Trying to Install new exhaust today, need help!

I have read the threads on how to correctly jack the car up and to get it on stands. After reviewing all comments, it sounds like use front jack point to lift the car and then place stand under rear jack point. I was only planning on putting the rear on stands to swap the exhaust, is this correct? As I started doing this, for my first time EVER, the car is lifting up higher and higher, but it doesnt seem like the rear is going to come up high enough to get the stand underneath. It literally looks like the car is lifing and leaning on all 3 corners bubt not enough for the rear. I backed it down out of fear that I would screw up the frame, etc. Is this normal and will the back end eventually (safely) come off the ground enough to get the stand underneath? Also, if it does, when I repeat for the other side, will it want to put even more stress on the *** end as I lift? Thanks for any quick responses since its a beautiful day and I am ready for the new sound. Alan C I know you volunteered to help, but this was a "wake up Saturday morning and get it done decision" If I cant comforably do it, I will probably be giving you a call

New to this myself, but I've seen the characteristics of jacking up a p-car from watching several friends. My recollection is jacking from the front point will lift the front fully and rear slightly. Rear jack point will lift both front a rear relatively equally. I know this doesn't help you much in your quest today. Have you considered using some ramps? Not to drive up onto, but just jack up the rear and place the ramps under the tires. Just a thought... I know what it's like when you get you mind set on a "mod project". Good luck...

That's how I usually do it, maybe my jackstands are lower than yours. The other way I like to do it is this: Raise the car on the rear jack point and leave the floor jack there , then slide your jackstand under a piece of frame to provide emergency support. Then I gently lower the jack until the frame is seated firmly against the jack stand and I keep the floor jack at that position. I do one side at a time.

This is also my project this morning. Just got my gemballa exhaust and going to install it before a nice drive up the PCH (canyons for the way back). I had signed on to do a search ad found this thread. I hope your install goes well too.

Be careful with ramps, I saw an old Firbird crush a set of metal ramps as it drove up onto them. After that experience I have never trusted them.

Game, set, match. The FABSPEED mufflers are in safe and sound. Thanks for the input. After reading, I was too damn afraid to lift the ***-end from the front. I jacked it up from the rear and used the jack stands on the front and left the jack in place. Did one side at a time. Not sure if that method was kosher, but since I bought a serious jack, it seemed to be very stable. JC3D, how did your install go? Hopefully uneventful. PERFECT sound IMO

you got to take you rear bumper off.....okay you don't have to.....but it makes working on your exhaust a breezee...I did and was done in about 2 hours (I know slow...but never did this before..and I got thirsty while doing it!!) take you bumper off... the rest is easy....but very very dirty

I did not have as much time. I got the car up, some bolts out, and realized that if I was going to do it right, I needed to have more time instead of rushing it. I didn't realize how time consuming it was going to be. I will make another shot at it when I have more time. Anyone have the pages from the shop manual that describe this job? That might have made it a bit quicker.

You don't need a shop manual, it doesn't tell you much anyway. Go to renntech.org and see the DIY write up. In short, you don't have to take off the bumper or the rear wheels. Although removing the rear wheel makes it marginally easier. This is a 2-3 hour job (max) the first time, I can do it in 1 hr "skin to skin" or less. Jack the car up on one side as described above. Loosen the bolts with WD40, start with the cat brackets first (17mm), then get the three 13mm nuts on the bracket that holds the muffler. Drop it out of the car. Transfer the bracket and tip to the new muffler, the bracket attaches to the muffler w/ 2 long bolts (?13mm). **tip- install the bolts in the bracket from the bottom up so that the nuts are on the superior end. This saves a lot of time when/if changing mufflers at the track, allowing you to leave the bracket on the motor and just drop the muffler out. Install the new mufflers, snug everything up loose so that you can adjust the tips etc as needed. There are torque specs but I rarely bother, just get everything good and tight.Take your time on the tips. Enjoy.

DJ996 Pretty much dead-nuts-on! The only issue I had yesterday after finally getting the process started, was AND is getting the tips correct. I have both sides centered and spaced correctly, but so far for the life of me have been unable to get them to stick out at equal distance. One is about 1/4" further than the other. Most might not notice, but it sticks out to me. I finally gave up and will go back in for round 2 another day. Once you get rolling, its pretty straight forward. Can #2 went in start to finish in 30 minutes after doinking around with Can #1 for about 1.5 hours. Its a great DYI to get to know your car better. I highly recommend

Ah, thats where I made my mistake. I attempted to take off the muffler and not the bracket and couldnt get the bolt past the frame. I think I will go back and attempt this again today. After, of course, buying some wd40. I need to get quick at this because I will need to put the stock ones back on for poc.

First, you won't be able to do the install on ramps. You have to remove the rear wheels to get the OEM mufflers out. They will come out through the wheel wells. You can do it will a floor jack only. I did this. Just do 1 side at a time. Take off the 3 nuts from the brackets and remove the brackets with the mufflers. One nice trick is to lubricate the clamps and brackets that attach the mufflers to the cats with WD40. This makes them side a lot easier, otherwise get ready fro hammer time. Remember to leave the tips loose and have the clamps turned so you can access them with a wrench on the car to line to the tips up. I used Fabspeed V-band clamps and they made it a lot easier.

I took the bumper off and never removed my rearwheels...but whatever works for you...taking the bumper off is about as much work as taking the wheel off....10 bolts for the wheels...about 6 for the bumper...so you don't have to go thru the wheel wells and have more light....maybe you should take your car to a muffler shop and pay them 100 bucks.....

Ok, took the wheels off, and folowed the very easy advice you guys gave me. It only took 2 hours for both. I couldn't take the tips off beacuse they were seized on, so I will pick up clamps tomorrow. It sounds great. The Gemballa makes it sound like a whole new car.

I believe the nuts in the clamps that hold the tips on the muffler are 17MM. I used my metric lug wrench (the + type with 4 heads on it) to remove the tip nuts. The extra leverage afforded by having a "handle" on both sides of the lug wrench really helped.

Actually you don't even need to remove the wheels if you can get the car high enough.