I just picked up a gmpp touring catback for my 05 slowbalt sc, and I figured it would take the longest to put the car on jacks. I cut off the rear section just before the 90 degree bend, then i went to "unbolt the flange on the resonator..........F@CK!!! can someone please tell me why these two nuts on the flange are WELDED!!!!!? and the heads are round.....not rounded from using the wrong socket, but round from the factory. It's almost like this isn't supposed to come off. The instructions that came with the exhaust say to "unbolt the two 15 mm bolts from the flange just ahead of the resonator. They were 12mm nuts, not 15 mm.\

I NEED HELP ASAP!!!! I AM DRIVING WITH ONLY THE RESONATOR ON, AND IT'S WAY TOO LOUD!!!!! on top of that, the exhaust is exiting right onto my fuel lines. HOW DO I TAKE APART THAT DAMN FLANGE INFRONT OF THE RESONATOR????? HELP!!!!!!!

 

Remove two nuts that face forward, towards front of car. The factory catback has studs welded in it. There is no bolts.

 

I am asking what is the best way to remove those factory nuts....the gmpp came with replacement hardware, so it is to my understanding those welded nuts need to be removed somehow. the instructions say to unbolt the flange...is the only way to do this with a cutting torch? I'd rather not have to pay to have this done, I am an aircraft technician, so, yes i do understand something as simple as an exhaust swap, I'm just having a hard time with those nuts. would a cutting wheel on a hand grinder work? that's what I was going to try, but I didn't want to waste money using up replacement cutting wheels.
yes I understood you, and thanks for the comment....studs, not bolts, but as I have stated, the nuts are welded all the way around to the flange on the cat-pipe side.

 

pretty sure those nuts aren't supposed to be welded. mine weren't.

should be a quick job to swap stock, with catback

 

Nuts should not be welded. The stud is pressed in, or is it tacked, I can't remember.

Either way, the nuts are not welded from factory.

 

hmmm the way i remember it, the cat back has the studs welded into it and the (2) 15mm nuts are towards the front of the car. they should not be welded at all. give them some PB Blaster and a good wrenching with a 15 mil. they should come right off

 

i am so sorry to say......they are welded in mine.....i tried to crank them with a socket.....a 12 mm to be exact(I know...it says 15 mm, but that was way too big). I checked another ss sc owner on base here, and looked under his.....his were welded as well....he has an 06. is it a canadian thing due to corrosion????? either way....i'm trying to prevent my wife from freaking out.....it is so loud, and the car seems more sluggish to boost with no muffler....probably from the lack of backpressure. I sure as hell hope the touring exhaust will not be near as loud as this....the wife would kill me, and tell me what a waste of 700 dollars it was.

 

i dont know what to tell you man :/ they shouldn't be welded at all

 

Hmmm

Mines wasn't welded on my 06 ss sc

 

looks like factory weld as well.....it's the same colour as the rest of the underbody, so I know it wasn't done afterwards. I may just cut the damn thing off anyways......I want SOMETHING on it.......i can't even hear myself think while driving that.

 

take a pic of this, I'm still not sure you're looking at the right bolts

 

just rear of the cat-pipe, ahead of the resonator, where the flange is, there are 2 studs(thanks...not bolts) that are inserted towards the front of the vehicle, and on the other side of the flange there are two nuts permamently attached to the flange. They are not 15 mm, but 12 mm, and will not turn worth anything. Are these the right ones....I'm not taking a pic right now.....but later when i go out for a smoke. If i could have been able to get an impact gun up in there, i would have snapped them off on purpose.

 

without a doubt you are looking at the right ones. just really weird they are welded

 

dude till u figure that out go to autozone get a 2.25 adapter and two 2.25 clamps and juss connect both parts together and u should be good to go " use some RTV red silicone or copper to seal it its juss an option juss temporary "...

this whole thing will cost u 7 $ and will give u peice of mind over the weekend and ur wife wont be freaking out and u wont kill any fuel lines or cables

 

ok problem solved....took it to a friend who has a shop....a half hour later, my GMPP touring is installed......and it is so good to not be so loud anymore.....it's louder than stock, but she purrrrrs now

 

Nice..... Congrats on the new catback.