How do you remove the exhaust pipe that goes from the cat to the muffler? It looks as though I can't do it without:

1. Putting the car on a lift
2. Cutting the rear hanger off the pipe

Thanks,
Joe
89IROC 350TPI

 

moving to exhaust board

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-=ICON MOTORSPORTS=-

 

I've done that routine a few times!

The first two times, I added a cat-back to my car, and replaced a friend's Formula's cat-back. I raised the car dangerously high using jacks and other stuff, so I could reach under with my arm, and shove the pipe over the axle. Obviously I don't recommend this at ALL, so don't do it.

Then, my fuel pump died, and as ya know I needed to drop the axle all the way to the ground. When that was done, I would've been able to yank the exhaust pipe straight out!

So when my original cat-back rusted out, I dropped the axle, slid out the old, and slid in the new.

Basically, raise the back of the car with a jack under the axle pumpkin. Next, put jackstands on the rear subframe, right in "front" of the rear control arms. Now, remove the wheels and your anti-sway-bar end-links. Remove the lower shock nuts, and lower the axle enough to take the shock's stress off- the lower shock bolts will just push (or light tap with a hammer) out of the axle. Now lower the axle some more, remove the springs & insulators. Remove the panhard rod (aka track bar) using 18mm and 21mm sockets. Remove the bolts holding the steel brake lines to the frame of the car. Lower the axle some more, being careful not to over-stress your rear brake hose!

At this point, you should be able to lower the axle all the way to the ground (keep an eye on that rear brake hose tension!! Don't let it "hang" the whole axle!). Keep lowering it until you see you can slide the exhaust pipe out.

Good luck & be safe..


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards