Exhaust install - How Difficult?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 632
Likes: 90
From: Horseshoe Bay TX
Exhaust install - How Difficult?
Got my Borlas on order, should arrive in 3-4 weeks. I am NOT a mechanic by any means, but would like to be able to do small mods on my Vette. How difficult is it to change out your own exhaust, I do have jack and stands and beer, what else do I need or should I just get a professional to do it? Thanks guys.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 164
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From: Dulles Virginia
I did my Bullets just recently. Took about 2.5hours. Not too tough at all. It took about 1.5 hours to do the disassembly and hang the new parts and about another hour to line everything up and bolt it into place.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,312
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From: Ridgeland MS
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11
Easy enough - Jack up the car and put it on Jack Stands. Remove the rear wheels. Unbolt the the factory exhaust. Bolt in the Borla exhaust. Replace the rear wheels. Let 'er down off of the Jack Stands. 2 - 3 hours - with time for a cold brew.
Bill
Bill
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,242
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Originally Posted by dollarbill
Easy enough - Jack up the car and put it on Jack Stands. Remove the rear wheels. Unbolt the the factory exhaust. Bolt in the Borla exhaust. Replace the rear wheels. Let 'er down off of the Jack Stands. 2 - 3 hours - with time for a cold brew.
Bill
Bill 
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: YOU SEE ... I'M NOT CRAZY ...I'M JUST AHEAD OF THE CURVE
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
I did the B&B Bullets, but the method is same (and of course so are the bolts/nuts).
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,002
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From: It's warm in Fla!
CI 6-7-8-9-10-12 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
Originally Posted by dollarbill
Easy enough - Jack up the car and put it on Jack Stands. Remove the rear wheels. Unbolt the the factory exhaust. Bolt in the Borla exhaust. Replace the rear wheels. Let 'er down off of the Jack Stands. 2 - 3 hours - with time for a cold brew.
Bill
Bill 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,312
Likes: 82
From: Ridgeland MS
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11
Why do you have to remove the rear wheels?
It actually can be done with the wheels in place. By removing the rear wheels, it just gave me more room. And as mentioned by Ginny, if you remove 'em be sure torque 'em to 100 Ft/LBS. Bill
It actually can be done with the wheels in place. By removing the rear wheels, it just gave me more room. And as mentioned by Ginny, if you remove 'em be sure torque 'em to 100 Ft/LBS.
Bill
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,002
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From: It's warm in Fla!
CI 6-7-8-9-10-12 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
Originally Posted by cmb13
Novice question, I'm sure. How the hell do you know how much you're torque you're applying?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 632
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From: Horseshoe Bay TX
Thanks...I'm encouraged
Everyone makes it sound easy so I'm planning on doing it myself. Thanks for all the advice.
Oh goody, now I get to buy a calibrated torque wrench, I'll add it to my collection of Vette goodies...exhaust, jack & stands, Craftsman tool set, epoxyed garage floor, new garage cabinets, garage floormats, bra, CAGS eliminator, V1 quick connect & mount, Vette hats and full stock of Zaino. I ain't had this much fun since college.
* 22 and counting
Oh goody, now I get to buy a calibrated torque wrench, I'll add it to my collection of Vette goodies...exhaust, jack & stands, Craftsman tool set, epoxyed garage floor, new garage cabinets, garage floormats, bra, CAGS eliminator, V1 quick connect & mount, Vette hats and full stock of Zaino. I ain't had this much fun since college.
* 22 and counting
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,565
Likes: 5
From: stafford country, va. Avatar: Me on turn 3 @ Bristol (The World's Fastest Half-Mile)
Originally Posted by Whataguy
Everyone makes it sound easy so I'm planning on doing it myself. Thanks for all the advice.
Oh goody, now I get to buy a calibrated torque wrench, I'll add it to my collection of Vette goodies...exhaust, jack & stands, Craftsman tool set, epoxyed garage floor, new garage cabinets, garage floormats, bra, CAGS eliminator, V1 quick connect & mount, Vette hats and full stock of Zaino. I ain't had this much fun since college.
* 22 and counting
Oh goody, now I get to buy a calibrated torque wrench, I'll add it to my collection of Vette goodies...exhaust, jack & stands, Craftsman tool set, epoxyed garage floor, new garage cabinets, garage floormats, bra, CAGS eliminator, V1 quick connect & mount, Vette hats and full stock of Zaino. I ain't had this much fun since college.
* 22 and counting
as VetVetter said, http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,115
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From: Dallas TX
Originally Posted by Zig
don't forget to remove the rear sway bar. this will help when dropping the mufflers and putting the new ones up. plan on spending ALOT of time on your back. even with jackstands (depends on how high you put it) this car is low. if you're thin enough and you can get the car high enough you can use one of them dollys (crawler), it's basically a back sled with wheels. makes sure you use the GM connector gaskets. you need a good squish / tight connection to the H-pipe and the rest of the cat back. torque them there bolts, then after a week or so of driving, daily driving that is, crawl back under and recheck the torque on everything.
as VetVetter said, http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
as VetVetter said, http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3&forum_id=101
Somebody please post better #s if these are off. Have fun, and if you get too frustrated, just drive it quietly with open headers to the nearest exhaust shop and give them $150 to fix you up.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,276
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From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Originally Posted by crabman
Call me a sissie. Midas, 75 bucks, 1 hour. No hassle.
Last edited by SteveDoten; May 19, 2005 at 05:51 PM.
Let the Pros do it 