Is there any tricks to removing the Z06 muffler? I've been unable to fanagle the bend around the axle to get it out. Started thinking that it shouldn't be this tough as I was starting to use a "lil" leverage.

SB

 

You have to get it up very high to get them off w/ out cutting. Good luck.

 

Just put exhaust on a friends 98 c5 and we found that even with unbolting the rear sway bar the exhaust still won't come out. We cut the exhaust to get it out but if you want to save the exhaust you will have to drop rear cradle.

 

It can be done... the manual says so!!!!

I have done it a couple of times... the left side is relatively easy, provided you jack it way up (or preferably have it on a lift. ) The right side is tougher, the second time I did it we had more problems than the first time... it gets oh so close, then gets stuck, but we finally got it.

Repeat, it can be done... do NOT cut the exhaust.

L

 

like easy i say! :p:

 

I just did mine last weekend. As everyone says the trick is getting the car up high enough, and thats the hardest part of the install and takes most of the time. The standard floor jack maxed out isnt high enough. I wound up with the jackstands at max with 2- 2" thick patio stepping stones under each one, a 2x6 on top of the jack stand and the pucks. This was barely enough. You also need to have jackstands under the front so it wont dig into the ground. I did the car in a series of lifts and kept it level as I was doing the diff and trans fluid change at the same time. To get it up higher with the jack I had to use 3 pieces of 2x8 on top of the floor jack pad. I lifted the car by the front and rear cross members. Make sure the jack pad or spacers span the entire width of the cross member as it is hollow in the middle and may rock if you only catch one edge of it. It was sturdy enough when I was done but I was still a bit nervous and put the jack in place from the side as an added precaution. Taking the sysetem off was easy after that as was putting the Ti system on. I found after unbolting the flange & hanger rotate the muffler toward the floor and as the tips come close to the floor rotate the muffler towards the center of the car and sort of unscrew it out. I was surprised how easy it came out when I had the height I needed. Ill be getting one of those 4 post lifts in the future so I wont have to go thru the jacking proceedure again for future projects. It is a shame if you had to cut the system especially if it is a Ti out of a Z06. I hope it went well for you :steering: PS I did drop the sway bar just in case but I was changeing the end links to the metal ones anyway. I couldnt see why it would be in the way but it was easy to take off so I did :thumbs:


[Modified by jl240z, 2:19 AM 1/18/2004]

 

Thanks! I've got it up quite a bit, but I'll raise it more to be sure--I'm putting on the LGM headers (hopefully!) next so it needs to be high for those too. I haven't removed the stabilizer bar yet, that does seem to be the main thing in the way. I'm thinking I'll weld in a bypass on the muffler like the AA mod to get a little more "character" in the sound. Not sure that this will be necessary with the LGM offroad's on the way, but I'd rather have a little more "noise" than not enough! :thumbs:

 

Welcome to the forum. You just have to get the car high enough to be able to maneuver the pipes and slide them out.

 

Just did it. Raise the car HIGH on a lift, unbolt the sway bar, swing the sway bar down, and the exhaust comes out easy over the axle. Be sure to torque the sway bar bolts back to spec. 49 lb/ft. top bolts and 70 lb/ft. bottom bolts.

 

Get her up high and remove just the 2 bushings and lean it to the side. The pass side was harder , had to pull through. good luck.

 

I just did it last weekend on a friend's 2000 FRC. We got the butt end up really high and still couldn't get them out. Then we put our 2 jacks on the rear moulding jack points (with jackpads) and a piece of 2x4 on the jack cradles. Chocked the front wheels and went up as high as the jacks would go. Got it about 32". We unbolted the mufflers before we did this so they were free. Then we were able to get them up and over the axles and put the new ones in over them. Man, was that scary! :eek: If I didn't have the front wheels on the ground and chocked really well, it wouldn't have worked. Try to rent a lift for about the half hour it will take to change them out, you will be much safer.

 

The left side comes off easier than the right side. And the right side is much harder to get back in than taking it out.

Sway bar needs to be off to makes things a lot easier.

I have a lift and that does help. Not sure I would have the patience to get it off the car just on jack stands.

I have done it at least 4-5 times and each time is just as hard as the first time.


[Modified by RWhite, 9:15 AM 1/19/2004]