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Gary.Jones · 03-10-2019, 09:16 AM

Since I have previously been criticized for being critical of my own coach, I will not verbally describe the coach or the manufacturer for this modification..

This coach is only 10 months old but has accumulated more than 15,000 miles in that time and the OEM chrome AquaHot and ONAN exhaust tips had both begun to get pitted and nasty looking on this new coach. So, I have done this modification previously with a 2015 Anthem and decided it worked well then, and should work well now. So I bought the two polished stainless steel exhaust tips from Amazon (Gibson 500415 - Onan - $24.67; Gibson 500409 - AquaHot - $46.99; Dynomax Steel reducer 41953 - $4.12) and a reducer that is needed to convert from the ID of the Gibson stainless tip to the OD of the exhaust pipe and yesterday did the modification.

The first picture below is a picture of the tools that will be needed to do this modification. The two electric tools are a rotary cutting tool to cut slots into the Dynomax reducer, and a reciprocating saw with a metal cut blade to cut off the exhaust pipe under the coach.

The problem in doing this mod is that the manufacturer of this coach mounts the cheap chromed steel downturn tip by crushing it down until it becomes secure to the AH exhaust pipe with a very heavy duty exhaust clamp. Rather than spend the 4 dollars for a reducer, the assembly line simply crushes the end of the chrome tip. Consequently, you cannot simply remove the pitted and nasty chrome tip because at least in my case, the exhaust pipe is also crushed "out of round" in this process. The second and third pictures are of the crushed chrome tip, and the end of the exhaust pipe that has already been cut off (note it is no longer round).

So, I cut off about 6 inches (measure for your specific installation) and used the reciprocating saw to cut off the exhaust pipe removing the out of round section. Then, the Dynomax reducer still has trouble slipping over the exhaust pipe. I used a metal file to smooth the sides of the exhaust pipe, but then gave the reducer some extra "give" by using the cut off tool to cut two slots into the smaller end which slips over the exhaust pipe. I cut the two slots so they would be close to each other and the exhaust pipe clamp (muffler clamp) "U" bolt (1 1/8" exhaust clamp) would be positioned over the two slots to crimp the reducer firmly. The fourth picture is of the reducer with two cut slots.

With the slots cut, the reducer easily fits over the exhaust pipe and the Gibson downturn tip also fits nicely over the larger end of the reducer and clamps firmly to the reducer with its own built in clamp. The final picture shows the final installation with the pretty Gibson downturn exhaust tip now facing slightly toward the back of the coach. If I dont hit it against a curb somewhere, it will still look lovely when I trade this coach for something else.

So, for roughly $80 and a half hour of my time, I have an exhaust system that is pretty, classy, and won't look like crap in another 12 months. Priceless!!

Gary

Sammie · 03-10-2019, 12:29 PM

Hi Gary,

Great writeup on your new and improved exhaust tips. I've been wanting to do the same on my 2015 Tiffin Bus for quite a while but wasn't sure what parts to order. Now with all the part numbers that you've provided, all I need is my credit card and DW's permission.

Thanks,
Sammie.

Rollin101 · 03-10-2019, 05:49 PM

Entegra put a new tip on my Aquahot 6-7 months ago. It was formed to fit perfectly on the exhaust. I have been in Fl since and not a sign of corrosion or discoloration. I have to believe it is stainless since it’s not magnetic and no corrosion.

Gary.Jones · 03-10-2019, 06:35 PM

JH

Maybe there is mis-communication between the build people, and the repair people of this manufacturer. I can assure you that at this exact time one year ago, my coach was slowly working its way down the assembly line and when it came out the final inspection section of this builder and given to me May 21, 2018, it came out with a really cheap and nasty AH downturn tip installed in a really non-professional way. It had an almost-as-bad Onan tip on it too.

Hard to understand as what we see is that quality stuff can be installed just as fast as low quality stuff and the cost is probably one, one-hundred-fifty-ith the cost of the unnecessary steerable tag axle that is also on this coach. We all make decisions that reflect our values.

Gary

Rollin101 · 03-10-2019, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

JH

Maybe there is mis-communication between the build people, and the repair people of this manufacturer. I can assure you that at this exact time one year ago, my coach was slowly working its way down the assembly line and when it came out the final inspection section of this builder and given to me May 21, 2018, it came out with a really cheap and nasty AH downturn tip installed in a really non-professional way. It had an almost-as-bad Onan tip on it too.

Hard to understand as what we see is that quality stuff can be installed just as fast as low quality stuff and the cost is probably one, one-hundred-fifty-ith the cost of the unnecessary steerable tag axle that is also on this coach. We all make decisions that reflect our values.

Gary

Gary, I totally understand. All my previous exhaust tips went same as yours. This one may too, but so far it still looks good. I was, and may still have to, do the same thing you did, but I’m hoping they found a tip that won’t turn to rust in a few months.

GeezerViz · 03-10-2019, 11:31 PM

My AH tip looks like crap too. I'd like to do this "repair" as well. Wonder if the parts you show will be the same for a 450LP unit? My Onan tip is ugly too but when at Quartzsite I tried to remove the downturn tip to use the GenTuri but instead snaped the heads off of the screws and gave up. Not confident in my ability to do this on my own, even with your great step by step.

Gary.Jones · 03-11-2019, 07:42 AM

In a way, the whole project first depends on the OD of the AquaHot Exhaust pipe. Measure the diameter. On the first exchange on my Anthem, I bought a Harbor Freight digital caliber which measures inside diameter or outer diameter or a pipe or length of anything else down to hundredths of an inch. My Exhaust pipe was 2" OD. Not sure if the 450LP is the same diameter. Back on the 14s and 15s on LP units also have a metal band that crosses the exhaust downturn top to provide a little bit of back-pressure. Not sure if that back pressure strap is still on your unit. My downtown nozzle had two holes at the end of the tip which was where the backpressure strap was added for the LP units. So, I would anticipate that the same downturn tip is used on all the units regardless of whether LP or diesel, and then the backpressure strap was added to any Aspire that had the LP.

So, gauge out your exhaust pipe. Then you either need the adapter, or another adapter. If your coach still has the backpressure band on it, then you would probably need to add it to the new Gibson (somewhat larger diameter) downturn tip.

Gary

Gary.Jones · 03-11-2019, 10:30 PM

My Anthem and my current model had the Onan pipe installed exactly the same way....... a hole drilled through both the tip and the exhaust pipe and a single about 1 1/2 screw screwed into the hole to hold the end cap on. If you grab the end pipe, you could wiggle it up and down a half inch it was so loose. This screw actually came off. My Anthem screw on that pipe also broke off as yours did. I used the cut off tool that I show in my picture to simply grind down both the crappy chrome piece and the screw head until the screw shaft was gone enough for the chrome tip to come off, and then installed the Gibson the way it was supposed to be installed (with its own integral clamp). Go for it!!

Gary

Gary.Jones · 03-13-2019, 07:23 AM

I just re-read my post and realize that I made a mistake in the step by step post above. The muffler (exhaust) clamp that is needed to clamp the Dynomax reducer is a 2 1/8" clamp, not a 1 1/8" clamp. Sorry. Simply pressed the wrong key....

Gary