rubber mounts for mufflers
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
From: Fords NJ
rubber mounts for mufflers
I took the muffler off the passenger side of my car, i removed the nuts for the rubber mount and when i pulled the muffler off, the bolts went into the frame area. how could i remedey this without taking the the back section of the car off to get into the bumper?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,439
Likes: 6
From: Newark, DE
St. Jude Donor '06
If you are careful, you might get lucky.
Try fishing around one of the holes with a straightened wire coat hanger (the universal tool!). Those "bolts" are actually one bolt, shaped like a "U" (with the center piece flattened rather than curved). If you can get one of the threaded shafts to drop into either hole, then you can wiggle it into position, and the other side will drop right into the other hole. Otherwise... as you guessed, you'll have to remove a good portion of the rear facia.
GL!
Try fishing around one of the holes with a straightened wire coat hanger (the universal tool!). Those "bolts" are actually one bolt, shaped like a "U" (with the center piece flattened rather than curved). If you can get one of the threaded shafts to drop into either hole, then you can wiggle it into position, and the other side will drop right into the other hole. Otherwise... as you guessed, you'll have to remove a good portion of the rear facia.
GL!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 905
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Or try using a strong magnet to manuever it back into position.
Worst case . . .
Rear Fascia Removal
1. Remove the tail lights, license plate, and back up light assembly.
2. Remove the 4 or so plastic plugs under the fascia, just above where the exhaust tips exit.
3. Reach up through the area where the license plate was and disconnect the plug to the 3rd brake light. Also remove the plasic clips that hold the taillight wiring to the fascia.
4. Jack the car and remove the rear wheels. Then remove the 4 or so bolts holding in the rear wheel well liners. You don't have to remove the whole thing, just enough to get your hands back there.
5. There are 2 bolts just under the side marker lights. Then there are 2 nuts directly behind the side marker lights towards the back of the car.
6. Reach through the outermost tail light holes an remove the 2 or three remaining bolts. On the right side, one of the bolts holds the ground wire for the lights and antenna.
7. Remove all of the bolts along the top edge where the hatch closes.
8. Carefully pull the bottom of the fascia towards you, then slide your fingers under the top edge at the hatch and pull up and back. The fascia just sort of "hangs" on the car like a coat on coat rack.
9. You might want to have somebody help you because the fascia is like a wet noodle when not attached to the car.
10. Lay it down on a blanket or drop cloth to avoid scratching the paint.
11. Re-install is simply the reverse of the removal process.
Good luck, and take your time.
Worst case . . .
Rear Fascia Removal
1. Remove the tail lights, license plate, and back up light assembly.
2. Remove the 4 or so plastic plugs under the fascia, just above where the exhaust tips exit.
3. Reach up through the area where the license plate was and disconnect the plug to the 3rd brake light. Also remove the plasic clips that hold the taillight wiring to the fascia.
4. Jack the car and remove the rear wheels. Then remove the 4 or so bolts holding in the rear wheel well liners. You don't have to remove the whole thing, just enough to get your hands back there.
5. There are 2 bolts just under the side marker lights. Then there are 2 nuts directly behind the side marker lights towards the back of the car.
6. Reach through the outermost tail light holes an remove the 2 or three remaining bolts. On the right side, one of the bolts holds the ground wire for the lights and antenna.
7. Remove all of the bolts along the top edge where the hatch closes.
8. Carefully pull the bottom of the fascia towards you, then slide your fingers under the top edge at the hatch and pull up and back. The fascia just sort of "hangs" on the car like a coat on coat rack.
9. You might want to have somebody help you because the fascia is like a wet noodle when not attached to the car.
10. Lay it down on a blanket or drop cloth to avoid scratching the paint.
11. Re-install is simply the reverse of the removal process.
Good luck, and take your time.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 11,747
Likes: 0
From: Psychizogeographic -- Knoxville and Houston
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08
Originally Posted by Yellow03ZO6
I took the muffler off the passenger side of my car, i removed the nuts for the rubber mount and when i pulled the muffler off, the bolts went into the frame area. how could i remedey this without taking the the back section of the car off to get into the bumper?
I did the same thing once. Had to pull one side of the rear fascia off to get the sucker.
Good luck.
