When not even duct tape will work

August 9, 2006 10:22 AM

I'm leaving on a long road trip and my muffler is loose and rattling, because a friend installed a trailer hitch and had to remove one of the brackets. I've wired it together, but the wire came loose, and I am trying to figure out a fast and easy way to hold this in place for the trip so the rattling doesn't drive me insane.

Hose clamps don't work because they are big enough or don't have enough teeth. My existing "baling" wire is so soft that when I try to tighten it, it breaks. Multiple stranded wire is too hard to tie off and can't be cinched tight enough.

What I need is a heat-proof industrial cam strap or metal duct tape or something. There has to be some easy fix for this that I can get at the local hardware store. And no, I don't have time to go to the muffler shop and we leave early tomorrow morning.

There is some obvious solution floating around the edges of my cognition pool, but I can't quite reach it.

Ask.Metafilter: my surrogate dad/smart car buddy.

posted by mecran01 to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

The classic temporary fix is a coat hangar, but it might be hard to get it tight enough.
posted by djb at 10:32 AM on August 9, 2006

Ah! Actually, I have vice grips, and I'm betting I could crank it down without it breaking by twisting the ends. Awesome.
posted by mecran01 at 10:41 AM on August 9, 2006

Mechanic?
posted by dead_ at 10:44 AM on August 9, 2006

Go to your local auto parts store and ask the guy behind the counter. Seriously, I've found more genius, simple solutions this way.

They do make muffler tape, metallic heat resistant tape for patching holes and such. Not sure this would hold it in place though. I think your best bet would be to get an actual metal band meant for this purpose. I think something like this would do it?
posted by sarahmelah at 10:46 AM on August 9, 2006

Is there a reason not to take it to the local muffler shop and ask what it would cost to get it taken care of? It can't be that difficult to have a completely attached muffler and a functional trailer hitch. Frankly it sounds like $20 and less than 15 minutes of a mechanic's time, half of which is getting the bits in question cool enough to work on.
posted by ilsa at 10:47 AM on August 9, 2006

I have to work late today, but if someone's open at 8pm I can probably go there.
posted by mecran01 at 10:51 AM on August 9, 2006

Give yourself a backup plan, just in case. Constrictor knots might work with the multiple stranded wire and you could probably tighten it by holding one end with your hand and pulling on the other with your vise grips. For some reason that has always worked for me. It'd be better if you have two grips/pliers though, one on each end of the wire.
posted by jwells at 10:54 AM on August 9, 2006

I cannot emphasize enough the utility of gaffers tape. Held my Isuzu Amigo spring together for almost two years because I was too cheap and stupid to have it repaired.
posted by FlamingBore at 11:34 AM on August 9, 2006

Better than baling wire or coat hangers for emergancy (and not so emergancy) repairs to autos is stainless mig welding wire. Stiff, so it holds it shape when bent, strong, and it doesn't rust (both on the car and in your trunk). A 1lb spool of .035 is about $20. Most autoparts places carry it, ask at the counter.
posted by Mitheral at 11:43 AM on August 9, 2006

Wire mesh aka hardware cloth is available at any hardware store, and you can wrap it around and staple or clip it together.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 5:11 PM on August 9, 2006

Plumbers strap (plumbers tape? Flexible metal strap with holes?). It is available in galvanized, plastic coated galvanized, and copper. You should be able to find it at any hardware store.
posted by Chuckles at 7:09 PM on August 9, 2006

Is there a reason not to take it to the local muffler shop and ask what it would cost to get it taken care of? It can't be that difficult to have a completely attached muffler and a functional trailer hitch. Frankly it sounds like $20 and less than 15 minutes of a mechanic's time,

Shop closes at 6pm. I got there at 5:30. "Sorry, nothing I can do for you right now!"

I went home and used the same soft wire as last time, cranked on it with the grips of vice in unique and unduplicable ways, and believe I have it cinched tight enough to hold for month or two.
posted by mecran01 at 8:30 PM on August 9, 2006