FAQ: Questions about SSAutoChrome (SSAC)?

[S4shpion]

Anyone??

Refer to Trans4m quote:

Hell no!! go back to page 3 and look at what was needed to make the catback fit

I can come by for moral support and drink your beer

Of course yours may vary with each different set.

[AK1RA07]

I was pretty impressed with the setup for the price. I am getting mine installed this afternoon, Ill report on how that goes, and get pics if I remember the camera.

[JayyyyyC]

Damn. I can't wait either. Just waiting on my clutch and lwfw from vast and then off to the shop.

[01 S4]

what a pain in the nuts installing my cat back was today still have some tweaking to do to get it centered up in the bumper but sounds good

[AK1RA07]

.. try doing the downpipes.. ugh. Might be done with it in a few hours. its taking forever

[JMTx86]

what a pain in the nuts installing my cat back was today still have some tweaking to do to get it centered up in the bumper but sounds good

Glad to hear everything is going well with the install



Coming soon to an audi near me

[AK1RA07]

Ok, what a pain this is. Mine does not fit.

1) The O2 sensor bungs ( front ones ) do not line up with the factory locations, so the heat sheilds have to be removed or cut.

2) The bracket to bolt the downpipes to the car was not in location on the passengers side.

3) The cat-back portion does not have a correct bend in it. Rubs against the rear diff and thus wont reach to the muffler. Too long; not quite angled right:

Rear Differential fitment: Seems like this section should have been moved and should have been shorter.

On the plus side, Im currently running no muffler, sounds pretty

[tike0rz]

Today I installed the catback. I also had a HORRIBLE time with the install. Bends were touching/vibrating, the bolts were not lined up properly, and i didnt even get enough clamps in my package! A friend and I had to freaking SMASH the exhaust with a hammer to get it to fit right. It sounds extremely quiet.

At the end of the day, it truly was a PAIN IN THE ASS install, and half of the exhaust looks like a crushed pepsi can due to fitment issues. All in all, I saved money for a quiet yet decently powered exhaust. I'll call it a day.

[AK1RA07]

Pics added above. :/

[TRANS4M]

Grats to you guys!

[lowered97a4]

great hope mine is gonna line up correctly,id just put the catback up in one piece than putting it together underneath. Looks good tho im adding cutouts to my test pipes

[01 S4]

A friend and I had to freaking SMASH the exhaust with a hammer to get it to fit right.

i have to do the same to mine have it installed but its not lined up in the bumper at all and its rubbing under the spare tire area

[b5s4blk]

Cat back installed this weekend in about an hour. NO fitment issues. it just needed a little persuasion. couple tricks: use 2 1/4 clamps for the second section. and since i live in new england the stock front band clamps were rusted. Buzzed them off with an wizzer and bought 2 new factory band clamps $35. Fitment was perfect.

[01 S4]

well day 2 the tweaking....

well i pulled the cat back off today cut down the pipes on the 2nd piece of it about 2cm put it back together and remounted it its fitting nicely now

[JD797]

anyone know how this catback compares to borla, etc performance wise?

[GramCracker]

Are they still in stock as of May 5th? Anyone know? And can you replace the mid muffler (or resonator) with straight pipes?

edit: I said "F it" and I decided to place an order. So far I have a recepit, and I'll update if they are out of stock or whatever the deal is.

[AK1RA07]

And can you replace the mid muffler (or resonator) with straight pipes?

Probably should since it doesn't fit

[GramCracker]

OK! SSAC still has it in-stock as of 4:50PM EST on May 5th. I already placed my order! I can't wait.

[GramCracker]

A day after ordering, they are in the mail via FedEx. I'm excited.

Oh, I must say, the customer service I have received has been great.

[YMJ]

any more available??? and can you JUST get the downpipes?? or you have to get downpipes AND exhaust?

[GramCracker]

any more available??? and can you JUST get the downpipes?? or you have to get downpipes AND exhaust?

I ordered at 3:15pm on May 5th. I feel like they would still have some available. Email them and ask. Its only been two days since I ordered, and yea its a whole thing, not separate ones.

[YMJ]

I ordered at 3:15pm on May 5th. I feel like they would still have some available. Email them and ask. Its only been two days since I ordered, and yea its a whole thing, not separate ones.

then i'll sell either their Catbacks.. or my APR catbacks! :D

thanks buddy

[GramCracker]

then i'll sell either their Catbacks.. or my APR catbacks! :D

thanks buddy

No problem! Glad to help out!

[MikeS]

Ok I just ordered mine and they are going to be shipped today. They will be installed during the stage 3 installation. Can you guys tell me what I can do to make the install go smoother. Should I take it to an exhaust shop and have flex pipes welded in?

[Ssautochrome80]

Hi they are still in stock.

[Ssautochrome80]

We cant split up the exhaust, thanks and sorry

[AK1RA07]

Ok I just ordered mine and they are going to be shipped today. They will be installed during the stage 3 installation. Can you guys tell me what I can do to make the install go smoother. Should I take it to an exhaust shop and have flex pipes welded in?

Install Tips:

1. Take it to an exhaust shop. Pay for several hours of labor (getting those downpipes off is a bitch ), fabrication ( because this exhaust does not fit this car well, mine was too long in areas and would not fit around the rear differential) and parts (extra clamps, because not all the hardware is included. Thankfully you will get more SSAutoChrome stickers than you will ever know what to do with. My suggestion is to set them on fire. Along with a handful of money, cause thats pretty much what I did when installing this exhaust.)

