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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Best exhaust clamps. What make? Mikalor?

Are Mikalor clamps actually any good? Looking at a pic of them, the spot welds on them look crap, and the bolts look weak.

Comments please.

Are there any better ones, other than U bolts?

Lawrence Slater

Here I am agreeing with you for the 2nd time this year Lawrence - albeit I reached the same conclusion much earlier....

However, I decided to buy a couple anyway and one has been on the car since the spring/1000 miles? The thing that disappointed me the worst was having a regular steel bolt on a s/s bracket. So far it's still intact. If you or anyone else finds a superior bracket I'll probably buy one.
Daniel Stapleton

Thanks Daniel. I was hoping someone might tell me that the picture is not representative.

1k miles isn't really that much. What happens in 2 years of dirt rain and salt? I might as well stick to U bolts.

The reason I don't like u bolts is because they tend to crush the tube. A sleeve does reduce that somewhat, but a clamp like the mikalor if made well should be much better.

Lawrence Slater

These?
No welds, slightly more butch bolt (although still mild steel)
http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/norma-stainless-steel-pipe-clamp-43-47mm-gbs-45-20
Jeremy Tickle

What about this type?
http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/30850/10002/-1?parentProductId=1256861
Trevor Jessie

I've used Band-It clamps with great success for decades. Also called stranglebands. Mostly on big diesels I admit and you need a (cheap) special tool but it really works well.
All stainless. A little light hammering required to bend over the retaining tabs.


http://www.band-it-idex.com/en/products/Pre-Formed_Clamping_/BAND-IT%20Jr.%20Smooth%20ID%20Preformed%20Clamps.html
Greybeard

I have used the Norma clamps with no problems, vast improvement on U clamps and in my case slightly better ground clearance where the LCB joins the exhaust pipe!
Bob Beaumont

I have Mikalors on my Frogeye Shorrock manifold pipe and also on the exhaust system of my Elan. Had no trouble with either. On the Elan's exhaust there's not much space between the pipe/chassis and ground clearance is pretty rubbish too. The Mikalors have a more compact profile than equivalent sized U-clamps.

Simon
SA Wood

Do you mean these greybeard? Your link won't work for me.
http://www.band-it-idex.com/en/products/Pre-Formed_Clamping_/Preformed%20Clamping%20Index.html

Cheers Trev and Jeremy.

Both of those look much better, esp the Norma clamps. Cheap too. Good old Ebay.

Did a search on Norma clamps and found these W2 NORMA Stainless Steel Heavy Duty Hose Clip Exhaust Pipe Turbo Clamps Mikalor £2.12 inc post.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/W2-NORMA-Stainless-Steel-Heavy-Duty-Hose-Clip-Exhaust-Pipe-Turbo-Clamps-Mikalor-/130778841996?var=&hash=item1e7306c38c

They appear to be made by Mikalor, but are called Norma and are by the looks of it superior.

Lawrence Slater

That's a very good price Lawrence. Merlin Motorsport want £7.95 excluding VAT whilst AFS are asking £2.60 incl VAT & postage for the Norma ones! Good old ebay indeed.
Or if you have to have Mikalor with bevelled edges they'll supply them for only £2.99 (all prices are for 43x47mm). Tempted.
Jeremy Tickle

Or these sleeved items.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exhaust-Pipe-Connectors-Have-Duty-Sleeve-Clamp-Tube-Connector-Adapter-Joiner-VAG-/221295502014?var=&hash=item33863d62be

Meant as a pipe connector, but you can buy the OD size you need, and cut in half to get two exhaustclamps.

Or again get the app't OD size you need, and slide the clamps closer together to double the clamping action.

All of these are better then U bolts I reckon, because they don't distort the tube and cause eventual blowing.


