Technical Ladder bars and exhaust routing

I'm to the point on my 32 Ford chassis where I'm planning and ordering parts to install a Ford 9" axle using ladder bars for locating the rearend. I'm trying to look ahead to the next step: routing exhaust. I mechanically like the design of P&J triangulated ladder bars, and aesthetically I like the looks of a transverse leaf spring. But this plan really seems to take up a lot of space under the car.

I want to be able to run exhaust all the way out the back of the car; I want to put the battery under the car to save space in the trunk and to be able to avoid using a vented, sealed battery box, and I have a huge Oougah horn to mount under the car as well. I want to be able to run bias plies on the street and occasionally slap some slicks on the car and do some 1/8-mile foolin' around with my buddies. Basically I want to have a lotta cakes and eat them all. And I don't want to paint myself into a corner.

I'm strongly considering running longitudinal parallel ladder bars with a panhard rod and coilovers to open up space under the car for exhaust and a battery.

Can any of you talk to this process, and the pros and cons of each setup? And if you have good ways (especially pics) to route exhaust around the P&J ladder bar arrangement it would be really helpful. Thanks.

 

Over the ladder bars, under the axle.

 

I've done them over the bars, over the axle and ending parallel under the rear frame horns. With P&J bars, transverse spring. Yes, it does make use of bends in the design.

 

One example.
"Ya gotta get there somehow".
Credit SoCal Speed Shop.

 

Just finished yesterday!... Timely question

 

Building mine right now. I will go up over the rearend and out.





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Went up around the ladder bar, over the rear end and out the back on mine.

 

Using full length Sanderson headers, went straight back from the collector, through 21" mufflers, over the P & J ladders toward center, short 90 straight back to short 90 to a 180 over the 8", short 90, straight back under tank. Tailpipes are spread 16 ".

 

Very simple, sanitary, clean job.

 

This set up is used everyday and the exhaust can be routed to clear everything. Granted more work than the 4-bar rear set up but the choice is yours.


Large diameter tubing also makes it more difficult but not impossible.


Lots of tight turns and requires some skills to make look like this.


Four bar set up allows more room.

 

Forgot to get shots of my chassis and exhaust before tearing down for paint, etc.

All I have.

 

My frame is supposedly from Kiwi Connection and my crossmember most closely resembles fitnessguy's. Holy-smokes!: I'm glad I looked ahead at exhaust routing-the space between the rails seems to fill up quick! And thanks for all the pics, as I know it takes time to take 'em and attach 'em to your replies. The car with the purple frame is gonna give the driver some hot feet! After seeing the gyrations required to clear triangulated bars, I'm getting more interested in parallel bars and a more simplified exhaust routing. I'm hoping to be able to take the car to the local exhaust guy, toss him $200 and to just have a cheap aluminized system bent up: crimped inner radii and all. The motor in the car is kind of a throw-away motor just to get the car moving on its own power. I will build a nicer stainless mandrel bent exhaust for a built motor in a couple of years.

If anybody has pics of more drag race-oriented ladder bar set ups, please post 'em up?!

 

Here's exhaust routing of my old truck with ladder bars out by the frame....there is room to go over the rear which I was going to have made, but never got to it.

 

Simple, yet effective! ^

 

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bttt. Any more approaches out there?

 

I've become aware of the Hotrods to Hell truck arm kit. It may take up less space than the SoCal ladder bars. I'm thinking thru that option. I wonder how often those ladder bars hit the panhard bar?

 

Wow, not a lot of room!

 

Great thread! Some good ideas that will help me with the large diameter routing for my Hemi exhaust in my 34 coupe - thanks everybody

 

Just started on mine last weekend, a little different approach.

 

2.5"

 

I'm starting to consider running my exhaust between the frame rail and the ladder bars and just dump it in front of the rear tire. Use an oval muffler like a Magniflow (or even something quieter) turned vertically. Those damn ladder bars really hog the real estate! I will more than likely start with cheap aluminized muffler tubing just to find out what I can live with, instead of going to stainless right off the bat. Amazing how crowded things can get in a hurry! Makes side pipes look logical.

 

I'm going to use boom tubes for mufflers/ tips. Run em out in front of rear wheels, much easier

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Mine with 2 1/2" Exhaust tubing.

 

Some pics of mine. 2 1/2 made from u-bends then coated and wrapped. I was able to go over top the rear cross member because of a raised trunk floor.

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I dumped right before the axles.