Shopping for an exhaust system and don’t know whether to choose titanium or stainless steel? You’re in the perfect place.
In today’s blog, we’re looking at the differences between the two materials and outlining the reasons why you should (at least) consider a titanium exhaust for your vehicle.
What is titanium?
Titanium (Ti) is a metallic element with a silver/grey colour. It’s renowned for its high strength to weight ratio – creating an extremely strong, yet lightweight, material that’s great for various industrial applications.
It offers a high heat transfer efficiency too and is very resistant to corrosion, often caused by acids, alkalis, industrial chemicals and natural waters.
What is stainless steel?
Stainless steel is an alloy steel. Alloying refers to the process of mixing more than one metal together – combining only the best characteristics.
In the case of stainless steel, it is mixed with 10-30% chromium and 70% iron. The result? A strong metal that holds up well to temperature changes and resists corrosion. Other alloying elements (i.e. nickel, molybdenum, titanium, copper, carbon, nitrogen) can be added to enhance the structure and properties, such as formability, strength and cryogenic toughness.
The difference between titanium and stainless steel?
A distinct difference between the two is that stainless steel is an alloyed metal while titanium is a transition metal. The unique characteristics of stainless steel are created by adding other elements to it, whilst titanium’s characteristics are found naturally within.
Titanium is beautiful – there’s no denying that. But it carries a heftier price tag than stainless steel. Although less flashy than titanium, stainless steel isn’t ugly. It’s typically supplied high polished or in a dull silvery finish.
Why is a titanium exhaust better?
Thanks to its cost-effectiveness, high strength and resistance to corrosion, stainless steel is one of the most commonly used materials in exhaust systems. But sometimes you want all of these great properties, as well as the very best in performance.
That’s where a titanium exhaust excels.
In terms of performance, the first thing you will notice is the difference in weight. Titanium is 45% lighter than stainless steel. This reduction in weight improves the power to weight ratio, which results in better handling and acceleration. Hence why racing cars, where every bit of weight matters, have titanium exhausts.
Weight savings aside, titanium is extremely strong. In fact, the same thickness of titanium tubing is twice as strong as that of stainless steel. This means that a thin, lightweight tubing can be used – without sacrificing strength.
As well as this, there is a noticeable tone difference when compared to a standard stainless steel system. This is down to the low density of titanium – allowing it to produce a more aggressive, raspy and metallic sound.
Though a titanium exhaust is our all-time favourite, here at Ti-Tek, it all comes down to your performance needs and your budget, of course.
How much does a titanium exhaust cost?
This is something we get asked a lot at Ti-Tek.
We’re not denying that there is a big cost difference between titanium and stainless steel exhaust systems. The prices can range anywhere between a few hundred pounds, to a few thousand. You need to ask yourself whether a titanium exhaust is worth the extra coin, and how much 45% less weight will benefit you.
For more information about titanium exhausts and how much they cost, be sure to drop us an email at info@titek.co.uk, or give us a call on 0121 382 4121. We pride ourselves on competitive pricing and will be more than happy to offer a tailored solution for you and your vehicle requirements.