<p>To decouple the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine from movements and rotational speed-dependent vibrations of the engine, so-called pipe elements are used as decoupling elements. A wrapped flexible metal tube (1) is part of the pipe element, which absorbs the vibrations excited by the engine by a predetermined frictional damping. In the course of the service life, the damping decreases due to wear between the inter-engaging profile windings of the wrapped flexible tube (1). According to the invention, strip-shaped inserts made of a permanently elastic material are arranged under prestress between the inter-engaging profile windings (2). A reduction in the damping force is to a large extent prevented upon wear due to abrasion by following up from the elastic range of the strip-shaped inserts. <IMAGE></p>
