Exhaust pipe flange

[MattyD34]

Hi there,

I have a hoffman race tube and a back box I'm currently trying to fit but for the life of me can't get the pipe detached from the cat. The nuts for studs between cat and centre pipe wouldn't come off so I eventually used an angle grinder to remove the nuts. but the studs still wont come out, and the two flanges will not seperate. Tried drilling through the head of the studs but the drill is doing nothing and I don't have a dremel. I've considered cutting off the flange from the centre pipe, grinding the studs flat and just welding the hoffman to it but it's really not ideal. Any ideas here?

Regards,

Matt

 

[CherryVimto]

Unfortunately you've hit the same issue I had when I did the same job.

I ended up drilling out the studs and replacing them with nuts & bolts. I went through 4 expensive drill bits doing it though.

The studs are actually pressed in to the flange so should come out if you can hit them hard enough.

It's weird how the centre section wont come away from the CAT/downpipe though. Are you sure there is nothing left there that could be potentially holding it on?
Have you got a masonry chisel you can use to knock in the join to try and separate it..?

This was one hell of a job when I did it, so I feel your pain!

 

[MattyD34]

I've tried everything short of tying the down pipe to a tree and flooring it. They will not come apart. Both flanges are so rusted I'm thinking of just cutting both flanges (down pipe and cat) off and welding a new flange on. I don't see why it would be but is this a bad idea?

 

[Roomy]

Now I'm really not looking forward to fitting mine this weekend :|

 

[Frank]

[post]351962[/post] Now I'm really not looking forward to fitting mine this weekend :|

PlusGas on the nuts/bolts/flange 2 days before and the night before. It'll be fine.

If the flanges stick then drill through the centre pipe and insert a 6 inch coach bolt and whack each end towards the rear with a club hammer in a firm, but rhythmic, tapping pattern. The resulting resonance shocks will be more effective than brute force there.