unitedwestang

I have (had) a divorced dual setup on my 2010 4.0. I wanted to put an H-pipe in, but didn't feel like spending the money on buying one since I was perfectly capable of fabbing up and welding in a crossover. To make life easier to cut the holes and weld the crossover in I dropped the whole exhaust. The shop that made my dual setup has everything welded from the cats back. So after removing all the hangers and the black cross brace thing above the sway bar, my exhaust was sitting on the axle in back. Good.
Now for the tricky part. I didn't see anyway to get at the top bolts of the cats to drop the front of the exhaust down. So instead I just unbolted the manifolds and dropped it that way. While doing so on the driver's side I thought there was a possibility of getting at the top cat bolt from the top instead of underneath, but when I went over to the passenger side I saw there was no way of that happening there.
So ultimately, my question for you all is: Am I missing something blatantly obvious here?


On the plus side, the H-pipe is in and everything is bolted back up, and I like it. Took it for a test drive afterwards. I didn't really feel much of a gain in low in torque, which I wasn't really expecting to. It did however make my warm idle sound better and there isn't as pronounced of a change in tone at about that 3000 rpm mark. I took a video before and I hope to take one after today.

unitedwestang

Now I know someone has unbolted their cats before. I know there's people with shorty headers on here. Even if its just someone saying I'm stupid and couldn't see how to take them off, or if there is a trick to getting them off. Please let me, and anyone who looks in the future, know please!
Thanks!

2005Redfire6

I used 4-5 extensions together to unbolt them from within the engine bay.

OSUTX440

I tried with four extensions. I couldn't get it off. I took to a local muffler shop and bought them a 12 pack to just loosen them enough so I could make I home and finish it.

unitedwestang

Thanks guys. I thought about using multiple extensions but didn't have enough available. Sounds like unbolting the manifolds was my only other option anyways.

Stangbass

A couple extensions and a swivel is all you need to get at them under the car. I've dropped my cats probably around 4 or 5 times now.

The manifolds actually aren't all that bad because the bolt is welded to the manifold. Aftermarket shorties where you actually have to get a locking wrench on the bolt head are a royal pain.

2005Redfire6

Luckily I went with long tubes and didn't have to bolt them back on! That would have sucked.