Hey everyone,

INTRO:

I recently installed a new Velocity AP axel back on my 2024 R (Electric valve actuators). I know some others have recently posted some info about installing theirs. That said, the info provided was mixed in with some larger work, and there were some differences (Vacuum vs. electric actuation etc.), so I thought that there could potentially still be some value in my taking the time to document my more isolated axel-back-only journey here. My thoughts on a few aspects are a bit different as well. I think perhaps that I might possibly be providing a few extra details here for the uninitiated, for those who are not that comfortable with this kind stuff and might wanna take it on, get a little extra comfort/clarity, etc…Anyway, hopefully someone will find this info to be of some use in the future.

Everything went super smooth and nice overall, and I think that was a lot down to having a buddy give me a hand. You could most definitely do it yourself, but having 2 sets of hands just makes sense for this. My opinion. We took our time, didn’t rush at all, and we had everything done inside 1.5 hours. I had already wrapped the pipes on the 2 exhaust units for protection ahead of us doing the work, and had the car already ready to go on my lift, so that saved us some time for sure.


TOOLS:

All I used for tools beyond my work light, lift, and creeper were the following —>

- Safety glasses (Started without, bad idea)
- Some latex gloves (Likely multiple pairs depending on how you like to work)
- Silicone Lubricant (Needed small amount to seat new exhaust in mid pipe)
- Paper towel
- Exhaust hanger removal tool (Amazing, much recommended)
- Small rubber mallet (Along with small amount of silicone to seat new exhaust in mid pipe)
- Small metal mallet (To help remove stock exhaust from mid pipe, explained below)
- 15mm socket, longer type needed (Mid pipe clamp bolts)
- 13mm socket, long and short type was useful (Exhaust hanger bolts IF removing them from car)
- 5/16 socket (To remove/re-install exhaust valve actuators)
- Torque wrench (To re-torque mid pipe clamps to spec after installing new exhaust)



STEPS FOLLOWED:

(1) Protect rear valence:

Before doing anything, the first thing you will definitely want to do is wrap the tips on both the stock and new exhaust. I wrapped the tips and went a few inches beyond to ensure sufficient coverage. I simply used the soft foam packing material that came in the box with my new Velocity AP unit. Additionally, I placed some clean soft Costco microfibre cloths along the bottom of each valence opening as an extra measure. This all worked out perfect. No damage from the install.






(2) Make sure exhaust valves on stock exhaust unit are in the open position before starting work:

Someone else with this exhaust (with electric actuators) mentioned to me that they had to install their actuators on the Velocity AP unit backwards or something to get things working right. For what it’s worth, I did not have that same experience. Everything was fine, and I was able to get things working just fine in the expected orientation. I was able to re-install the actuators on the Velocity AP unit just like it was installed on the stock unit. I think what likely made things work out fine was that I ensured my ASR exhaust controller had the valves on the stock exhaust in an open position before starting the work. Then later, when I had the new Velocity AP exhaust unit in place I made sure that the valves on it were in an open position prior to re-installing the actuator, AND I also made sure the valves didn’t move as I was putting the actuators back on (i.e.: My buddy watched in the pipe to be sure). If this advice is followed I don’t see how it could go wrong. This said, just make sure you remember for sure what button on your valve controller remote (or whatever the case may be) will close the valves fully, and which will open them, so that you can confirm your actuator install work, confirm that things are working as they should, etc…

(3) Remove the 2 stock valve actuators from the stock exhaust unit:

Easy as pie. No need to unplug any electrics. 6 bolts, 3 on each actuator. Small 5/16 socket. Once unbolted just more-or-less let it hang. I placed them (and the accompanying metal brackets) to the side underneath the car on the shelf that is the inside of the rear valance area. That worked well.



(4) Loosen the 2 mid pipe clamp bolts:

Longer 15mm socket. Those came undone fine, despite some rust. A little love was definitely required to move them. No need to completely remove them, just enough to have the clamp sufficiently loose.



(5) Get your 4 stock exhaust hanging points "mobile":

I was originally just going to use the hanger removal tool I have and leave the hangers in place bolted on the car. However, others mentioned that they felt washers under the hanger bolts were needed in the end to get the vertical alignment of the Velocity AP unit’s tips proper in the valence opening. So, I ended up unbolting the hangers themselves from the car with this in mind (and then of course taking the hangers off the stock exhaust unit once it was off the car). 13mm socket required to unbolt the hangers from the car. For me I found the short socket was good in places, and the long one in others, depending on what side of the car I was working on. Whether you are taking the stock exhaust off the hangers on or off the car, I can’t stress enough how nice the exhaust removal tool is. Split second and it’s done, no messing around. They are cheap to buy, so I would recommend it based on my experience. Was awesome.

OF NOTE, in the end I didn’t feel that washers were actually needed for alignment (i.e.: At least not for me, and my sensibilities). Not a big deal, but had I known that, I definitely would have NOT unbolted the hangers themselves from the car, and just used the exhaust removal tool to release the mount points from the hangers’ rubber grommets. That would have been super fast/efficient in comparison for sure. Even if you did want to install washers later, you could easily do that with no fuss, so personally I would recommend NOT unbolting the hangers from the car (i.e.: Provided you have the exhaust removal tool obviously). Again, installing washers later if you feel it would be needed would be easy as pie without disturbing much of anything (i.e.: In terms of the already installed exhaust).

