Cutting out an exhaust

[modmytruck]

Quick question. I'm looking to swap out the muffler on my 2002 1500 since it now has a hole on top that I can basically fit 2 fists into. I have at home a new "exact fit" Walker muffler and tailpipe to go on in its replacement. Question is on the removal of the old unit. What's the best way? I would have thought just to cut in front of the weld in the intake side of the muffler, but looking at what's there now, I don't see a physical weld to use as a cutting gauge. Are they typically chemically welded rather than a physical weld? Any and all suggestions are welcomed.

 

[PCA4208]

sawzall and a mig welder! lol

 

[modmytruck]

A sawzall... that's that thing with the really long blade that'll cut your leg off if you don't pay attention... right?

I guess I asked for it by stating "Any and all".

 

[PCA4208]

Haha but ya.. It's probably your best bet with a short metal blade and patience. Unless you can drop the whole system out somehow the you can use a port-a-band.

 

[PCA4208]

Also I don't think metal can be chemically welded. It's probably held on by rust and maybe a few small tack welds here and there

 

[FamRam]

Just cut it as close to the muffler as possible, then trim as needed depending on what the new muffler needs to clamp on to. I usually use a bead of copper permatex on the inside of the muffler side going over the pipe....unless you have a welder.

 

[modmytruck]

If I cut the pipe as close to the muffler there should still be part of the intake inside the extension tube coming off the cat. I'm assuming that still needs to come out, any tricks for that?

 

[PCA4208]

You can always cut throughout both pipes, the muffler inlet and the exhaust inlet. Then try somehow to get that little section from the muffler off the exhaust pipe. You can try that.

 

[PCA4208]

Or here's an idea, take it to a muffler shop and have them put it on. Save you some headaches.

 

[modmytruck]

You know I thought about that. Checked 2 places.... 1 wanted $350 with my parts even though labor with their parts was 70 bucks. Another place refused to use my own parts because as he put it "No parts markup.... No profit". So I'm gonna be a good 'ol boy and do it myself.

 

[PCA4208]

Oh I see. And 350 is a crap load. I got my flowmaster done for 200, including the muffler! But doing it yourself is always fun too.

 

[modmytruck]

Not to mention that since I've owned it, nobody else has worked on it. It's not that I'm not mechanically inclined ( basically rebuilt the whole engine and have done a complete suspension overhaul). Just never done an exhaust before. Always like to hear the tips before ripping into something.

 

[PCA4208]

I hear ya. You can always just cut it off from the muffler back, slip on the new one, then make it dump out before the axle. That's probably the easiest way of doing it, because most of the time the stock muffler-back pipe won't fit because of length issues. Just my .02 cents