I have a new exhaust system I would like to fit but I can't seem to get the original one loose.

I was able to get the clamp nuts off with the aid of penetrating oil but I can't get the clamps themselves to budge. I tried prying and hammering moderately, but they did not move one bit.

For those of your who have taken the exhaust system loose, what means did you resort to in order to get it unstuck?

Is there a trick to it or just get the biggest kudgle you can find and pound away?

Oh wise forum, thank you for your advise.

 

Next step is HEAT. Expand the outer metal with a torch. Hammering and banging are also modern techniques that work well ;-)

 

If they are the slip-on clamps with a circle ending in two tabs, I would try the following:

apply wedge pressure between the two tangs to spread them and simultaneously
use a smallish screwdriver in a chisel fashion at the place where the circle turns
into the tang. the goal is to start the circle separating from the pipe by breaking
any surface corrosion.

another technique is to tap at the sides of the tangs parallel to the pipe alternating
from one side to the other. the purpose again is to break the surface corrosion.

once broken free, the clamp needs to slide along the pipe so some penetrating fluid
all around the strap is good.

as always, heat helps.

 

If worse comes to worse, cut 'em.

 

best suggestion for exhaust is a shop things can get out of hand quickly with a torch under the car but as someone said earlier can always cut and modify to connect again with extensions

 

The clamps to my rear most mufflers, '99 XK8, had a light tack weld from the factory. Thin screw driver or chisel with a light tap removed mine. Rich

 

i actually had a shop set my trunk on fire replacing a muffler on my mercury marqis yrs ago had it repainted and all but was never the same .

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Bought an air hammer and that worked like a charm on the clamps.

One thing the service manual doesn't mention is that the car has to be 6ft off the ground to rotate the over axle section far enough to get it out. My floor jack can't even get the rear high enough. The saws-all fixed that little problem.

Now I am up to the nuts holding the front resonator to the cats. Been using the penetrating oil - sit - heat - hammer - repeat sequence and they have not budged one bit.

Any words of wisdom for this one or just keep at it till they come loose?

Also, are those nuts 15mm? It feels a little loose but none of the other English or metric wrenches seem to fit.

 

Will a nut splitter work?

Link Sears.com

 

Hadn't thought of that. I was thinking to reuse the nuts but that's not a bad idea.

I have a set of thread clean up dies that I could use on the studs and then maybe I should replace them with stainless nuts and washers.

 

Got it!

Thanks for all the advice. The nut splitter wouldn't fit in the tight space but I was able to use the air hammer with a chisel to split the nut. Now I just need to get some M10 replacements and I am good to go.

Time for a scotch.

Don't suppose anyone needs any stock exhaust parts? I had to cut the over axle part but the rest of them are in decent shape.