Hello Everybody,

I'm having some trouble getting my OTTP long tube in. For the most part everything has gone well except getting the stock cat back apart from the stock down pipe. When I went to separate these I found something odd. Every install guide I read said that the nuts joining these two pieces should be 15MM, the ones that were on my car were 12mm and were so rusted they were basically round. I gave up trying to turn these off rather quickly and ended up cutting through the nut and stud with a dremel which worked fine to get the two pieces apart.

Now when i look at the cat back side these appear to studs pressed into the cat back flange (round flat heads), I tried for quite some time to put vice grips on the remaining studs and turn them out but that was a no go, so I took the head off of the stud and ground it down flush with the flange and tried to turn the stud out again, still no go. Have i completely effed up the stock cat back? Is there a better way to get these studs out ? Do they thread into the cat back flange or is this a through hole arrangement that could be pounded out with a hammer?

Any help/Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

 

Maybe if u take it the catback to a shop they could get the studs out and rethread it for you. Either that or id say never a better time than now to get a zzp catback

 

I believe the studs are pressed into the flange. Get a screw driver or punch and a hammer and they should just pop out. Then just get a nut/bolt and put it back together.

 

Drill them out. Works every time.

 

Wrong wrong and wrong again

 

If that's the case I'd appreciate the correct answer please

 

What's the right way then azzhole. You sir a good for nothing.

 

I already posted the right way.
Drill them out

 

Out of curiosity...

If my whole post is wrong, then how do you hold the exhaust together again after you get the old bolts out? Normally I use a nut and bolt...do you recommend super glue and duct tape?

The bolts in my cat-back flange (to connect to the down-pipe) on the stock exhaust on my car were just pushed in (pressed in?) from the back. I used a screw driver and 5lb sledge and they popped out the back. I remember the header to down-pipe flange is setup the same way. If I'm wrong then I apologize, I was just trying to help. I drilled out 2 of the bolts in my header to down-pipe flange before I knew that I could just punch them out, punching them was easier. If you don't have the proper tools or are not comfortable trying that then by all means grab a set of drill bits and go to town, drilling them out works fine.

 

go buy 2 bots and 2 nuts and 2 lock washers and put the **** together