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Exhaust/muffler removal

perfect. yes the old donuts looked good but the key is to get the clamps tight. if the donut are worn at all the clamps wont be tight and they spin and cut the pipes so as long as you cant turn the clamps by hand you are good.
 

Thanks. They are solid around the copper donuts. No grinding needed. I couldn't budge them once tight. All buttoned up, Finally! Not a bad job actually. But nothing went wrong for me. :)
 
Job done. Very happy with the result. I did end up separating the muffler from the Y pipes as I didn't think I had enough room to get the new copper donuts in without knicking them up. Glad I did because the hanger bolts were very loose. Got everything lined up and loosely clamped in place. Then I reriveted the bracket in place. Air riveter! That's key.

Tightened up all the bolts and the thing is mint. Just need to pick up new clamp bolts at the dealer later today. And I don't think there's any need to grind the clamps. There's way more tension than with the old donuts.

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For future consideration and as a tip/option only, instead of removing all the rivets and the hanger bracket to get at the donuts, I have removed the two bolts to loosen off the y-pipes, pulled the exhaust system back slightly, then removed all the headers (4 flex pipes off the head) to get at the donuts. This is fairly easily done esp if you have a swivel knuckle to use getting at the awkward access to the header bolts.
Also gives you a chance to inspect the flex/bellows on each header for cracks/leaks.
 
Thanks. I thought about that method but didn't want to take the chance on breaking a bolt in the head. I wanted to stay away from that. :)

I didninspect ge flex pipes all around (the bottom via feel and inspection camera). No signs of any issues. Happy to have the new muffler on and new copper donuts installed.

Now that I do what's the expected mileage people are seeing from the copper donuts before they need to be replaced?
 
I am not sure they ever need replacing as they don't break down like the graphite ones do.
 
I was reading up on rear heat exchangers too, and ran into something that made my heart sink. :) I saw a picture of a guy that fabricated a protection plate, and had some bolt heads and nuts sticking down a bit. He was told he needed to be careful, that the track could rub on those nuts. He changed it so they were rivets.

In my situation, the 1x1 tube had broken rivets, and elongated holes, so I couldn't use new rivets, so I through bolted it with stainless bolts, washers and nuts. So I now too have threads and a nut under the tunnel, almost directly under the muffler. I REALLY hope I won't have an issue with rubbing, as that would mean pulling the muffler (again) to get to the bolt heads, to get them out, which means possibly pulling the sled apart again. NNNNOOOOO!!! :D

What I'm hoping though, is since my bolts are tight up against the bottom side of the tunnel (no hx installed there yet), that they would not hit. In the pic I mentioned, the hx was installed, then more 1x1 tube to protect it, and the threads and nuts were below that. So easily 2" lower than mine are presently. Fingers crossed!

Of course now I wonder though, that if I want to install an hx, if they will be in the way. Maybe I should have gone up from the tunnel into the muffler compartment. Wonder if I can get to the mounting holes (the recessed pockets) by only pulling the seat.
 
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they should be fine are they sticking down past the cross tube? and are they even over the track? I would think they are out wider than the track?
 
Here's a pic showing the bolts coming through the tubes. Looks alike I overtigbtened one a bit. I tried not to. Oh well.

Anyway do you think the track could hit these? I could just trim off the extra threads or reverse it so the bolt head is underneath. Looks like I can get to the bolts with the exhaust in so I don't need to pull the muffler if I need to change these, only the seat and heat shield need to come out.

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They do hang down quite a bit. The protectors are supposed t0 be smooth so the track can rub on them. From personal experience I drilled a hole large enough so that I could recess the bolt inside the tube and access it with a socket. Seemed like a good idea! The track on a jump caught the hole hard and it worked like a cheese grater chewing up the track lugs. If the track hits those bolts they will catch. Id at least turn them around or install Robertson, Allen or torx round headed bolts. Washers usually have a slightly rounded side and a sharper side made to them when they are punched out ( I worked in a punch and shear factory making about 4,500 washers in an 8 hour shift one at a time by hand. Try staying awake and not loosing a finger or hand doing that 5 days a week!) , install rounded side out, or round one side on a grinder carefully don't knife edge them. Much less to catch, I'd be leery of leaving it that way!
 
Here's a pic showing the bolts coming through the tubes. Looks alike I overtigbtened one a bit. I tried not to. Oh well.

Anyway do you think the track could hit these? I could just trim off the extra threads or reverse it so the bolt head is underneath. Looks like I can get to the bolts with the exhaust in so I don't need to pull the muffler if I need to change these, only the seat and heat shield need to come out.

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If you leave those bolts like that it could get ugly. If the bolts remain in place you will have track damage. I suspect it could even rip the bolts out of the cast section of the tunnel. Not what you wanted to hear, but what you need to hear!
 
Thanks guys. I'd rather have it right, then have an issue. So is the general feeling if I flip them around, so I only have the rounded Philips head of the bolt protruding, that it will be ok? I think I can get in there without pulling muffler (god I hope so), to either flip them around or do something else.

I suppose I could go with 1/4" rivets too, that would solve the problem and fasten from the top again, but I'm looking at the muffler needing to come out to do that. If I can get to the muffler clamps from the underside (tunnel) vs pulling the tank, then that is easy, as I still have the skid out. Would that be possible? I'll have to look tonight.

So if hole is still too big for 1/4" rivets, thoughts on just a screw head protruding from the 1" x 1" tube.
 
Depending on what you want to do, you could just remove the 4 fasteners holding the muffler down and lift it up sufficient to get the nut and washer installed, but getting a wrench/socket in there could be an issue. Pan head fasteners would be best imo, the problem is the square tubing is not very robust and collapses easily. Definitely use nylock nuts in this situation.
With the right wrenches you could get the muffler clamps loosened off to pull the muffler without having to take the fuel tank off, but in the end I think the muffler should come out to save on stress and cussing profusely.
 
Thanks. I have the Y pipe brackets and everything all tightened down, so not sure how much play the muffler will have once lossened. The forward two bolts we are talking about are accessible easily with the muffler in place. The rearward two are a bit obscured my the muffler.

But sounds like a pan head (that's what is there now, but the head is on the top side) with a washer under it (for some extra strength) should be ok.

What are the point of those square tubes though? Just protection of the tunnel from the track? Doesn't seem to be structural at all. The rear bumper handle and all that is connected directly to the tunnel itself.
 
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yes they are tunnel protectors. if you are running studs they are a must if you are not many have removed them because they build up allot of ice with the warm exhaust melting snow and the water falling down on them cold aluminum tubes.
 


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