How to Remove Stock Exhaust w/ No Cutting and No Lift

ShamrockShooter · February 8, 2017

After putting on a few exhaust systems and then going back to stock on my 16 crew cab, I thought I would jot down a few notes about getting the stock exhaust off without cutting it, if you are just in your driveway without a lift.

Very helpful to have a friend
Completely remove the spare tire and get it out of the way (great time to check air pressure in it)
Block your wheels good.
Jack up your Truck about half way, with the jack on the frame, passenger side, just before it starts to curve up for the rear springs. Support with a few jack stands for safety. This is just to give you room to work.
Take a screw driver and wedge open a hole in each exhaust hanger and spray in some wd-40.
Remove the band clamp by the 3rd cat to separate the exhaust. Note the clamp has a retainer clip up top so just loosen it and move the pipe, don't try to slide the clamp back.
I started popping off the Exhaust from the rubber hangers working from front to back. I found it helpful to take a pair of channel lock pliers and put one end on the hanger and use the pliers for leverage to start working it off the hanger. spray some more wd-40 if necessary. a couple of them needed some good elbow grease to get off.
Once all the hangers are loose, grab your buddy or wife.
Jack the passenger side all the way up so the rear shock is fully extended and the passenger rear wheel is an inch or two off the ground.
Re-position jack stands for safety.
Slide the exhaust straight back and up and over the rear axle, being very careful not to rip any brake lines. Your buddy will be where the spare tire is to control the end of the pipe.
Stop when the muffler is about half way over the axle.
Now you need to rotate the stock system about 180 degrees. The tail pipe will rotate down towards the ground and ultimately face the drive side. I guess you would say that is rotating it clockwise if you were looking from the tailgate towards the front of the truck. Once the exhaust is rotated, you can finish lifting it up and over the axle and on out the back.
This is all from memory, so I hope i got the rotation direction correct. If not, just rotate it the other direction.
Now the fun part, installing your new exhaust.

Sierra 5.3 · February 8, 2017

Thanks for the write up on this! I will probably be doing mine soon and putting a Volant on.

wuznme · February 8, 2017

Can do this all this in about 10-15 minutes by myself, my spare has been off for quite some time. Think first time did it the spare was on, slept since then though.

Adding this:

Disconnect the lower passenger shock

Jack the truck up with tires 2-3" off the ground - won't have to adjust stands later

Use Exhaust Pliers (they're cheap) much easier

Sierra 5.3 · February 8, 2017

Do you have to disconnect the shock? I would rather not do that.

ShamrockShooter · February 8, 2017

I didn't disconnect shock. It's a tight fit though. I didn't have the special tool for the hangers but it may have been worth buying.

ShamrockShooter · February 8, 2017

Also mine is a crew cab 4x4 short box. Not sure if things change with the regular cab long box version.

wuznme · February 8, 2017

Do you have to disconnect the shock? I would rather not do that.

No you don't but it takes all of 2 secs with air, maybe 30 secs without, plus gives some more room.

CharlestonJoe · February 14, 2017

Thanks Shamrock, I'm curious why you went back to stock exhaust?

BigBadSierra · February 14, 2017

Keeping the stock exhaust in tacked is a great idea because when you go to trade it in the first words out of the dealers mouth are "do you have the stock exhaust".

I looked at mine and figured it was possible to get it out.

ShamrockShooter · February 15, 2017

I put Stock back on because MBRP was obnoxiously loud and pissed off my wife, and the flowmaster force 2 was just right around town but too loud cruising on the highway for my tastes. It was a big lesson in wasting money. I do have 2 exhaust systems for sale now though.

CharlestonJoe · February 15, 2017

Thanks BigBad and Shamrock and dang it, I have the MBRP exhaust sitting in the box waiting to be put on! But I have the 4.3 and it's super quiet....what do you have?

ShamrockShooter · February 15, 2017

5.3. 1700 to 2000 rpms was really loud when cold. Mbrp does sell a quiet version of that muffler that is a direct swap. Didn't try it though.

BigBadSierra · February 15, 2017

I put Stock back on because MBRP was obnoxiously loud and pissed off my wife, and the flowmaster force 2 was just right around town but too loud cruising on the highway for my tastes. It was a big lesson in wasting money. I do have 2 exhaust systems for sale now though.

Check out the Borla touring exhaust it's about the best wife friendly exhaust out there. It will growl under acceleration but is quiet cruising.

ShamrockShooter · February 15, 2017

Once I sell the MBRP and Flowmaster kits I was looking at going with the GM borla touring. Is yours just the borla or the gm version with the flapper?

CharlestonJoe · February 15, 2017

I wanted Borla originally but couldn't find it for my 4.3.

Does anyone know if the exhaust is interchangeable?

I'm thinking both the V8 the V6 have relatively the same exhaust. They both have the 3 cat set up with a 3" pipe connecting at the back of the 3rd cat with a clamp am I right? Also, the muffler and resonator and flapper set up.

My truck is at a body shop right now or I would post pictures and get measurements.

My MBRP kit is still in the box so I'm tempted to send it back.