installing catback tommorrow...tips and questions

[GREENBIOCH]

ok i am installing a UPR OR X pipe and Magnapack Catback tommorrow and was wondering if anyone had any tips to save me some time and what not. I also have read a few things about installing, my one concern/question is do you have to cut the exhaust just behind the muffler in order to get the pipe out overtop of the rear axle? or is it simply a matter of working it around once everything is unbolted?? and if it needs to be cut then what works best for cutting??

 

[the98stang]

ok i am installing a UPR OR X pipe and Magnapack Catback tommorrow and was wondering if anyone had any tips to save me some time and what not. I also have read a few things about installing, my one concern/question is do you have to cut the exhaust just behind the muffler in order to get the pipe out overtop of the rear axle? or is it simply a matter of working it around once everything is unbolted?? and if it needs to be cut then what works best for cutting??

The stock muffler piping MUST be cut. You can use a reciprocating saw to cut it. Try to make the cut clean so it can be rewelded if need be (in case you want to sell it).

For me, my Bassani catback would not fit over the axles. I had to drop the axle as far as it would go safely by unbolting the rear shock dampner (I believe that's what it's called). Also, soak all of the bolts with PB blaster or WD40 the day before you do the install. Your going to need patience and lots of extensions to loosen the passenger side exhuast manifold bolts. Hope this helps!

Tanner

 

[GREENBIOCH]

Crap thats what i thought, i'm gonna have to go buy a new tool then i guess didn't really want too but hey gotta do it i guess...thanks for the info.

 

[the98stang]

Crap thats what i thought, i'm gonna have to go buy a new tool then i guess didn't really want too but hey gotta do it i guess...thanks for the info.

Meh...you'll use that saw time and time again

 

[96BlueStangGT]

It does not have to be cut, i got mine out in one piece. But i will tell you that it is easier if you cut it.

 

[GREENBIOCH]

Was able to get a buddies sawzal....worked like a charm.

 

[the98stang]

It does not have to be cut, i got mine out in one piece. But i will tell you that it is easier if you cut it.

Your in a 96...maybe it's different than the 99-04's

mine HAD to be cut

 

[Black Stang 97]

mine came out in one piece of well...but i did have to unbolt the upper control arms and the shocks and the quad shocks...pretty much everything that held the diff in place....lol...cutting it will be much easier though.....i wanted to save my stock cat back thats the reason why i didnt cut it....

 

[mac1009]

I cut mine, you can disconnect the rear suspension and drop the axle down if you want to keep it, but it wasn't worth it to me. I cut it w/ a sawsall, but I don't remember where.

If your car is an '04, you'll need O2 extensions for the rear O2's. You'll also, like said above, want a few different extensions and a swivel.

 

[Kronos]

patience wd40 and extensions will be need to remove that #2 side nut to get the stock mid pipe off i stripped mine so bad it needed to be cut off.
dont use a torch by the way its very risky and unless you have a surgeons precision (like me) you might not be as lucky as i was cause i that my starter was up in flames.

so don't strip the bolts its bad news

 

[DocG]

You could use a hand hacksaw to cut the pipes off...but the recip saw is much easier obviously. My stock H-pipe came off pretty easily after being soaked in PB blaster for about 30 minutes and once I was able to piece together the right combo of extensions. It really came in handy having a variety of extension lengths and sizes. I think I used 1/2' sockets on one side and 3/8' on the other if I remember right. Also used a medium depth socket on one side and a deep on the other. I had about 10 different pieces laying out by the time I was done just unbolting the h-pipe from the manifolds.

Plugging and unplugging the upper 02's were a real PITA too. I ended up breaking the driver side upper 02 connector off the little bracket, and had to pull it with one finger while connecting it in with another two fingers. Had to use a flathead screwdriver to reach up and press the tab in order to unplug it. I'm no mechanic for sure, but got my prochamber and cat-back swapped in aboutu 10 hours.

 

[Kronos]

with a recip saw the catback is easy infact its all easy you just need a little patience and a lot of extensions.

 

[hognutz]

tips for a quick job

lube for the rubber hangers, sawzall for the stock exhaust, swivels. If you have all these it should be no more than a 2hr job.

now the exhaust will come out in one piece but it requires some rear disassembly so that is up to you i was lazy and cut it off. duralube worked rather well on the hangers. as easy to spay as wd 40 but lubed more like regular oil. the swivels will make the midpipe easy as pie.

using a hacksaw, no lube on the hangers, or no swivels will make this job much harder than it is. it can be done but you will be much more pissed off by the end of the job.

 

[GDawg]

I didn't read everyone's responses here but I was going to do mine myself (the catback only) and I was going to buy a sawzaw for $120 + tax but I was able to have a muffler shop do the swap for under $80 and me not having to deal with my lowered car was nice.

Btw, the shop cut off the old pipe but did not cut on the new one. They DID however have to do some bending to get my new pipe to fit correctly. They did a great job. I checked the whole pipe out.

(I still want to buy a sawzaw though...)

 

[mity2]

i was able to get the stock system out without cutting. But i lower the axle several inches. I think cutting would have been easier
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