CPI pipe mount mod

[Mike4130]

So I had my CPI pipe for about 2 weeks and broke the front mounting tab at the engine within a week. I was still in the break in period so I wasn't hard on the vehicle. Mike @ CPI was really cool about the issue and replaced the pipe for me. (Great customer service!)


Worried that the same thing would happen, I looked at how the pipe was mounted to the shock tower & the engine.


The pipe was creating a solid link between these two points. one of which, the shock tower, that is constantly moving and flexing under driving conditions. So I created a vibration dampener to go between the tower and the rear pipe mount.


I moved the mounting tab on the shock tower from the front to the back of the tower which gave me about a 3/4" gap between the pipe mounting tab & the tower mounting tab. I then added a longer 5mm x 25mm socket cap bolt with 2 rubber grommets between the the 2 mounting tabs to act as a rubber dampener and allow some flex to the pipe instead of transferring the vibration and shocks of impacts to the front mount.


I also added a 5mm x 25mm bolt at the engine mount with a non-backup nylon tipped nut. Now I didn't this tighten it all the way, the pipe tab and motor are touching but just enough to allow movement forward and back on the mounting tab if needed.


After doing this the pipe is still very ridgid and doesn't feel loose at all. Hopefully this idea works and allows some flex between the pipe & engine.


I've seen a lot of people run the these pipes don't want to see anyone else break the tabs off, so maybe this will help that from happening in the future.


Before the mod...





And after...


The rubber grommets I used from Lowes

 

[Guest]

That should help.

 

[Deluge]

Yep, I figured chassis flex was the cause of the CPI pipes breaking. The MT chassis flexes like crazy, so mounting the pipe to the shock tower and the engine basically turns it into a shock absorber.

 

[REVOlutionary Rampage]

Nice fix, I'll have to check mine out to see if it is ok. Although, like I said before I haven't had a problem with mine since I put it on almost 3 years ago. Could the chroming process weaken the joints? my pipe is the black powder coated one which has been rock solid.

 

[Jackleg]

I have the black one and it broke right at the motor mount. I am almost certian it was broke because of a bad roll and the truck landing on the back corner, because the pipe sticks out at the back and is unprotected from being hit.

 

[rampage idiot]

Looks good hope it works for you! I never broke mine every thing else but not my CPI pipe