Just had the One Ball mod done this morning. I love the new exhaust notes! I didn't notice at the shop, but when I got home I noticed the exhaust tips were now vibrating badly. I didn't have a chance to look at the setup in detail, but it shouldn't be vibrating that much. From what I saw it was vibrating all the way up toward the engine. Did they miss something or do I need to add something to get the pipes to stay still?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

They will vibrate quite a bit. The MINI exhaust vibrates a lot to begin with, but when you take out all the extra bends for the one-ball, it transfers all of the vibration to the back. Nothing to worry about.

When I installed my OBX with not cat, to my one-ball...you should see how much the exhaust vibrates...pretty violently, due to the OBX not having a flex joint like the stock header. Nothing to worry about though really.

Unless it is vibrating your entire car, or you can feel it in the cabin...don't worry about it, just enjoy the new sound of your one-ball!

 

Probably with the stock exhaust, the shake frequency of the exhaust bouncing on the rubber hangers is tuned below the idle speed. The shake frequency is the frequency that exhaust would vibrate if you hit the exhaust tips with a rubber hammer. When you remove the weight of the resonator,
the shake frequency would increase and be near idle speed and therefore
the exhaust would vibrate more at idle. Have someone increase the engine speed while you watch the exhaust vibration. The vibration probably decreases when the engine speed is above idle. This can happen with all after market exhausts since most all are lighter than stock.
I don't think that this hurts anything since it is just the exhaust bouncing on the rubber hangers.

 

^^^What he said.

 

That makes sense. I wondered if the vibration was just created by taking the extra bends/resonator/2 rubber hangers out of the equation. If that's the case any recomendations for trying to tie it down a bit.

 

Maybe add another flex joint in the system somewhere? That's my only thought

 

As long as its not making a rattling noise or making your fillings fall out - don't worry about . The real reason (everybody esles comments are incorrect) they are rattling is because you are unleashing the 4 banger beast

And what are you doing spending time watching your exhaust tips? Get in the driver seat and tell us your impressiones of the 1-ball .

 

The stock exhaust exhaust probably bounces straight up and down since
it has hangers on both sides. With one side gone, the vibration might involve a rotation of the pipes where the tips would be vibrating more than the muffler. If you can look under the car while it is vibrating, you might see if this is true. If this true you might rig another hanger at the tips, out of sight. You could use the leftover rubber parts. It is possible that you could raise the shake frequency above idle by adding hangers. If that happens, it would not be so noticeable at idle and might be in the RPM range above idle
but below RPM of normal driving (2500 RPM and above).

 

After work the vibration seemed much less. I did notice when the idle speed kicked up the vibration nearly went away. It looked normal to me. I'm going to let it be for a while and see how it does. My impression after work was that I don't need to do anything.

Ok, very limited driving yesterday......
At idle sounds just a tad louder and a bit deeper tone. Rev and letting the engine come back to idle speed you can definately tell there is a change and the gurgle is REALLY nice.

Normal < 3,000 RPM driving just a tad louder, a bit deeper tone, and more gurgle on deceleration.

> 3,000 RPM and spirited driving you can definately tell the difference. Louder and deeper tone without being too much. Loved it!

No highway driving yet.

First day impression is : "Why did I wait so long!" I love the new exhaust notes. FWIW - The new exhaust will make you step on the gas a bit more than usual just to hear the new notes. Also you may neglect to turn on your radio for a few days!

 

Now this is a good post

 

That's pretty much my reaction too. And you can't beat the price.

 

"That's pretty much my reaction too. And you can't beat the price."

Agreed! It ended up being $80, but that's still cheaper than the $125 MyMini part and I didn't have to get dirty!

The wife drove the mini to work today which is 50 miles 1 way with the majority being highway 65(+) MPH speeds. Her response was "Sweet! Love it!" I'm taking that as no highway drone until I have a chance to get it out and test for myself. She even took the one "car guy" she knows at work out to listen to the One Ball Exhaust. How's that for a positive review?

 

Like your 1-ball add the OBX header. These two together are a great system in my opinion - cost wise to performance can't be beat. AND that extra useable/noticeable TQ is sweet. Sound wise it drops the 1-ball 1 tone and just a tad louder.

 

I had the same problem and it bothered the crap out of me. What I did though was zip tie the piece right before the tips closer to the bottom so that it doesn't shake as much. The reason I did this was because when in idle, the tip would actually hit the bumper. I got so tired of the thing I just bought a Borla exhaust. Good luck though.

 

I am still debating about this mod, i have a 04 MCS exhaust sitting in my garage, my dad is concerned that it will void my warranty or something. I want to do some custom tips as well. I figured that since it was still a factory exhaust and i will still keep my original 06 exhaust incase i need to swap it back for service or something. so i should be fine, right? anyone had issues with service cause of your One-Ball? I am good friends with the service advisor and he has a modded 05 MCS.