Lawrence Slater

I've used the VW type as shown above for years on mine. It's been on there 10 years and still looks ok. It doesn't crush the pipe and you can get it in a position (if you get the bolt as short as possible) where it doesn't stick down lower than the exhaust nor bangs against the floor!
The only down side is that because it spreads the load it doesn't clamp as tightly. Mines had some pretty hard whacks over the years and not fallen off though.
john payne

Thanks John. I've ordered one of those VAG types and one of the Norma types.
Lawrence Slater

I knew that Joan had cut down on touring, but I didn't know she'd started selling VAG exhaust clamps.
Bernie Higginson

Who's Joan Bernie?
Lawrence Slater

Hi Lawrence.
Look at the name of the Ebay seller of the VAG clamps.
Drop the Pilot. Me myself I.
Just me being daft really.
Bernie Higginson

LOL. I hadn't noticed that Bernie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cgDIa9ndcY
Lawrence Slater

ISTR that Nigel was using Mikalors on his car.
Dave O'Neill 2

I recommend the same as Trevor Jessie noted. They stretch enough to form fit the different ODs of both pipes being joined. They end up looking like a heat shrink on electrical work.

I never did get the link to work to see what Rod suggested.

Charley
C R Huff

I use these - a great deal cheaper than other options listed here...

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/universal-exhaust-parts/jetex-universal-exhaust-fittings

I throw away the metric bolt and use an imperial one.
dominic clancy

I don't reckon they are as good as the Normas I just bought.

And hardly expensive. £6.66 for three clamps, post free.


Lawrence Slater

I've got some similar to the ones in Dominic 's link, that's why I'm going to get the Norma or Mikalor ones.The cheaper ones don't clamp as good as I would like. They reach the limit of their clamping force then just bend the lugs or snap/strip the bolt.
Bernie Higginson

Sorry Charley I wasn't paying attention and didn't spot that the link didn't work.

They're something like this:

http://www.band-it-idex.com/en/products/Pre-Formed_Clamping_/BAND-IT%20Jr.%20Smooth%20ID%20Preformed%20Clamps.html

I seldom used the preformed ones as where I work has the tape-stock and buckles handy so I made up my own. The banding tool will crank it up super-tight and snip off the excess, but it has to be cut off. I've used it successfully on boat and truck exhausts, with a bit of Firegum for good luck. I once used some to strap down the gearbox of a Gardner engine in a fishing boat onto some cut-up tyres to get her home after the gearbox mounts fell apart, and once to strap in a chunk of water jacket casting which has fractured and fallen out of a BMV 2 stroke deisel. That was meant to be temporary (in 1975), but it was still there in 1998 when I last saw it!

But it looks like Lawrence has found an ideal solution. Looks good to me anyway.
Greybeard

Rats - that link doesn't work either!
Never mind - the question has been well and truly answered!
Greybeard

Rod,

I got to it by just using the first part of the link and then clicking on pre-formed clamping link. That does look like a nice product.

The advantage to the one Trevor & I were talking about is that it stretches to fit both pipes and seals the joint by sealing each pipe rather than trying to crush the outer pipe to the inner.

Charley
C R Huff

Are these the ones Rod?

http://www.band-it-idex.com/en/products/Pre-Formed_Clamping_/Ultra-Lok%20Preformed%20Clamps.html

You need a tool for those pre-formed according to the blurb.



Bernie. Get the NORMA. No spotwelds to come undone. HERE --- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/W2-NORMA-Stainless-Steel-Heavy-Duty-Hose-Clip-Exhaust-Pipe-Turbo-Clamps-Mikalor-/130778841996?var=&hash=item1e7306c38c


Lawrence Slater

Yep - that's very similar Lawrence.
The type I've used has a different buckle which has two little tabs to bend over to secure the "tail" of the band. This is usually done with a light hammer but it's possible to do it with waterpump pliers on a small enough diameter.

You do need the tool as noted previously, but I've had one for decades.

But I like Joan's solution better!
Greybeard

This thread was discussed between 07/09/2015 and 11/09/2015

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