How To Install Muffler Clamps

Download Article

Download Commodity

Like any part of a car, mufflers can eventually wear out or become damaged as you lot bulldoze your vehicle. Many mufflers are held in place with muffler clamps and safe hangers, though some may be welded. In either instance, you may demand to saw the old muffler off of the exhaust piping in order to install a new one. Make sure to follow all of the appropriate safety precautions when jacking up the vehicle or sawing through exhaust piping.

one
Park the vehicle on a hard, level surface. In guild to access your muffler, you will need to be able to get under the vehicle safely. Choose a location to park your vehicle that is completely flat and firm enough to back up the weight of the vehicle on a jack and jack stands. Dirt, grass, or gravel are not acceptable surfaces for this project.
- Wait for a flat area to ensure the vehicle remains stable while being jacked up.
- Blacktop or concrete are the preferred surfaces to park your vehicle on.
2
Disconnect the bombardment. Before starting this project, disconnect the battery by loosening the nut belongings the ground cable on the negative last using a hand or socket wrench. Slide the cable off of the terminal and tuck information technology to the side of the battery to ensure it can't popular up and come up into contact with either terminal on the battery.
- Disconnecting the battery will ensure the vehicle can't be started while you work on it.
- The negative terminal can exist identified by looking for the letters "NEG" or the negative symbol (-) around the terminal.
Advert
3
Jack the vehicle up and place jack stands beneath information technology. With the vehicle parked on level ground, place bike chocks in front end of both forepart wheels. Locate the designated jack points for the rear of your vehicle. If you are unsure where to notice the designated jack points, refer to your vehicle's owner'southward manual for guidance. Jack upwards the vehicle past turning the handle of a scissor jack or by lifting and lowering the jack handle.
- Once the vehicle is high enough to work beneath, place jack stands beneath the vehicle to support its weight.
- Never work beneath a vehicle supported simply past a jack.
iv
Spray the muffler clamps with penetrating fluid. If your muffler is not welded in place, it will exist secured using muffler clamps. Muffler clamps are usually "U" shaped with nuts tightened onto either end. Considering the muffler is exposed to road crud and water, it may have accumulated a adept deal of rust. Spray a rust penetrator like WD-forty on the bolts and permit it to soak for a few minutes. If the muffler is secured to the frazzle piping using a flange, the process is the same.
- Yous may demand to utilize multiple applications of rust penetrator earlier you lot can loosen the bolts.
- You can buy rust penetrator at most motorcar parts or large retail stores.
5
Use a hand or socket wrench to loosen the nuts on the muffler clamps. With the rust cleaved loose thank you to the rust penetrator, detect a socket or hand wrench of the appropriate size and loosen the nuts on the exhaust clamp. Yous will probably need to supercede the clamp, so if the bolt breaks, it's okay.
- If you intend to reuse the muffler clamp, you may want to spray it with more rust penetrator as you lot work it loose.
- If you break the muffler clench, you tin purchase replacement clamps at your local car parts shop.
6
Slide the frazzle and muffler apart. With the frazzle clamp removed, respray the area where the muffler pipe meets the exhaust piping with rust penetrator and let it to sit down for a few more minutes. Y'all should then be able to pull the muffler toward the back of the car to slip the ii pipes apart.
- If the pipes are besides rusted together to come apart, you may have to cut the pipes apart.
- If your muffler was welded in identify, you will have to cut the pipes apart.
Advertizement

1
Put on appropriate condom equipment. Cutting through exhaust piping could costless up debris stuck on the lesser of the car and expel metallic shavings in the cut process. As a result, eye protection is admittedly mandatory before moving forward. It is also highly recommended that yous wear heavy duty gloves to protect your hands from the blades or sharp pieces of metallic left remaining after you make your cutting.
- Goggle style middle protection is best for this blazon of task. They will prevent debris from falling into your eyes from higher up, beneath and on the sides.
- Leather workman'due south gloves can protect your hands from metal slivers and accidental cuts.
2
Use a cut off tool if bachelor. If y'all take access to an exhaust cut off tool, it is the best selection when removing a welded or rusted on muffler. An exhaust cut off tool goes all the way around the pipe and leaves a cleaner cut than most saws. Wrap the exhaust cutter around the pipe and move the handle dorsum and forth until you cut through the pipe completely.
- An frazzle cutting tool works in a more confined space that you tin can often achieve with a hacksaw.
- Yous can purchase an frazzle cutter at your local auto parts store.
3
Utilize a hack saw to cutting through the metallic only past the clamp. If you do not have access to an exhaust cutter, a simple hack saw will suffice to cutting the muffler off of the exhaust pipe. If there is a rusted clamp still in identify, cut into the pipe merely past the clench. If there is not, saw through the exhaust pipe where it meets with the muffler pipe.
- Make sure to go along your eye protection on throughout this procedure, otherwise you could go a metallic sliver in your eye.
- Make sure to use a hack saw blade rated for steel. Yous should not demand to use multiple blades to go through the exhaust pipe.
4
Exist careful not to cut through anything else. When using a hack saw, the cramped space may make it hard to saw through the pipe without hit anything else. Be extremely careful not to saw through whatsoever of the lines on the underside of your vehicle, equally they may exist for your fuel or brakes.
- Attempt to motility anything to the side that interferes with your clearance when sawing through the exhaust piping.
- You may have to saw through a dissimilar portion and purchase more piping to extend the attain of the new muffler if you can't saw through the piping without dissentious other things.
5
Pull the hangers on the muffler off of the condom muffler mounts. With the muffler no longer attached to the exhaust piping, the only affair holding it in place will exist the condom muffler mounts. The muffler will accept a slice of metal extended through a safety eyelet fastened to the body of the vehicle. Pull the muffler out the back of the vehicle to pull the metallic portion out of the eyelet.
- The stop of the piece of metal that goes through the eyelet has a larger diameter than the balance, so you will need to pull hard to get it out.
- If you tear the rubber eyelet, you tin can purchase a replacement one at most car parts stores.
Advertisement

