Maintenance Issue / Tailpipe hanger strap

[siriusjim]

There have been isolated (3 out of 370+ installations) reports of the tailpipe support hanger strap cracking or tearing on Tuned Exhaust Systems installed on the DA40.

The cause for this problem has been identified as too much tension being put on the hanger material by using a hanger strap that is too short in length.

The tailpipe should be positioned evenly between the bottom of the firewall and the lower cowling. Some of the failed straps had been trimmed shorter than the original strap provided by PFS.

Fortunately, the fix is extremely simple: the strap in question is actually fiber-reinforced neoprene baffle material as found in every maintenance shop. It is not a unique or PFS specific part.

Simply have your shop replace the torn strap with one made from this material (approximately 3.5" by 1.75") and you're "Good to Go"!

[meyerflyr]

I oversee the maintenance (Quality Control Manager) of a fleet of 20 DA-40 ACFT, at a flight training center. We started flight operations in FEB of this year, and in six months we have now had 14 of the exhaust straps broken at the flange attaching point. Other A&P/IA’s agree that when the neoprene gets warm and experiences a sudden jolt (a not so soft landing) that this is what is causing the problem. These ACFT are new and so wear and tear can be ruled out. Even some of the ones that we have replaced have broken. (We manufactured them with the material and dimensions as suggested before, in other words just like the ones from the factory).
Any ideas for a fix?