That is one tight bolt. I cant get it with the impact or by hand or by foot.

 

Are you talking about the 2 bolts that hold the downpipe onto the exhaust manifold? If so just spray some lube up there and let it sit a while. If all else fails maybe start the truck to get a little heat in there and try again. It will loosen.

 

1)spray all nuts on clamps and around where rubber hangers slide on
2)Let sit for a 1/2 hr
3)loosen bolts where cat pipe bolt to headers
4)loosed clamp style hanger on transmission cross frame
5)loosen clamps in front of muffler, make sure you are able to slide them around and they are not pinched on the pipe
6)take rubber mallet and wrap the pipes a couple times. Rock the pipes pack and forth and they should loosen
7)Use a pair of channel locks, put one side behind metal reinforcment of rubber hanger and the other right on the tip and squeeze, should pop those rubber pieces right of the metal brackets
8)twist and rock and the exhaust should pop off.
9)****optional, but removing the ground effect where the exhaust comes through makes installing new exhaust much faster and more room to play since new tips take up more room
10) install clamps on muffler and x-pipe and install onto stock mide pipe, push them on as far as posslble
11)installed rubber hangers onto new hanger/clamp assemblies, install onto back end of mufflers.
12)install rubber hanger onto tips, put tips in place, may need to twist up and down to align pipes, slide in as far as possible.
13)*****optional, reinstall ground effect (twist tips down to get screws in place. I felt these factory screws were WAY too long and used new, shorter screws)
14)allign tips and exhaust accordingly, tighten down exhaust starting from the header connections bolts, midpipe clamps, then double check tip allignment.....tighten clamp style hanger on cross member, pull/push muffler up and down to take some of the slack and such out. Check tips again and tighten them down.
15)Run truck and test drive. Let cool and double check clamps.


This worked best for me. Learned some tricks on first installed, used them on second install. On a lift, should take 1/2 hour-45 minutes. On jack stands, should take a little over an hour. Good luck

 

thanks tallimeca
Do i need to unbolt the left side too at the flange on the manifold to the down pipe.

 

i would loosen both of them. They are really a PITA!.. You will have probably use a breaker bar to free them up. Good luck!!!

 

Is this sticking out to far

 

Wow, I wish mine stuck out that far. Mine are lined up perfectly with the side of the truck and black exhaust gets on my white side skirt. What a PITA to get the black smoke off.