THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO DROP THE STOCK EXHAUST BEHIND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. YOU MAY NEED A RECIPROCATING SAW TO REMOVE THE REAR SECTION OF PIPE. SINCE THE SYSTEM WAS ALREADY CUT FOR SUSPENSION CLEARANCE, IT CAME RIGHT OUT.

A CUSTOM AFTER-CAT SYSTEM MEANS YOU HAVE THE LIBERTY TO START WHENEVER YOU LIKE. JUST MAKE SURE IT'S AFTER THE CAT, AND O2 SENSOR, IF THERE IS ONE. RUNNING THE SYSTEM STRAIGHT BACK BEHIND THE CAT ALLOWED JOHN TO REMOVE SOME OF THE BENDS THAT WERE PUT IN THE STOCK EXHAUST SYSTEM. WITH THE FLANGES TEMPORARILY BOLTED TOGETHER, HE MOCKED UP THE BEST PLACE TO START.

AFTER MARKING THE EXHAUST, THE SECTION OF PIPE WAS REMOVED.

THE MIGHTY SAW MAKES QUICK WORK OF THE EXHAUST TUBING. WHOEVER COINED THE PHRASE "THE TOOL DOESNT MAKE THE MECHANIC" NEVER TRIED TO SAW THROUGH STAINLESS WITH A HACK SAW.

DEBURRING THE FRESHLY CUT TUBING IS CRITICAL BECAUSE THE SHARP EDGE MAY DO MORE THAN CUT YOUR FLESH DEEP AND WIDE. THE BURS MAY ALSO COME OFF WITH HEAT AND CONTAMINATE THE MUFFLER; NOT TO MENTION, IT'S HARD TO WELD ONE PIPE TO ANOTHER WHEN THE EDGES ARE UNEVEN.

JOHN PUT THE PIPE BACK IN THE TRUCK AND MOCKED UP THE NEW FLANGE. JOHN SAYS, "ALONG WITH MARKING THE TUBE FOR LENGTH, MAKE SURE TO MARK THE SIDE OF THE TUBE TO ENSURE THE ROTATION OF THE FLANGES IS NOT OUT OF LINE WITH THE BODY. THIS WILL MAKE ACCESSING THE BOLTS EASY AND GIVE YOU A POINT OF REFERENCE WHEN YOU GO TO WELD."

WITH ALL THE MARKS IN PLACE, THE FLANGE WAS WELDED ON AND THE PIPE PUT BACK IN THE TRUCK.

THE OTHER END OF THE FLANGE WAS WELDED TO A STRAIGHT LENGTH OF TUBING, THEN THE TWO UNITS WERE BOLTED TOGETHER. THEN, JOHN MOVED TO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND PLACE THE MUFFLER.