Exhaust Replacement - Rusted Bolts/Fittings

No offence, but you are way overthinking this. It’s just an exhaust flange. You could literally hold it together successfully by twisting lock wire through the bolt holes.

No need to waste the $7 or whatever it is on Toyota hardware just to get the exact correct size. Simply measure the width of the exposed stud. 8mm, 10mm, 12mm whatever it is will equate to M8, M10, M12, or the standard equivalent. 5/16, 3/8, 7/16ths etc. Just get the largest diameter bolt that will fit through the flange holes, and obviously long enough to fully thread on a nut.

Even the cheapest and weakest “chineseium” metal is more than strong enough in this application.

 

I usually can bust those with an impact and some PB blaster. Only the worst and oldest cars require new bolts. If it was anything but exhaust I would worry about it

 

Agree with these. Any bolt that is close in size will work. 5/16” or 8mm, doesn’t make any difference. Could be 10mm or a 3/8” would work if it’s that big. Don’t over think it.

 

Jesus Christ, these west coast owners.

 

It's pretty impressive

 

Won't the replacement bolts from Toyota end up exactly like this again? For $7 I'd want to improve the situation.

 

bought them to match size.

 

good points, prob am overthinking it, never dont this before, just wanted to make sure i do it right. thanks.

 

A torch will make better work of those than a wire brush and PB blaster.

 

It's not a proprietary size. HD or Lowes has them too.

 

Why do you want to replace them? Chances are those bolts won’t rust through until long after you trade that truck in! I don’t intend to replace mine until I need a new muffler.

 

The first line in his post:
I purchased the TRD exhaust for my TRDOR 2017MT

 

Did you ever figure out the bolt size? Trying to install an MBRP cat back on mine and the bolts are going to have to be cut off, no way around it.

 

I dont remember the size, I just sawed off the welded nut and used a bolt extractor to take out the rusted bit stuck in the threading. I found a bolt in my basement that fit sizewise, and then went to my local hardware store and bought a stainless bolt and nut of the same size.

 

Thanks for the info. Likely what I’ll do as well. Just cut it all off and get new bolts and nuts at rural king

 

Ok, I’m having the same issue. I’m installing a Carven exhaust and everyone says it’s a 14mm bolt. Unless I’m stupid somehow, a 14mm socket is way too big for mine. A 12 fits best but way too much rust to get it flush. Here’s mine.

 

How people make the removal of two rusty bolts into this big of an ordeal is perplexing.

 

Looks like mine. Always drops something in my eye when im shimmying around under there.. annoying as hell.

 

It is perplexing. I’m guilty at times, of overthinking simple repairs myself.

 

OP- Since you’re in Antarctica, have them send a helo over from McMurdo with the part, unsure on the shipping time as resupplies occur every 2 weeks, and that’s dependent on Drakes passage weather(this is all satire)

Those bolts are fine, just remove and reinstall them. Exhausts don’t get R&R like tires and oil changes, OG hardware is fine.