New stock exhaust installed

I cleared out my garage, got the truck in and did the job yesterday afternoon. I cut the old part into 3 pieces to make removal easier. The old welded nuts basically just disintegrated so I didn't need to drill. I just cleaned up the small shards with a Dremel tool. I was able to source some stainless steel hardware, a shoulder bolt, washers and nuts that were close to the OEM parts to put it back together. The OEM stuff was still really solid in the meat but no way they would come apart... and the upstream flanges will probably need attention before this new muffler goes so this flange will need to come apart for that. Best part is that I took only a few small scratches and gashes and didn't need to go get a unit of blood. ;-)

Other than wrangling the new unit in over the axle whilst working from the floor (jacked up of course) the hardest part of the job was those darned rubber hangers. Pretty much impossible to release... I did get one off by prying but just cut the other 3 hangers off the old pipe and muffler and pulled them through. Does anyone have a secret trick for this or know of a tool that makes it easier? Inserting the new ones was easy with a little soapy water and since you are not fighting the barb.


LOL... this how the truck "fits" in my garage. Front bumper touching the door. Had to crawl out the passenger side.


Out with the old


In with the new


Stainless steel flange hardware

 

Looking good, well done

 

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...PuWPWG4YUPYQcdbyxDhoC5DwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

That's what I needed... I'll file that away mentally since if I buy one now I won't be able to find it the next time I need to do something like this!