2. Ditch your down pipe heat shields, because your O2 sensors will not fit with them in place with this exhaust.

3. Don't bother bolting the downpipes to the frame mounts, they don't line up.

4. Rear mufflers sections need to be cut/ rewelded due to fitment issues. If these issues arise, ask SSAutoChrome for help. Their knowledgeable staff will ignore your countless emails regarding installation help, warranty information and/or replacement parts, and reimbursement for additional (unnecessary, in my opinion for an ehxaust which has "CORRECT O2 BUNG LOCATIONS" and is a " PERFECT FIT" ) fabrication. Without this advice, your car might have sat for a few days at the shop undriveable while you awaited a response, as they dont care about customer service. Good luck!


Oh to answer your question. I did not have the flex pipes installed. Seems to work without them.

[VR4-S4]

Ok I just ordered mine and they are going to be shipped today. They will be installed during the stage 3 installation. Can you guys tell me what I can do to make the install go smoother. Should I take it to an exhaust shop and have flex pipes welded in?

I recommend doing it yourself. Its not that bad. If you can get access to a lift it makes it ALOT easier.

Buy 2 of these http://www.jegs.com/i/Dynomax/289/35...744706%7C11527

And like mentioned above, heatshields dont go back on.

[VR4-S4]

...3. Don't bother bolting the downpipes to the frame mounts, they don't line up. I did not have that problem at all, lined up perfectly

4. Rear mufflers sections need to be cut/ rewelded due to fitment issues. Also did not have to do that


Oh to answer your question. I did not have the flex pipes installed. Seems to work without them. I also do not have flexpipes

[AK1RA07]

...3. Don't bother bolting the downpipes to the frame mounts, they don't line up. I did not have that problem at all, lined up perfectly

4. Rear mufflers sections need to be cut/ rewelded due to fitment issues. Also did not have to do that


Oh to answer your question. I did not have the flex pipes installed. Seems to work without them. I also do not have flexpipes

I guess you got a good batch, lucky you. I was just posting my experience with this product and the subsiquent lack of service I received. I posted pictures of my fitment problems on the previous page. There is no way that exhaust was going to fit. I originally took the car to a SAE certified shop to have it installed and was under the lift watching and helping them push, pull and bang on it. E-mails to XSPower/SSAC were of no help, I even sent them pictures and a proposed solution along with my phone number and got no response. I say buy at your own risk, for this reason I do not reccommend installing on your own. I have worked on cars for years and installed several exhaust, but chose to have it installed at a shop due to time constraints. Thank God I did, because if I was installing that in my driveway I would have been screwed. Eventaully it had to be taken to another shop that specialized in custom exhausts to have them make it fit.

[AK1RA07]

I recommend doing it yourself. Its not that bad. If you can get access to a lift it makes it ALOT easier.

Buy 2 of these http://www.jegs.com/i/Dynomax/289/35...744706%7C11527

And like mentioned above, heatshields dont go back on.

Also, I was informed that these clamps are too large. I bought some and they should have been 2-1/4 if you are using them to connect the muffler section

[VR4-S4]

Also, I was informed that these clamps are too large. I bought some and they should have been 2-1/4 if you are using them to connect the muffler section

Isnt the exhaust 2.5"?

[AK1RA07]

Isnt the exhaust 2.5"?

I bought 2.5" to connect the mufflers, and the muffler shop gave them back to me, said they were too big. We re-used the stock clamps for the rest of the setup with the exception of the two supplied downpipe -> test pipe crazy ball joint clamps. Wouldn't be surprised if yours was 2.5" at this point. Hooray for consistency!

[b5s4blk]

Isnt the exhaust 2.5"?

yes it starts at 2.5 inches but the rear section bottle necks down to about 2.25 to fit inside the other pipe then goes back to 2.5. i used the stock sleeve clamps for the front section of the cat back then 2.25 regular exhaust clamps for the part with the muffler. this might help a little. take a look at these instructions it talks about heat wrapping the EVAP line and also spinning the bracket to relocate it.
http://www.awe-tuning.com/media/pdf/...n2_install.pdf

[MikeS]

Thanks for the tips. I won't be doing the installation because someone else is doing the stage 3 swap. So obviously the motor is going to be pulled which I would assume make installation easier. Is there any issues not reusing your heat shields?

[b5s4blk]

i dont understand why these people arent using the heat shields. take some tin snips to them and in 2 minutes they fit fine. but if u dont mind burning up some expensive wires,hoses and vacuum lines by all means take them out. they were put there for a reason and i dont believe the previous poster who said they were only put there because the precats caused the dp's to heat up but with no precats u'll be fine with out them.

[TRANS4M]

No shields for me, but I had the wires and stuff wrapped.

[AK1RA07]

No shields for me, but I had the wires and stuff wrapped.

+1

With all the other issues involved with installation, it was easier to not mess with it and just remove them. Heat wrap them if you're worried about it, I think the lack of the pre-cat would generate much less heat in that area.

[JayyyyyC]

WTF? These taper down to a 2.25"??? I'm checking mine now.

Errr... some performance issues with a 2.25 bottleneck at the end????

[AudiSportB5S4]

thats why AWE offers that junction option that keeps it @ 2.5 inches.... lol, i guess SS auto forgot to replicate that one ! ;)