Things You'll Need:
- Cat-back exhaust
- Oil/lubricant
- Floor jack
- Jack stands
- Saws-all
- Wrenches
- Screwdriver
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Step 1
Elevate the truck so that you have easy access to the entire under carriage of the vehicle. Lift with a floor jack to a height that you can get under the truck and work. Lower the weight of the truck onto four jack stands positioned under the frame rails to support the weight of the truck securely in place during the removal of the old exhaust system and the installation of the new, upgraded exhaust.
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Step 2
Loosen the catalytic converter flange bolts and free the front exhaust pipes from the back of the exhaust and muffler tubing (cat-back). Remove the flange's retaining bolts and keep to the side. The back of the exhaust is now separated from the front, and is hanging from its exhaust hangers located along the length of the existing exhaust pipe. Locate each hanger as you make you way to the tailpipe of the exhaust.
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Step 3
Cut the existing exhaust tubing at a point before the last exhaust hanger. The cut should be made so that even after the pipe has been cut all the way through, the pieces are still suspended by their individual hangers. Cutting the tailpipe off first is important because it is the one piece that has to be worked out over the axle and has a big bend in it making it hard to manipulate.
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Step 4
Lubricate the exhaust hanger will oil. These hangers have an armature with a cone shaped end that keeps the exhaust from slipping off the end of the hanger. The exhaust piping has an arm with a tube that slips over the cone shape onto the hanger which holds it in place. The exhaust arm and tube is lined with rubber to help absorb shock. Lubricate the old exhaust tube and pull the exhaust arm off of the hanger to free the tailpipe that has been cut free from the rest of the exhaust. Maneuver the tailpipe over the rear axle and pull free from under the truck. Recycle when discarding.
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Step 5
Move under the truck to the next exhaust hanger. Repeat the same process of cutting the exhaust in a place where the piece will be still hanging in place after the cut has been made. Lubricate the exhaust hanger with oil and pull the exhaust free from the hanger. Continue to cut, oil, and remove the rest of the cat-back exhaust system that is being replaced. The pieces should include the tailpipe, the exhaust tube with muffler, and the mid-system exhaust tube.
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Step 6
Hang the new cat-back exhaust system under the truck using the factory exhaust hangers and some oil to push the new exhaust arms and tubes with rubber linings onto the existing Ford exhaust hangers. Starting from the tailpipe, maneuver the piping over the rear axle and hang. Muffler and mid-system will be hung then connected using exhaust bands that fasten each end together.
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Step 7
Hold each pipe junction together end-to-end and wrap it with an exhaust band with two securing fasteners. Turn the fasteners clockwise to tighten. Use a back and forth tightening technique to get an even application of pressure around the two pipes and move to the next junction. The recommended torque for exhaust bands is approximately thirty pounds of pressure. This allows for a secure seal without and bending or damage of the piping which could result in a future exhaust leak.
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Step 8
Connect the cat-back exhaust system to the existing catalytic converters using the new flange end of the upgraded exhaust connecting to the existing flange of the current catalytic converters. Replace any exhaust gasket that may have been used to help seal the exhaust to the converters and tighten the flange retaining bolts.
