Exhaust Hangers-Soft vs. Hard
 

Admittedly this is a trivial matter, but I need to get some exhaust hangers as I'm tired of listening to the muffler rattle upon deceleration, turning, high idle, etc.

What, besides price (and relative softness/hardness ;) ), is the difference between the soft and the hard compound? Pro or con for either? I'll "splurge" on the Hards if there's a reason for it :) .

I'm assuming the softer ones are easier to install and the harder ones last longer. Is that about it?

The softer ones are easier to install, and have more flexibility when it comes to the vibrations caused by everyday driving. The more flexible they are, less stress will be put on exhaust components.

On my prior car (Subaru) a guy told me to NOT use the aftermarket polyurethane hangars as they tend to break the hangars where they are welded to the exhaust. Yeah, right buddy.......two months later, I was paying to have my stainless steel exhaust hangars rewelded; they broke!!

The only reason I have really heard to use the poly hangers on the Subaru is to mount an aftermarket muffler that requires a stiffer mounting to keep it from bouncing off the underside of the car.
I had to go and buy slightly longer than stock poly hangers to make mine quit making a ringing rattle as the exhaust would occasionally bounce against the side of the differential!

That being aside, why are there firmer offerings for the MB? Why the 'D' hangers instead of the apparently stock donut hangers? I'm curious on this as well, due to some prior owner replacing a missing hanger with coat hanger wire. :P

Buy them off the shelf at Autozone and be done with it.

I doubt the Autozone ones are as of good quality as the MB ones. I read somewhere that the exhaust hangers used on the R107 are supposed to have a structure in them that keeps the exhaust from falling down when the rubber eventually deteriorates, and they'll work on the W123 as well.

R107 hangers
 

Yes, I had a 560SL and was told by a former MB tech to ALWAYS use the 560SL hangers. They look similar, but are rubber molded around a ring of what he described as 'metal chain'.

The idea is that if the rubber fails (which it will at some inopportune moment!) the entire exhaust won't drop to the ground. The rear muffler on that SL was heavy enough to break the other hangers if it failed and they weren't in good shape.

I bought the metal reinforced ones, then used one of them on my 300SDL later on just because it sounded like such a good idea. I figure that if you have at least 1 or 2 metal-reinforced ones, you can withstand any failure and still have two good pieces of chain holding your exhaust up...

Is this what they look like?
[img]http://www.***************/secure/PartImages/1074920044.jpg[/img]

Yes, that's the one..
 

Yes, that is the same one I used. It was more expensive than the $2 round donut.. more like $10-12 if I remember correctly.

It was used on the muffler specifically (probably because of the weight) but there may have been another one further forward on the exhaust.

Neal

How many do you need?

Definately use the Original equipment Mercedes Benz rubber exhaust hangars.

Mine were replaced twice in a year, with aftermarket Autozone type rubber donuts, and the failed catastrophically, twice, in a year.

Third time, with the Mercedes Benz hangars, lesson learned.

I have two generic doughnut hangers at the very back holding up my entire pipe. :D I have a straight 2.5" pipe from the turbo back, so its secured at the bracket on the side of the bellhousing, to the turbo, and by two hangers at the very back where the muffler used to hang. The whole pipe doesn't weigh much, so the cheapo ones should last me fine. :) Its a bit loud back there though. ;)

How's it inside the car compared to your dad's with the (I assume) stock exhaust system?

Still using that rusty turn-down? :D

Its quite a bit louder than my dads....well...a lot louder. It resonates, but not to the point where it bothers me. Sometimes it will rattle the change in my coin tray when idling at a light though. :D I had the whole old system removed, (including the rusty turn-down ;) ) Its now a 2.5 straight pipe from the turbo back. Sounds pretty sweet. And quite loud in back on acceleration. Sounds like when a single engine plane flies by. :D :D

Yep, I remember those days....... I've got a 3" flex fitting sitting around for future 3" straight pipe... I'm afraid though that I won't be able to take it after having my 84 with it's completely stock and amazingly quiet exhaust.........

Been told that turn-downs help alot though........