I used stainless band clamps in exact same application. They are like
what you are using now but much stronger, with a bigger bolt head to
tighten and a spring around the bolt. I got them locally from an
industrial supply house (coast industrial).

alistair

On 5-Jan-11, at 1:37 PM, Don Hanson wrote:

>  I've seen reference to "Muffler Clamps" for stock Vanagon exhaust
> systems
> as well as a Tiico-specific offering that is currently 'not available'
>
>   Anyone have any suggestions for some type of 'work around' to
> clamp a
> muffler on my inline four powered vanagon?  It's very similar to the
> Tiico
> set up, or a diesel vanagon, with a muffler that is set crosswise to
> the
> direction of travel between the rear bumper and the back end of the
> motor.
> The muffler needs a clamp that is 21" in circumference to go around
> the
> muffler and to bind that onto the diesel-type muffler hanger bracket
> that
> comes off the passenger side of the engine.   I have been making do
> with two
> SS hose clamps, but they are not strong enough...they have been
> snapping
> after about a week.  I have a back-up mount that holds the exhaust
> up when
> these hose clamps break, but that is attached to the tailpipe and
> hangs off
> the body of the van, causing undue stress and vibration noise.
> When the
> exhaust is clamped round the oval muffler and mounted only to the
> motor, it
> works great...but I need something a bit more substantial than
> hardware
> store hose clamps to do the job.
>
>   I've searched online for band clamps, hose clamps, and every other
> thing
> I could think of with no luck.   If they made hose clamps that were
> about an
> inch wide and long enough and strong enough to go round the muffler
> and the
> mount, like maybe the standard WBX muffler clamp (no picture I could
> find
> anywhere) or better yet...that Tiico purpose built (but not currently
> available ) clamp...that would be super.
>
>   Anybody have any hints where I might find something?   I could
> post a pic
> of the clamps in place, I suppose, but I think you can get the idea
> from
> just the words..
>
>  Don Hanson