i
Test fit the new muffler. Take a look at the new muffler next to the quondam i. Ensure the metallic that the muffler hangs from is in the same place and that there is enough piping extended out from the muffler to reach where you asunder or cut off the previous ane. Finally, check the bore of the piping. The muffler should slide tightly onto the existing exhaust pipe. If information technology doesn't, measure the inside and outside diameters of each pipe and purchase an adaptor at your local auto parts shop.
- If the pipe from the muffler doesn't reach the old pipage or fit, you will need to purchase pipage or an adaptor from your local auto parts store.
- If you utilise an extension pipe, secure it to the muffler'south pipe in the same style you would secure the muffler pipe to the frazzle.
2
Insert the new muffler hangers in the prophylactic muffler mounts. Slide the metal hanger on the muffler into the rubber eyelet to back up the weight of the muffler. The rubber volition forestall the muffler from rattling or creating a vibrating noise inside the motel of the vehicle once the muffler is completely installed.
- There should nonetheless exist enough play in the condom eyelet to allow you to movement the muffler around as you secure it to the exhaust piping.
- Make sure to replace the safety eyelet if you damaged it removing the old muffler.
three
Glaze the end of the new muffler'southward pipe in exhaust sealant. Before sliding the new muffler pipe into place, spray information technology with an exhaust sealant. Spray on exhaust sealant volition help plant an air tight seal betwixt the two pipes and reduce the chances of an exhaust leak where the pipes connect.
- Depending on the brand, you may need to allow the exhaust sealant to sit down for a few minutes before moving on.
- Refer to the instructions on the frazzle sealant to know how long to let it cure.
- Yous can purchase exhaust sealant at your local auto parts store.
four
Slide the exhaust together. Slide the muffler piping or adaptor over the existing exhaust pipe. The muffler should rest directly below the rubber eyelet, so the eyelet hangs straight up and downwards. The pipes should fit together snugly. If the 2 pipes experience loose or can exist wiggled, you lot will demand an adaptor to match the right size.
- Most exhaust piping comes in ii or two-and-a-one-half-inch diameters.
- Yous will not be able to seal the wrong size pipe onto another pipe, even if you overtighten the muffler clamps.
5
Secure the piping with muffler clamps. With the piping seated properly, slide a muffler clamp over the expanse where one pipe overlaps the other. Use a hand or socket wrench to tighten the clamp until it is not possible to move the pipes dorsum and forth at all.
- You lot may want to use a half inch drive wrench to tighten the clamps to ensure you have enough leverage to tighten it sufficiently.
- Be sure yous tighten the clench over where the piping overlaps, otherwise you could crush the frazzle pipage.
vi
Reconnect the battery. Starting time the engine to check for leaks. Ensure vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions are in park and those with standard transmissions are in neutral with the forepart wheels securely chocked. Start the motorcar and look below it at where the muffler and exhaust pipe meet. An exhaust leak would likely be visible if there is one.
- If yous are unsure about whether there may be a leak, inquire a friend to press down on the gas pedal slightly to increase the RPMs of the engine. This will make leaks more apparent.
- If you identify a leak, allow the piping to cool off and try to appraise its cause. You lot may demand to remove the muffler clench and seat the two pipes together properly earlier re-tightening the clamp.
Advertisement

Add New Question

Question

Is at that place any welding involved? Is it easy for a 17-twelvemonth-old to do?

Most mod mufflers utilise 1 of two types of fittings. The most common for OEM is clamped, as shown in the commodity. Aftermarket mufflers (universal ones) may need a flange welded on if it is a catback system, as an exhaust shop will generally suspension the long pipe downward into smaller parts. Aftermarket exhausts fabricated for your vehicle, however, should either bolt straight on or slide on.
Question

Which way does the inlet go, toward the engine?

Uglymug18

Community Answer

The inlet ever faces the engine; that'southward the side the gases are coming into.
Question

How tin can I tell if I put my muffler on backwards?

Uglymug18

Community Answer

Almost aftermarket mufflers have an pointer stamped on them showing the flow direction. In other cases, 1 side will say "inlet" or "outlet."
Question

How do I diagnose a bad exhaust arrangement?

Almost of the time you tin hear if the frazzle is coming our somewhere other than the terminate, but you can always get under the automobile and inspect the exhaust to see if at that place are whatever holes.
Question

Is it illegal to remove my muffler in Singapore?

Yes, it is illegal to remove your muffler. Therefore, in that location volition exist consequences if you are caught with no muffler on your vehicle.
Question

Do I demand to cut off the resonantors in order to install the muffler?

No. The OEM muffler should unbolt from the residuum of the exhaust system without any extra cutting required and the new ane should bolt in just the aforementioned way.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertizement

Most This Commodity

Article Summary X

If you need to supplant your muffler, park the vehicle on a polish, apartment surface and remove the old muffler. If the exhaust is rusted, put on heavy-duty gloves and safety goggles, then use an exhaust cut-off tool or a hacksaw to remove the muffler from the frazzle piping, but be careful non to cut through anything else nether the vehicle. Slide the new muffler hanger into the rubber eyelet, then glaze the terminate of the new muffler'due south pipe with a spray-on frazzle sealant and slide the pipage into place over the existing frazzle pipe. Secure the pipe with muffler clamps. For tips on removing your former muffler, go along reading!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 202,876 times.