Metals · Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel 304
The default grade for exhaust and intake piping — excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance, good corrosion resistance, and clean weldability at a lower cost than 316.
Key Properties
304 is the most widely used austenitic stainless steel and the workhorse of exhaust manufacturing. Its 18/8 chromium-nickel composition gives strong resistance to high-temperature scaling and oxidation, while staying easy to bend, form, and weld — important for the tight bends and joints in heavy-machinery exhaust routing.
It offers good general corrosion resistance but is less resistant to chloride pitting than 316, so it is best suited to standard operating environments rather than coastal, marine, or heavy road-salt conditions. For most custom exhaust and intake piping, 304 is the cost-effective default