 

Unless you really f-up the install I doubt you'd have warranty issues, many places require the mod to acctually cause the problem.

 

thats what i thought, and how often does an exhaust fail or need warranty work, its just metal piping

 

I've need a new pre-cat 02 sensor but that theoretiacally shouldn't be affected by the one-ball. I'd be more worried about hangars not being set right and having the tips melt the plastic skirting (saw it happen with an aftermarket exhaust) or things not being bolted up right on install, possible rust around the work area is also something that wouldn't be covered. Note I've heard of none of these issues with the one-ball.

 

decreasing the mass of the system will raise the natural, or ressonant frequency. BUT removing two of the hangers will reduce it. Don't really know what will win.

I think it's not that, but the hangers do more than act like a spring, they also locate the load. Halving them out back just allows more wallow and is softer all around to motion.... Also, with the one nut removed, the weight isn't as well distributed over the hangers, so there may be some lever arm effects.

But this is funny, I've had this mod for a real long time. I can't ever remember looking at the tips when the car was running! Like Bart said, you're spending you Mini time at the wrong end of the car!

Matt

 

Hmmm, I know it isn't for everyone and that it may sound silly to some, but your 1-ball can be done in such a way as to keep both mufflers in place...

My 1-ball was custom welded to do just that, I wanted it to look bone stock. My exhaust specialist welded one additional pipe to the assembly, as a brace, that holds the passenger side muffler in it's normal position. Unless you have a lift and look hard, the only obvious evidence that there has been a 1-ball is that the passenger side muffler is always cold.

You don't get the 20 to 30 pounds of weight savings that you would by removing the passenger side muffler completely -- in fact mine is probably about 5 pounds heavier because of the extra pipe -- but this is sprung weight that can be compensated for elsewhere (start that diet, leave the banjo home, etc...).

You do still get the normal tone and low back-pressure benefits of a 1-ball. And there are some other benefits too...

1) The exhaust looks bone stock to *everyone* until you lift the car and peek under the heat shield (nice for personal preferences, smog testing, local law enforcement, even casual inspection by dealers).

2) The right/left weight balance remains the same as stock.

3) The exhaust system hangers continue to work exactly as they were designed to work.

4) The 1/2" off-center tips can finally be centered while the work is being done (Not noticable unless you look hard -- yes, so I *am* that obsessive ).

5) For this discussion, *vibration is normal*, like bone stock.

Just a thought anyway...

(Putting on my MP3 player earphones, snickers allowed... )

Best,

-- Don

 

I agree,in post #8 I said:
"The stock exhaust exhaust probably bounces straight up and down since
it has hangers on both sides. With one side gone, the vibration might involve a rotation of the pipes where the tips would be vibrating more than the muffler. If you can look under the car while it is vibrating, you might see if this is true. If this is true you might rig another hanger at the tips, out of sight. You could use the leftover rubber parts."

 

I don't suppose you have a picture of your setup you can show us?
For those that would like to duplicate.

 

Picked up the Mini after the mod and looked at the bumper to make sure the tips were still aligned. Went home to drop of the removed ball and the mail was delivered. I backed out to the end of the driveway and got the mail. On the way back to the car I noticed the vibration. That's when I looked. Since then it really hasn't been an issue. I haven't seen the vibration duplicated. I don't think the trim will get burned, but will keep an eye out and if need be fab another hanger. I was thinking somewhere near the newly installed pipe. Maybe try and replicate the stabilizing force of the removed ball. I wasn't just standing in my driveway staring at the rear of my Mini! It's much more fun to be in the drivers seat for sure!


:impatient Currently, I'm not patiently waiting for my new sunroof graphic to be delivered today. UPS says "Out For Delivery" Hurry up already!

 

Mmmm, no I don't, sorry. And I don't plan to get it on a lift in the near future... But, if I do end up having it up where I can get some pics anytime in the near future, I'll post them for you.

What I can do is this though...

Here are two drawings below, both originally from http://www.realoem.com .

The first is the stock exhaust. The second is conceptually my custom 1-ball as I remember seeing it...

The hot mods (the ones that really work) are in red, the cold mods (the ones that kept the unused muffler in place) are in blue.

Perspective is off, but the concepts are pretty accurate.

I learned something by drawing this -- I don't think there is an added length of pipe acting as a brace, it looks like the existing front pipe on the passenger side muffler was welded to the hot pipe as a brace instead.

Anyway, I hope that helps. I'll still post pics if I ever have the car on a lift again.

Best,

-- Don

 

Pink Stripes! I didn't order Pink Stripes! I guess there's no use trying to pressure one of my Mini friends into helping me install it this weekend.