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Custom Axle-back Exhaust
I just recently finished the fine-tuning of my axle back exhaust for my x1 35i. I had no idea what I was doing going into this project, but definitely had a blast doing so. I have been wanting to learn how to weld for a while, but haven’t had a good reason to buy a welder until I thought about making an exhaust. I decided to order some 304 stainless steel 2.5inch pipes from amazon seller “blackhorse racing” which seems to be reputable for the price. I ordered an 8 piece set of pipes, 2 90 degree, 2 45 degree, 2 180 degree bends and 2 48 inch straight pipes, as well as a magnaflow muffler. The biggest obstacle on fitment was finding a 2 bolt flange that would connect to the stock midpipes without any issues, so I decided to buy a muffler off of a 135i that had been wrecked and used the flange to connect to the midpipes. From there, it was completely trial and error, fitting the pipes together and marking them to tack weld, fit again, and then finally finish welding. I had both of my flange bolts/nuts break however, so I currently am using some hardware from Lowe’s to hold it all together until I can find a more permanent solution. But the end product right now is so amazing I can’t believe it. The muffler keeps the car quiet enough that it still retains that “sleeper” feel but when you go WOT it wakes up. There’s so much popping and burbles as well, and I should mention too that I do have a vrsf downpipe installed as well, so that will probably affect the sound. It took me probably 16 hours total and ~$650 including the welder and welding equipment, so I’m very happy with my investment. I was quoted $750 by a reputable shop to make a custom axle back, so I’d say the knowledge gained and the money saved made this project a 10/10.
If you have any questions, please let me know!
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