So most of you know it is possible, with jack & stands that are high enough, to install/uninstall a rear section exhaust on these cars without a lift or taking apart any of the suspension. But I still get questions asking "exactly how high does it have to be?".

I swapped out my Cattman rear yesterday and took a few pictures that might be helpful. I jacked it up high enough so that just a little wriggling to get the flange out of the "tunnel" over the axle was needed. It took me more time getting the rubber hangers off than it did to get the piping free. The entire swap took me about 30 mins and I did it alone.

When jacking up the rear this high, always use wheel chocks under the front wheels.

Here is a 3.5 ton jackstand extended, note how much it is extended and how far off the driver's side rear tire is off the ground:




I used the following jack point on both sides:




Another random view, I laid an old sheet on the ground so that the muffler tips wouldn't get scratched up :




Frankencar rear section about to go on:




Frankencar on, Cattman off:




Here's the link to an old thread that Irish44J made when we swapped rear sections a while back (we also did that on jack and stands):

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=422651

 

How do you like the Frankencar ( I have one and love it) compared to the Cattman? Where did you find it?

 

why'd you change the muffler? is one better than the other?

 

Yeah, I changed my muffler a couple of weeks ago myself with the help from you puppetmaster...Thanks! Just wondering, which side did you jack up first to get the jackstand under the jack point on the rear passenger's side? That point where you jacked up on the rear driver's side looks kind of scary. Is that a safe jack point? I know when I did mine, I jacked up the rear passenger's side first, placed a jack stand underneath the center of the rear axle beam, went back and put a block on the jack to raise the car even higher and then raised the jackstand on its last notch to raise the car even higher. (I had placed a second jack on the rear driver's side jackpoint to level out the rear a little...it helped somewhat). The service manual says that the center of the rear axle beam is a safe "garage jack point". So, that is the point I used. It sucks that these cars don't have more jack points so that we can work underneath our cars safely without a lift.

 

I just did the Y pipe and am going to do my headers with just one jack and two stands. That's really all you need.

 

Just ondering but do you HAVE to take off the rear wheel to take out the axleback? Has anyone ever tried backing their car up onto a set of ramps?

 

I didnt have to take off my rear wheels to do my rear section.... But I had a lift
Is the Frankencar much better with the headers?

 

I had it before I went to the Cattman and while the Cattman sounded good, it got too loud with headers, so I found another Frankencar used.

Neither rear section is better than the other, I enjoyed both and it just depends on what you're going for. The Frankencar suits my current needs more than the Cattman.

 

Gonna post any vids/soundclips?

 

I jacked it all the way up on the passenger side using the jack point shown (could have gone higher too), then I went over and jacked the driver's side up a little because it looked dangerously unbalanced with only one side in the air. Bear in mind that I have a low profile 1.5 ton jack: a normal garage jack doesn't get low enough to get to that spot.

I'm not sure how safe those points are, but they seem pretty solid since they are part of the subframe. Irish44J introduced it to me.

I can't use the beam unless I remove the RSB.

 

No, but its easier to get to the bolts with the wheel off. Never tried ramps, but I doubt the ones most commonly sold are high enough.

 

Once again, I wouldn't say its better. Its just quieter and that's what I prefer.

 

The point of this thread was installation of the rear section, not the y-pipe or headers.

But I agree with you that for y-pipe and headers, jack and stands are sufficient.

 

Old man.

 

There's no denying that, is there?

 

You're just a stones throw away from 30 aren't you?

BTW did you get that IM I sent you this morning?

 

he doesn't want to talk to you....

 

I use the beam when jacking the rear. I just place the jack stands at the outwardmost portion of the beam (after the RSB begins to curve inward to the LCA's). Works for me everytime. Pretty much right against the tires.

 

Yes he does....

And yes he did....

 

I think anything can be done with jackstands. I've done tranny swap, headers, b-pipe and lots of things to other cars with only jackstands and a few pieces of 2x2 wood.

I have several 4 inch long pieces of 2x2 which I use on top of the jack stands and jack when I need extra height. I also use them when I need to jack a part of the car I don't want to mess up with metal to metal contact. They even have a place in my tool chest.

A lift is great but with some creativity there's nothing that can't be done on jackstands.

 

Hey Joel,

That muffler looks good. I plan on getting Frankencar also later on because of the quietness but their customer service is not so good. How is the car running? Have you figured out what the non-power problem was? I am waiting on the ES inserts to get the full effect of the Headers and VAFC II.

Jesse

 

so the frankencar is good at quieting down the exhaust? Im thinking about swapping my cattman muffler out too, but I'm not sure if i should go back to OEM or to frankencar.

 

It can't be that big of a deal to change the muffler. Its 2 bolts and a few rubber hangers. I changed my friend's rear section on his wrx with ease. We only lifted one side too. It seems like people are making a bigger deal out of it then it is.

 

And I've changed a muffler on a WRX with an emergency jack. What's your point? Every car is different. Have you ever tried changing a muffler on a 00-03 Maxima with jack and stands?

 

Just face it some of us are smarter than others, and have more common sense too.

 

Which is why I have to post threads like this for people like you.

It was easy for me, I just get a lot of questions asking how I change rear sections so easily. See post #1.

 

Yeah, but how do you install a WAI?

 

 

You need a cherrypicker to pull the motor for that. It makes it much easier that way.

 

.

 

good stuff

 

OK, then change a rear muffler on a 5th gener and post how you did on the install. Yeah, it's sounds easy, but changing rear mufflers on other cars is different compared to other cars. Our 5th gener's look easy, and I agree, there's nothing to it, but once you actually tackle it, you'll see. The rear end has to be at least near 2ft. off the ground to and the muffler must be turned/angled a certain number of ways to guide it thru the rear beam axle. Yeah, I changed mine, but once I did it, it's not something to brag about it. Having the car jacked up that high is scary as hell!! Anything can happen, including my life underneath that car. I'm tired of people bragging about how thing's are easy and making it a bigger deal than it already is. Not everybody is mechanically skilled as others. That's what this forum is about, helping each other out, and not putting each other down. Again, change the rear muffler on a 5th gener using jackstands and post your results. You'll see exactly what I'm talking about and others who have done it.

 

Im not saying that it isn't a bit nerve racking having the car that high, it most definitely is. All I'm saying is that it is a matter of 3 rubber hangers, 2 bolts, some wd40 and elbow grease. No flaming, I didn't want to start trouble, all I'm saying is that you should just jack up the car and take a look for yourself, thats the best advice anyone can receive.