Benefits of Using the Right Exhaust Flange Plates

One of the smallest and most simple, yet important as any other part of the exhaust system, are exhaust flange plates. They provide the connection between the tube segments and the exhaust manifold, thus ensuring an unobstructed path for the flow of exhaust gases. A lot of people pay very little attention to these parts, at least not until they go bad and need replacement. In order to pick the right flange, size and material are the two most important things to be considered.

Standard OEM exhaust flange plates are a perfect fit a vehicle unless it has had some aftermarket modifications. The collar on the flange has either two or three holes spaced out differently depending on the model, which need to match with the ones on the manifold.

When it comes to measurements and the perfect fit, the diameter of the flange doesn’t necessarily need to have the same diameter as the exhaust tube. What it does need to have the same diameter as however, is the opening on the manifold. Tubes on the other side of the exhaust flange plates can be adjusted. The five measurements of a flange which you need to understand are the internal diameter, height, width, thickness and bolt circle.

The common internal diameter sizes are 50, 63 and 76 millimeters. They come with various bolt circle diameters, so ensure that both the bolt circle and inner circle match your manifold. The width and height are less important as they’re usually compatible if the previous two match. None of these measurements matter if you’re dealing with an oval exhaust flange. The oval exhaust flange market is significantly smaller, so it’s much easier to find the right match.

When it comes to the material, often times the cheapest choice are steel flanges. They’re prone to corrosion and have a low tensile strength. An improvement from the steel flanges are the stainless steel flanges which provide better corrosion resistance for an increased price. Above the stainless steel flanges are the sit aluminium flanges which have far superior properties in general. You should pick a flange that’s built from the same material as your exhaust system, since every chain is as strong as its weakest link.

Look to have the same quality in the entire system if you want to keep it intact for as long as possible. Flanges are usually replaced when the entire system is replaced or just a part of the exhaust header is replaced. In order to replace the flange, a big part of the exhaust system has to be removed.