Exhaust Swinging Down!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
Exhaust Swinging Down!
I installed B&B Bullets about a month ago. (Well actually a shop installed them...) and today when i got to work i noticed the drivers side tips were about 4" below the passenger side ones. Upon inspection i noticed the whole Axleback system is pretty much swinging by the hanger, and the bolts on the flange are VERY loose.
I'm having my friend bring tools to work; hopefully i can snug it down enough to get home safely, then jack up the car and really torque those suckers down...
Anybody else have this problem? What are the torque specs for those bolts? 'Tight as hell'?? Is there a locknut or something you can use to keep them from backing out?
Thanks
Dan
I'm having my friend bring tools to work; hopefully i can snug it down enough to get home safely, then jack up the car and really torque those suckers down...
Anybody else have this problem? What are the torque specs for those bolts? 'Tight as hell'?? Is there a locknut or something you can use to keep them from backing out?
Thanks
Dan
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
Hmm!! Good point! No i'm not sure... i just glanced at it in the parking lot! 
Has this happened before!?!? The weld on the Bullet's flange is still intact, i could see that much, but i couldn't see if it broke the flange off the factory pipe!
I guess if that happened, i'll just have to pony up for LGs and X pipe eh...
Has this happened before!?!? The weld on the Bullet's flange is still intact, i could see that much, but i couldn't see if it broke the flange off the factory pipe! I guess if that happened, i'll just have to pony up for LGs and X pipe eh...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,178
Likes: 13
From: N. County/San Diego
Originally Posted by LF97C5Vette
I installed B&B Bullets about a month ago. (Well actually a shop installed them...) and today when i got to work i noticed the drivers side tips were about 4" below the passenger side ones. Upon inspection i noticed the whole Axleback system is pretty much swinging by the hanger, and the bolts on the flange are VERY loose.
I'm having my friend bring tools to work; hopefully i can snug it down enough to get home safely, then jack up the car and really torque those suckers down...
Anybody else have this problem? What are the torque specs for those bolts? 'Tight as hell'?? Is there a locknut or something you can use to keep them from backing out?
Thanks
Dan
I'm having my friend bring tools to work; hopefully i can snug it down enough to get home safely, then jack up the car and really torque those suckers down...
Anybody else have this problem? What are the torque specs for those bolts? 'Tight as hell'?? Is there a locknut or something you can use to keep them from backing out?
Thanks
Dan
RickP.S. Do not drive with it loose, the clearence between the overaxle pipe and the halfshaft boot is already close and may rub through the boot if driven while loose.....ask me how I know!
Last edited by R.P.; Jun 20, 2006 at 01:48 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
Originally Posted by R.P.
Virtually all new exhausts will benefit from a re-torque after a few heat cycles, and yes, it is common for things to loosen up after several cycles. Snug it up for the drive home, once you get it home you can loosen, apply lock-tite and re-tighten, then re-check after a few more heat cycles.
Rick
RickThats the plan - good tips. Thanks!
Dan
OBTW, I just happened to glance at LG Street LT headers for $695... those bolt right up, and thats all i need? Seems like a good deal to me...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 976
Likes: 1
From: Lincoln NE
Same Problem!!!
but i found where it is... I used the factory H-pipe with my TSP LT's and connecting pipes... we took the h-pipe off for cutting... sometime between removal and reinstallation I broke the weld around the flange that bolts to the connecting tail pipe running to the muffler... it didn't break right off... but it swings back and forth... I dont' ahve an option not to drive it right now.. so my tail pipe is hangning low... everything is holding together but when i go up hill it rubs my rear sway bar and causes a very ugly noise... I'm going to my buddies shop tonight to get it welded back together... most shops can do this for just a couple $$ (10-20)
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Installed mine about 3 months ago. I have the older style the clamp for the 2 pc system. And I also do the tight as hell system for those two clamps. No issues as far as bolts coming loose. But the system is lighter, and seems to move alittle more than stock.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
Yup - checked it during my lunch... the damn flange popped right off the H-Pipe!! It's crazy, the weld came right off, nice 'n clean! I'm having my friend follow me home tonight, (watch make sure nothing drags...) then we're taking off the H-Pipe and heading to a shop to reweld the flange back on...
