Manifold to Cat join conversion to v band?

[Matthew_]

Hoping someone with more knowledge or experience than me can help.

For context I'm currently running a standard 182 manifold and cat as far as I can tell.

It's using the standard mounting & gasket system between them but it's awful, I've replaced all the components but the cat still just sags and makes my exhaust look like a V shape under the car which means Im scraping the cat on speed bumps etc

I wanted to move to a v band system for the join to make it run straight under the car which I've seen threads on here where people have done it however I was hoping to keep the original cat which is where my problem is.

The threads I've seen show a Flexi being added after the v band in the section where the cat would be as by adding the v band join youve removed the flexibility the OEM exhaust gasket gives the exhaust for when the engine moves.

So my question is do I need a Flexi?
Has anyone had any experience or done this exact job of converting to v band and keeping the cat and if so how?

Or any other help, suggestions or advice would be much appreciated

 

[Matt Cup]

I’d just take it over to JP exhausts in Macclesfield and let them sort it out. Surely it just needs a sleeved section adding to the mid section? Which I’m sure was a common mod done on here?

 

[Louis]

Your problem is after the cat, but the prejoint always leaks too.

 

[OssPoop]

Before and after on my old 182.

Oe cat replaced with one that worked and the flexi moved too.