I am new here and just bought my first F-150 a couple months ago, it's an 05 scab with the 5.4. I received my banks monster exhaust the other day and tried to put it on this afternoon but could not for the life of me get the stock exhaust off. I don't want to cut it at this point just in case banks sent me the wrong kit. I lubed up the hangers and pipes, got all the clamps lose but couldn't get it to come off. Banks directions don't seem to be much help either. I think if I could get the hangers off I would be fine but how do they come out of the frame? I unbolted the one bolt that holds the ones for the muffler on but they are still holding strong. Any help would be appreciated as I feel like an idiot not being able to take the darn thing off.

 

one word, sawzal.

 

I used a small bottle jack that I placed between the muffler and a frame crossmember (i think). I used the jack to just keep pushing the exhaust system backward. The hangers do not come out of the rubber mounts very easy at all. It eventually popped out of the rubber mounts and fell loose. The biggest problem for me using the bottle jack is that the bottle jack doesn't work very well horizontal.

 

i think you need another cup of coffee to wake up this morning jimmy lol. sometimes wedging a prybar against the rubber hanger and pulling against the rubber will get it to slip off the metal hanger after you lube the snot out of it. i am also assuming that after removing the clamps you cannot get the pipes to separate from themselves. time to break out the smoke wrench and heat the joints up some to expand them. that will make it a little easier to pull them apart. also remove your spare tire. that will give you a lot of wiggle room when it comes to twisting the pipes out and over the rear end housing.

 

Should be able to slip it out without a jack,you have to be able to give it a good boot to get it out of the hangers. Check to see if one of the hangers has a little plate on the rubber, to prevent it from being backed out,mine did and no one ever mentions this.

 

no i read it just right, he'll be an hour into pushin and prying and and go, "eff this i'm cuttin it." trust me i've been in this position.

 

Unless you've got the strength to force it off I would grease where the metal rod goes through the rubber and work them out one at a time. Thats how I usually get it off. You can also unbolt everything from the frame but then pull them off the exhaust system (kinda backward but it works too because you can twist them off)

 

That was my plan of attack to begin with was to remove the hangers then just put them back on. I got the tail pipe hanger off no problem the issue was with the front and rear muffler hangers. There was only one bolt which was removed but it was still stuck in the frame somehow. Do I just need to man up and yank the things out of there or am I missing something?

 

I actually ran into the same problem the first time I messed with it. When you undo the bold the hangars swing down a little bit. Then slide the whole assembly sideways and the metal will fall out of a little grove. Just be ready when you reach the end because it will just drop in your lap or on your head depending on how your under there. Either way its not very good place to land a heavy muffler.

 

hahahaha, thats what happened with me. Tryed to take the stock muffler of my 97 but couldnt for the life of me get the flippin thing off, so about an hour and a half in I got the sawzall and cut the crap out. had to cut the hangers because the bolts where rusted and seized like nobodys business. Took it to my bud at the shop and he welded it back up for me. for me spending a little extra cash is better than spending hours D*ckin around with stuff when i can spend 20 bucks to weld it up once its cut and save myself hours of frustration. But thats just me

 

Lube the hanger rods with oil or grease or what ever you want to use. slife a flat screwdriver into the end and pry it off. Most times if you push up on the rubber it can be slid side ways and it comes off.

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well the first time i tryed i messed with it for an hour and a half, today i had the old off and the new on in 2 hours total. don't know what i did different but after removing the one bolt on both muffler hangers everything just fell out. the banks exhaust sounds really good for anybody looking into an exhaust.