So I was running a gutted stock stainless briggs muffler on my stage 1 GTR when i had a few minor cracking issues. Decidied to step up to a marshmellow double x with baffles. Love the sound and it seems to perform a lil better with the mods( about 100 more rpm's than the gutted briggs). After 12 hours of use I had the cross brace (inside the bracket) crack. Called the shop I bought it through (Calen) and he promptly sent me another bracket. It arrived and it is beefier than the original one so I thought , great no more problems. Now after 8 more hours of use, i have a crack on the inlet pipe to the bottom chamber of the muffler at the weld. Is there ANY muffler that will hold up on these freaking things?

Get use to it. They all are junk.

Vibration is a killer. I am tempted to run the Marsh Mellow without the cross brace. The original design didn't have it and allowed for more movement seemed to last longer.

I don't have cross brace on mine the only problem I was having was the exhaust was leaking where it slides over the header pipes but I fix that problem too

I didn't install the cross brace on mine and have no problems. I have roughly about 80 hours with the MM.

I drove a 40 tiller outboard for the first time in 3 years. It was like driving a Cadillac when compared to my gtr. Vibration vibration ......

I didn't put the cross brace in mine and have had no issues with brackets breaking, only primary tubes. A friend of mine runs the cross brace and has had brackets beak left and right.

No cross brace on mine and the only problem I have with 100 hrs is the clamps rusting out. Replaced them with a better stainless and no more problems

I wonder why he started putting the cross brace on them then? might just have to take mine off too

I have the old one, no cross brace and thinner bracket than used now. I have had it crack once and he fixed for free, and its cracked again. Not the bracket but the two main exhaust expainsion chambers the welds on the end are cracked....

I have about 200hrs on it though.....

you guys don't want to listen. Make your own!!! Stop trying to fab up an American Chopper exhaust. Who gives a shit how it looks if its gonna break after a couple runs. I decided to make a simple exhaust similiar to stock, used a "good stainless" at 1/8" wall and also heat resistant 1.5" header material to weld to my flanges. It all cost me around $100. I have 100 hrs on it and other than a little color change, no issues. With SETX heads and this exhaust with no baffles, this bitch gets it and carries a ton. IF it does decide to crack down the line, **** it !!! I'm out $100, not $500. And I'll keep repeating the process. There is something to be said about eh stock exhaust. Other than mine rusting to shit, it held up great. Nothing fancy, just lots of rust. Didn't crack either (and yes, carbon steels thermal expansion is different than stainless) but still, no cracks.

He'll even if you can't weld, cut everything to length, and let a fab shop weld it up. He'll even at $50/hr you still come out smelling like a rose. He'll I welded my shit up in bout 30 min. If he really want to lay one in deep on ya at 2hrs. That's still a $200 muffler , not $500.