Two questions:
1) Should i have them intentionally break off and reweld the other flange? Or just touch up the weld for extra strength perhaps?
2) When taking the H-Pipe off; can i just disconnect it from cats, and tailpipe, or does it go clear up to the Exhaust manifold, and how hard of a chore is that going to be!?
Two questions:
1) Should i have them intentionally break off and reweld the other flange? Or just touch up the weld for extra strength perhaps?
2) When taking the H-Pipe off; can i just disconnect it from cats, and tailpipe, or does it go clear up to the Exhaust manifold, and how hard of a chore is that going to be!?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 976
Likes: 1
From: Lincoln NE
if you haven't replaced cats yet.. they are welded in..... it would require removing the whole thing.. if you have a truck no big deal otherwise you could probably do it in the air by removing the hanger bolts ( the ones on springs ) and it should drop enough for to weld it... Idk that you would need to break the other one off... but maybe reinforce it with some more weld 
.... i woudln't worry about you scrapping or loosing your muffler on the way home... you can't even remove the pipe that goes over the rear "axles" from the back they have to go from the other side... (between the wheels) also there is a hanger above the muffler that holds it up... do you hear a really odd sound from time to time when going up hill or while driving around?
you can disconnect it from the manifolds and the tail pipe where the flange broke off
edit who ever did the welds on the factory H-pipe should be FIRED/SHOT/and fed to the sharks
.... i woudln't worry about you scrapping or loosing your muffler on the way home... you can't even remove the pipe that goes over the rear "axles" from the back they have to go from the other side... (between the wheels) also there is a hanger above the muffler that holds it up... do you hear a really odd sound from time to time when going up hill or while driving around?you can disconnect it from the manifolds and the tail pipe where the flange broke off
edit who ever did the welds on the factory H-pipe should be FIRED/SHOT/and fed to the sharks
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
Right - so how hard is it to unbolt the Exhaust manifold from the Cats? Easier to come from above or below the car? Please tell me I don't need to get the car 10ft in the air or something ridiculious... 
Doable with floorjacks?
Doable with floorjacks?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 976
Likes: 1
From: Lincoln NE
it's very do able on floor jacks... I'd suggest 10ft... but floor jacks will work... 3 nuts on each manifold hold together the H-pipe... then there are 2 bolts about 3/4's of the way back and bolt into hangers (they are springs) then there are the 2 bolts per tail pipe.. and thats it... if you have never had them off.. id suggest using an impact or at the min. soak everything in WD40.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
- Just got back to work, can't sign in from home - just moved so no internet until the 23rd Argh!!!
But yeah, we called the place and they said just bring it in, we don't even need to remove the H-Pipe, they've done it before... (They had another corvette w/ the same problem...)
So we drove it in, they welded the flange and realigned the pipes and everything. They even let us watch from inside the garage (which i really appreciate cause some won't let you in the shop area...)
Took about 20 minutes and cost $30 & and problem solved! :-)
It was pretty weird though, after a close inspection, the weld bead wasn't on the flange or the pipe... It's like it fell off the pipe like a bracelet... my friend said it coulda been a cold weld...
Anyways, thanks for the help!
Dan
But yeah, we called the place and they said just bring it in, we don't even need to remove the H-Pipe, they've done it before... (They had another corvette w/ the same problem...)
So we drove it in, they welded the flange and realigned the pipes and everything. They even let us watch from inside the garage (which i really appreciate cause some won't let you in the shop area...)
Took about 20 minutes and cost $30 & and problem solved! :-)
It was pretty weird though, after a close inspection, the weld bead wasn't on the flange or the pipe... It's like it fell off the pipe like a bracelet... my friend said it coulda been a cold weld...
Anyways, thanks for the help!
Dan