Ordered a MagnaFlow exhaust for the Lightning and it should be here soon.

I know some of the early ones had alignment problems, but hopefully by now it's all good.

Any advice on the removal of stock system/install of MagnaFlow?

Thanks,

Jim

 

Get some better clamps or tack weld it once installed, I re-torqued mine a couple of times after install and it started slipping off - finally a couple of tack welds cured the problem.

Besides that the install is pretty easy - removing the stock exhaust can be a pain.

 

I used my stock clamps... Didn't use the ones that came with the Magnaflow.
Once I get settled money-wise, I'll probably get rid of mine... Too quiet for me, but it's nice.

 

spray the exhaust hangars down with PB or WD-40 and let them soak.. they can be a PITA..

 

i used a ratcheting cargo strap with one end wrapped around the stock muffler, and the other end hooked onto the hitch. then banged on it with a mini sledge until it popped off. the longest part of the install was getting the factory cat-back off.

 

i'm assuming it's a cat back. If it's the first time it's been off, it's a good and a bad thing. Good because the grooves from the clamps won't nearly be as bad as mine were from taking on and off and CRANKING the clamps. Bad because it's gonna be on there good. If you have a lift......it's all good. If you are doing it on stands it's gonna fight you good. Get the clamps off and spray some lubricant oil into the seams and work the exhaust back and forth to get it all lubed up. Then get a nice block of wood and a hammer . Put the wood up against the muffler and smash it side to side and it will come off.

 

After you remove the clamps use a small angle grinder to cut a slot into the pipes where they connect. Only cut deep enough to get through the cat back. This allows you to have enough give to be able to slide your stock catback off. My maggies fit perfect no adjustment to make.

 

tallimeca has the right plan for getting the old muffler off. I sprayed mine down after loosening the clamps, wiggled it around some and it practically fell off - no hammering, wrenching or anything.

Also take the time to remove the ground effects plastic around the tips. Otherwise it will be in the way and get messed up. The rubber hangers are a pain. No tips except as noted above to spray them down good and wrestle them loose.

The supplied band type clamps can work OK. Just tighten them up snug, but don't overtighten. Back them off and rotate 180 deg and snug them down again. Do this another time or two and snug them down tight. If you try to tighten them down in one move, the bands won't deform fully to stay tight - the muffler inlet won't compress down on the pipe uniformally - and the clamps may well break from overtightening.

Read the instructions. You need to loosen the connections to the engine manifolds and separate the bracket in front of the stock muffler that secures the two head pipes together.

 

Also if the pipes wont line up loosed the mids on the driver side where it meets the mani.

 

wow......

sounds like nobody here has a clue how to do this......best keep looking.

Glad I saw this thread...... I am going to do the Magnaflow install myself here very soon. Good info guys.

 

old thread I know but I wanted to add to the install tips
on getting the old muffler off. I soaked the bolts and then the pipes where they connect to the muffler with W\D and also soaked the brackets. I waited about half an hour and with my foot pushing against the end pipes I hit the muffler a couple times w\hammer and it popped off.

I also left the bubble wrap on the tips until I was done to protect them and the body panel.

The hardest part was loosening the top bolt on the connection to the manifold so i could loosen the pipe to lower it a bit.

and the sound.......WOW it's incredible!!