity. 

 

This first pic is the front piece cut to fit because of the bend where the downpipe bends upward.

This one is notched slightly for part of the clamp and the crossmember.

Front looking back

Back looking front 

It's hard to see but this one shows on the standoff leg/bracket.

The stainless pieces measure 10" wide the center section is 4" wide and the outsides are 3". The standoff legs were supposed to be approx 1" tall, but I didn't measure afterward to see if that's exactly what they are. My welder just cut a strip about 1" wide and the 3" lengths, then bent them in a vise. I don't know the angles on the bends as it was just done by trial and error, but they are such that there is about 4" between the legs where they touch the exhaust pipe. You can adjust the standoff of the center section by making the angles more or less. The over all length of the two pieces started at about 35", but got trimmed down in the fitting process. You could probably do it with 30" x 10" piece. The bending, cutting and welding cost me $20, and the 4-4" hose clamps cost me $8. So this was a pretty cheap mod. I don't have a trans temp gauge, it's more of just a feel good thing for me lol. Maybe it will be an inspiration to some of you. 

Enjoy!

 

Edited August 7, 2016 by leathermaneod

[IBMobile]

     You still have air flow around the exhaust pipe while shielding the trans, very nice for $28.  It should help and I don't see a down side.

[leathermaneod]

Thank you :-)

[Mopar1973Man]

There was another one where member here used flat piece of metal and two exhaust clamps to hold it in place. Same idea just a bit simpler to produce and no welding required. I do like your idea. @leathermaneod

You might be worried about keeping the heat off for the summer. I'm waiting for winter time to find a way to get heat to the transmission so it does warm up on super cold days when it's minus temperatures out.

Edited August 7, 2016 by Mopar1973Man

[leathermaneod]

Now that you mention it, I think I've seen the shield your talking about before. Never realized how it was attached until you said that though. Yes that would have been easier, though possibly a little bulkier. Oh well, we'll see how this holds up :-) I think this design supports the outer two sides better than the clamps could as that is where it is attached.  I can very easily take it off for winter if it doesn't wanna warm up. 

Edited August 7, 2016 by leathermaneod