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I've got a Maniflow Cooper freeflow manifold, and it came with a clamp-style bracket that goes on the downpipe, and a short, straight bracket to tie it to whatever it ties to. I always assumed that it would be obvious where the manifold braces to, but after studying it this evening, it wasn't so obvious.

I always believed it tied to one of the bolts on the diff side cover, but the straight bracket did not appear to be the right length to reach any of them. Can anyone describe where the bracket attaches to, or better yet, does anyone have a pic?

Thanks very much.

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There is a two bolt one available as well, but that is RUBBISH!

So, that extra bracket is REQUIRED? Hmmm, too bad it doesn't appear to be available.

I've got a Mainflow Cooper Freeflow on my 998 Cooper. It too came with that clamp/steady but I've never used it.

Twenty years on and still no problem with not using it

Andrew1967 wrote:I've got a Mainflow Cooper Freeflow on my 998 Cooper. It too came with that clamp/steady but I've never used it.

Twenty years on and still no problem with not using it

Interesting. MGB's also have a 'steady bracket' that tied the exhaust to the gearbox. Most of them are missing these days, and I've never installed one....same thing, no reports of cracking exhausts that I'm aware of.

I would tend to think this could be a little more critical with the transverse orientation, but my engi e will be fairly well located with some added steady rods from MS.

I never use steady brackets, why add heat and vibration to the diff side cover? The side cover bolts are all meant to be torqued up to a certain torque and I can't see adding a steady bracket into the mix being a good idea.

J

The LCB type manifolds have the same bracket...

If you put a slight twist in the bracket part, you can use one of the
top 3/8" main studs on the diff housing to mount this on.

The stud I am talking about is one of those which point backwards.

I always use it. Cracking a manifold because of lazyness and ignorance is....eh...ignorant.

And the heat argument?? Come on!!

Make a bracket of stainless if you wish. How hot is the gearbox casing? Not much lower than the exhaust when running. When starting up the exhaust even helps heat up the oil faster which is a good thing

Vegard wrote:I always use it. Cracking a manifold because of lazyness and ignorance is....eh...ignorant.

I always use the brackets too, but my manifolds always crack anyway...

This is even the case where my systems are "loosely hung" as opposed to
"fitted".



One of them even has a flexi-ball-joint thing as well and the manifold still broke...

I don't think it really matters.... my first Maniflow lasted about 20 years.. and is still quite serviceable - except for a crushed Y piece. When i found out how much a new Y piece would cost I bought a complete new manifold. It came with the pictured strap. With a vice and hammer it is quite easily modified to join the circular strap to one of the diff side plate bolts.

I would have liked one of the brackets that Vergard pictured but couldn't find one. 5 years alter I would suggest its probably not necessary...

Cheers, Ian

My experience on this bracket is it always cracked! then I made my own bracket with thicker guage mild steel, heat it up with gas torch and twisted to the desired shape! Now it last almost forever! it helps the LCB or freeflow last longer. try to find the same bracket in other modern vehicles, its an essential engine parts cause the torque twist of engine with a fixed exhaust system will crack the manifold, since we have no flex joint underneath like the new MPi engine.

Al