I have heard a vibrating sound coming from the underside near the middle of my 1999 F-150 while idling. After investigating I find this weighted looking thing clamped to the exhaust pipe vibrating against a cross member of the frame, the vibration due to the clamp rotting away. Now fixing this is simple enough but it is cold outside and I was wondering if this thing even serves a real purpose. Any ideas?

 

well i dont know what it is or what it does, but when they installed my new exhaust they just took it off and threw it away so i guess you dont need it. would think it counterballences the muffler or keeps you exhaust pipes from ratling around but i am not an exhaust guy but maybe sombody will give their 2 cents.

 

There are probably better fixes, but I usually deal with vibrating exhaust parts by tightening a hose clamp (like from a coolant hose) around the offending part. They make screw hose clamps in all different lengths, and if they are the same gauge, you can daisy chain several together.