Kind of getting very concerned about this. I'm currently just supporting all this **** with oem exhaust manifold hardware. I have probably put 500miles on the setup so far. But, just looking for the cheapest options here. Money has become a HUGE issue. I want to get the arp stud kit but, the price is waaaaay hefty.
I have noticed that oem pressure plate bolts can be shimmed to fit perfectly(arp pressure plate bolts are cheap). What do you guys think. How can I make sure this stuff isn't gonna brake off. Trying to do it for cheap----(Jobless currently) Does anyone know what grade oem bolts are? I think the arp kit is completely overpriced and is not good enough quality alone. I do all my own work but, I don't know what everyone else is doing... The cheapest thing I can think of is Aluminum bar stock from the hardware store and Tig to Block-manifold and have them hookup with 2bolts. Pretty exhausted of thinking/working on this. Feedback please. Or are oem bolts good enough lol???

 

you can't use a piece of bar stock... it wouldn't allow the manifold to expand and contract with thermal variations and it would only amplify vibrations causing excess stress.

the arp studs won't really help either, since it's the flange that's having to support all of that weight.

you need a triangulated brace with a heim joint to take the weight of the manifold/turbine housing like so

 

You'll definitely need a bracket or everything else will crack. On a drag pass you may be okay, but if you ever street drive it with road abuse, bumps, wheel hop, etc.. you should make a good bracket that can grow outwards and inwards with an expanding manifold.


Here's my bracket:





It kept my manifold together for almost 4 years now

Quick video of the car on the dyno:

 

I used a blox rear sway bar Endlink off my integra for my turbo manifold brace for my s2000.

Check it out

 

Yep you and tony have the right idea (I've seen Tonys mount before)

you need something that can support the weight of the turbo while still allowing for movement as the manifold expands and contracts as well as something that can absorb/dampen vibrations, which is what the dual heim joint setup riceball and tony have used will do.

any bracket or support that's 100% rigid won't do any of the above and will actually make everything worse and cause premature manifold cracking and/or complete weld failure, no matter how beefy or well welded your manifold is.

 

In other words. Get creative while on budget. Or wait until you have some funds to get it done. Otherwise, this is all moot..

Great ideas Riceball777 and Tony