I WOULD ALSO MENTION that, even if one did find they need to install washers to get the vertical alignment of the tips to their liking, by my estimation there is likely no need to worry about the hanger bolts then becoming too short. There seems like there would be lots of threads there even after the washers might be installed. I only mention this, as others have mentioned that the bolts might possibly become too short. Not in my view.

(6) Remove stock exhaust from mid pipe:

Whether you left the hangers themselves on the car, or unbolted them, once you have the stock exhaust unit’s mount points “mobile” you can then just let the exhaust tips rest on the bottom of the rear valance opening (i.e.: While you are getting the pipes at the mid pipe detached). I started out with a rubber mallet, hitting sufficiently on the stock exhaust box towards the back of the car. I just could not get the pipes to unseat. To get it to move I had to step it up to a small metal mallet. I used that reasonably lightly on each side of the stock exhaust’s box, hitting right where its hanger mount points are welded onto it. There is a perfectly flat and really solid weld joint right at that location to strike (See pic immediately below).. I didn’t need to hit hard at all, and that got er’ done. This is my suggestion. That’s it. Just carefully remove the stock exhaust from the car at this point.



(7) Transfer hangers from the stock exhaust to the Velocity AP exhaust:

Again, with the exhaust hanger tool this is seconds of work, quite literally. I did this transfer off the car, as talked about above, but obviously it would happen under the car if you elected to NOT unbolt the exhaust hangers from the car (as talked about above).



(8) Position new Velocity AP exhaust unit, and seat it into mid pipe:

Carefully get your new protected foam wrapped exhaust tips out through the rear valence deeply enough to get the unit’s pipes into the mid pipe. On this new Velocity AP unit there was no place where I was willing to use the heavier small metal mallet. I tried using just the rubber mallet, but once again that was just not sufficient. What I personally ended up doing was using a small light amount of silicone spray (very little). Just a small coating on the inside of the 2 mid pipes on the car using a latex glove, and an equally light coating on the outside of the Velocity AP unit’s pipes. You don’t need much at all, and it’s obviously not a big deal. First couple heat cycles and that stuff will be bye bye. Then from there I used the rubber mallet, striking from the back end of the car on the pipes leaving the Velocity AP exhaust box. Didn’t need to hit with much force at all. Everything seated up beautifully within a reasonably short period of time. Do NOT tighten mid pipe clamp bolts yet.

(9) Secure the 4 hanger locations:

If you had unbolted the hangers from the car then obviously you are re-bolting them now with the 13 mm socket, with the exhaust already attached to the rubber grommets. If you had not unbolted the hangers from the car then obviously it’s just a matter of getting the Velocity AP unit’s mount points in the hangers’ rubber grommets. If it was the former you did, I would not fully tighten the hangers to the car just yet (but seat them fully in hand tight) until you go back and confirm how things are generally looking tip-alignment-wise etc…Deal with your alignment issues as you will, or will not, and then come back and do a final tighten down of the bolts holding the hangers to the car (Again, assuming you had unbolted them).

(10) Tighten mid pipe clamp bolts to spec using torque wrench:

I checked the shop manual for my 2024 R and it said 55nm.

(11) Re-install stock valve actuators onto the new Velocity AP unit:

The Velocity AP unit comes with its own bolts (5/16 socket needed). When doing this re-install I suggest following the general details/guidance I mentioned in STEP 2 above. Not quite sure about this business where some had to install actuators the wrong way around or whatever, and what exactly happened there, but best to avoid that if possible I say. Afterwards, test that the valves are opening and closing properly as expected with the right expected buttons on your valve controller remote control, or whatever the case may be. If it is not working as it should with the actuator positioned the right way, well again, I suggest you follow the general guidance in STEP 2. If you do that, and guarantee that the valves stay fully open the whole time as you are re-installing the electric actuator units, then I just do not see how anything can go wrong here.

ONE LITTLE DETAIL: When seating the stock actuator units onto the Velocity AP unit’s valves, there is a spring on the actuator side that needs to seat itself across 2 aligned notches on the exhaust valve side. Immediately below you will see a picture that I attached of these 2 notches to illustrate. This is a pic of them on one of the valves of the stock exhaust unit that I took for illustration purposes after the install, but it's obviously identical to what you will see on the valves for the Velocity AP exhaust unit. I wish I had taken a picture of the spring on the actuator side when I had it off, but I didn’t have the presence of mind at the time…It’s not a big deal, it will be very obvious how things go together when you look at it. Super easy. The spring has a portion that just sits straight across and catches the 2 aligned notches.




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FINAL WORDS:

THAT’S IT!

I was personally quite happy with how everything aligned in the end. I didn’t feel like I needed to do anything. I will say, these exhaust units from Velocity AP have a real quality feel to them. This is for sure. I have never done any “exhaust work” in my life, and I found this to be a quite straight-forward task to take on. Preparation, 2 people, and the right tools for the win. That’s all it takes.

Below are a few pics of the final installed result, and a few others for fun.

Cheers

 

You make it look so easy. Thanks for the great step-by-step. How do you perceive the difference? Louder? A different tone? 50 more HP?