how the heck...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 351
Likes: 3
how the heck...
How the heck do I jack the rear of the car up 3 1/2 feet to install an exhaust without a lift?!?!? I moved and don't have access to a lift anymore so now I'm scratching my head...any of you guys have one? I'm in savannah...
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
http://97vette.com/howto/mufflers/index.html
Or, if you have access to a loading dock, back up to it with the rear overhanging out to expose the exhaust area. Use a good friend to direct you so you don't drive off the dock.
Better yet, just go to a competent exhaust shop and have them do it. Doesn't cost much.
Or, if you have access to a loading dock, back up to it with the rear overhanging out to expose the exhaust area. Use a good friend to direct you so you don't drive off the dock.
Better yet, just go to a competent exhaust shop and have them do it. Doesn't cost much.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,370
Likes: 8
Here a thread from SpeedTrap. Both SpeedTrap & myself (1FUNVTT) had installed our own aftermarket exhaust systems plus two additional times, so I know this will work. Below is a description on how Steve & I raised our vettes. Good Luck!
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A buddy and I have done four exhaust installs in the past 2 months using Jack stands, 2x6 lumber and Rhino Ramps in my garage without cutting the stock exhaust. These were all done on C5's with Auto Trans. We found the method described below to be very stable and safe.
We put the front tires on 4x4's with wood blocks front and rear of the front tires to block them from rolling. Then jack up the rear, put ramps under the rear tires, lower the jack, put 4 layers of 2x6 lumber on the jack and raise the rear of the car as far as it will go. Then put jack stands under the 2x6's and lower the cars weight on the stands. We also put wood blocks on top of the Rhino Ramps – under the rear tires when lowering the car on the stands for extra security. This allows the tires to partially support the car along with the jack stands for additional stability. The jack stands and 2x6's are placed under the rear suspension cradle, make sure the 2x6's don't extend more than about 1/2 inch from the rear edge of the cradle or they, the 2/6's, may be in the way of maneuvering the exhaust pipe from the over axle area.
We have found this set up to be very solid and stable. Using this method, the bottom of the rear bumper was about 30 inches above the floor. We did not have to cut the stock exhaust but you do have to patiently wiggle and twist the exhaust to get the forward flange out from the over axle area. Wiggle and twist the muffler downward and towards the center of the car. You also have to remove the bolts holding the rear sway bars, letting the sway bar hang downward by the end links. The only other thing you need to do is remove the rear right hand side fuel tank heat shield which is held on by one bolt and one nut. It was all very simple to remove/install.
A word of warning -- on two of the cars we did we found the rear exhaust hanger studs were not permanently attached to the car as they should have been. These studs are mounted on a flat plate, so the move together as one unit. To keep from loosing the studs inside the frame tube, remove one nut of the two nuts and lowered the one side of the hanger off that stud, then replace this nut before removing the other nut to completely remove the hanger. Reinstalling it is done in the same manner, one nut - stud at a time. When we inadvertently pushed the studs up into the square frame tube on one of the cars, we had to remove the bolts that hold the rear fascia on one side of the car so that we could get the Styrofoam inner bumper loose enough to get into the side of the rear frame tube to put the studs back through the holes in the frame tube. I'd hate to see what a muffler show would have done to correct this.
Cutting the stock exhaust would be much faster, easier, but it can be done without cutting. It took about an hour to remove the stock exhaust and install the new one.
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A buddy and I have done four exhaust installs in the past 2 months using Jack stands, 2x6 lumber and Rhino Ramps in my garage without cutting the stock exhaust. These were all done on C5's with Auto Trans. We found the method described below to be very stable and safe.
We put the front tires on 4x4's with wood blocks front and rear of the front tires to block them from rolling. Then jack up the rear, put ramps under the rear tires, lower the jack, put 4 layers of 2x6 lumber on the jack and raise the rear of the car as far as it will go. Then put jack stands under the 2x6's and lower the cars weight on the stands. We also put wood blocks on top of the Rhino Ramps – under the rear tires when lowering the car on the stands for extra security. This allows the tires to partially support the car along with the jack stands for additional stability. The jack stands and 2x6's are placed under the rear suspension cradle, make sure the 2x6's don't extend more than about 1/2 inch from the rear edge of the cradle or they, the 2/6's, may be in the way of maneuvering the exhaust pipe from the over axle area.
We have found this set up to be very solid and stable. Using this method, the bottom of the rear bumper was about 30 inches above the floor. We did not have to cut the stock exhaust but you do have to patiently wiggle and twist the exhaust to get the forward flange out from the over axle area. Wiggle and twist the muffler downward and towards the center of the car. You also have to remove the bolts holding the rear sway bars, letting the sway bar hang downward by the end links. The only other thing you need to do is remove the rear right hand side fuel tank heat shield which is held on by one bolt and one nut. It was all very simple to remove/install.
A word of warning -- on two of the cars we did we found the rear exhaust hanger studs were not permanently attached to the car as they should have been. These studs are mounted on a flat plate, so the move together as one unit. To keep from loosing the studs inside the frame tube, remove one nut of the two nuts and lowered the one side of the hanger off that stud, then replace this nut before removing the other nut to completely remove the hanger. Reinstalling it is done in the same manner, one nut - stud at a time. When we inadvertently pushed the studs up into the square frame tube on one of the cars, we had to remove the bolts that hold the rear fascia on one side of the car so that we could get the Styrofoam inner bumper loose enough to get into the side of the rear frame tube to put the studs back through the holes in the frame tube. I'd hate to see what a muffler show would have done to correct this.
Cutting the stock exhaust would be much faster, easier, but it can be done without cutting. It took about an hour to remove the stock exhaust and install the new one.
