NTO GT dual install
06-22-2010, 10:55 PM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Illinois
Posts: 219
NTO GT dual install
Finally got the duals put on the v-6. Did it myself, so thought I'd share some of the highs and lows of the experience.
1. Used 6 jack stands, got whole car about 10" of the ground, with the rear axle hanging low enough to get the old mid-pipe out.
2. Old muffler and mid-pipe came off pretty easy, car only has about 20,000miles.
3. Lost what poor instructions that came with duals, so I started at the rear and worked forward. Figured the exhaust tips was what I wanted right, so got them set just right first.
4. Cut notch in bumper, & put on driver side hangers. I heard of other people having problems with poor or no threads where the hanger bolts go in, so I had the right size tap on hand. I needed it.
5. Put both mufflers and mid-pipes in place and snugged the muffler clamps enough to hold everything in place. I used a 5 gal. plastic bucket to hold the front end of the mid-pipes in place, while I triple checked all the clearance over the rear axle, sub frame, and gas line. I used a pipe wrench to bend the "L" shaped hangers to get the height where I wanted it and the same on both sides. Try to leave the part that goes in the rubber grommet parallel to the muffler and bend the section that goes to the muffler. I used some small wood blocks the make sure everything was in the exact position they would be in when finished.
6. Then I used plastic ties, to hold the new x pipe in exactly the right place, under the old exhaust pipe, so I could mark where to make the cuts. I cut off most of the hanger bars that isn't needed at the tranny cross member.
7. Used a sawsall to cut off the 2 old exhaust pipes. Only broke one blade, not bad.
8. Pushed mid-pipes out far enough to get the x-pipe started. I'm glad I left part of the hanger bars, as it was a perfect place to use a hammer to get the x pipe as far up on the exhaust pipe as was needed. This was a really tight fit.
9. Be sure and have the wide bands over the mid pipe before starting. There's not enough play to put them on after the x-pipe is in place.
10. I don't think there was an 1/8" between the mid-pipe and x pipe when everything was in place to tighten the band clamps. I couldn't believe how well everything lined up, it really looks like it came from the factory this way.
11. Tightened everything up, and got it off the jack stands. Everything seemed to be fine.
Took it on a 300 mile weekend trip, and had one intermittent vibration. Found it when I got home. The drivers side rear hanger was sticking so far through the rubber grommet, it would occasionally rub on the back of the rear bumper support. Had just enough room to cut about a 1/2" off with the sawsall.
Whereas the v-6 rear bumper isn't as low as the GT's, more of the mufflers show underneath the bottom of the bumper. Before I started, I painted most of the muffler with flat black engine paint. (Not the chrome tips) There's already some kind of black frame cover in the middle, this just pulls it all together more, I think. You notice the chrome, not the mufflers hanging down.
OH, they sound just right for me, and ol' gizzer. More throaty on acceleration and idle, and barely noticeable at cruzin speed.
https://mustangforums.com/forum/memb...t-so-much.html
1. Used 6 jack stands, got whole car about 10" of the ground, with the rear axle hanging low enough to get the old mid-pipe out.
2. Old muffler and mid-pipe came off pretty easy, car only has about 20,000miles.
3. Lost what poor instructions that came with duals, so I started at the rear and worked forward. Figured the exhaust tips was what I wanted right, so got them set just right first.
4. Cut notch in bumper, & put on driver side hangers. I heard of other people having problems with poor or no threads where the hanger bolts go in, so I had the right size tap on hand. I needed it.
5. Put both mufflers and mid-pipes in place and snugged the muffler clamps enough to hold everything in place. I used a 5 gal. plastic bucket to hold the front end of the mid-pipes in place, while I triple checked all the clearance over the rear axle, sub frame, and gas line. I used a pipe wrench to bend the "L" shaped hangers to get the height where I wanted it and the same on both sides. Try to leave the part that goes in the rubber grommet parallel to the muffler and bend the section that goes to the muffler. I used some small wood blocks the make sure everything was in the exact position they would be in when finished.
6. Then I used plastic ties, to hold the new x pipe in exactly the right place, under the old exhaust pipe, so I could mark where to make the cuts. I cut off most of the hanger bars that isn't needed at the tranny cross member.
7. Used a sawsall to cut off the 2 old exhaust pipes. Only broke one blade, not bad.
8. Pushed mid-pipes out far enough to get the x-pipe started. I'm glad I left part of the hanger bars, as it was a perfect place to use a hammer to get the x pipe as far up on the exhaust pipe as was needed. This was a really tight fit.
9. Be sure and have the wide bands over the mid pipe before starting. There's not enough play to put them on after the x-pipe is in place.
10. I don't think there was an 1/8" between the mid-pipe and x pipe when everything was in place to tighten the band clamps. I couldn't believe how well everything lined up, it really looks like it came from the factory this way.
11. Tightened everything up, and got it off the jack stands. Everything seemed to be fine.
Took it on a 300 mile weekend trip, and had one intermittent vibration. Found it when I got home. The drivers side rear hanger was sticking so far through the rubber grommet, it would occasionally rub on the back of the rear bumper support. Had just enough room to cut about a 1/2" off with the sawsall.
Whereas the v-6 rear bumper isn't as low as the GT's, more of the mufflers show underneath the bottom of the bumper. Before I started, I painted most of the muffler with flat black engine paint. (Not the chrome tips) There's already some kind of black frame cover in the middle, this just pulls it all together more, I think. You notice the chrome, not the mufflers hanging down.
OH, they sound just right for me, and ol' gizzer. More throaty on acceleration and idle, and barely noticeable at cruzin speed.
https://mustangforums.com/forum/memb...t-so-much.html
Last edited by Twstones; 06-23-2010 at 12:18 PM.
06-23-2010, 01:37 AM
#2
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Corona, CA
Posts: 1,579
Very cool man. I'll admit I only read half of that lol but I'm glad it all turned out well and your happy with the new duals. This post will definitely come in handy for anybody considering doing this themselves.
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