Yesterday I was installing a cat back on my car, and I noticed 2 pieces under the car, running over the channel where the exhaust went. The rear piece was smaller and rusted to hell so I took it off, the second piece is a bigger.

The location of the piece is right around where the flange is between the cat converter and the resonator pipe. it is held by 4 bolts on each side. It just seems like a bar that has no use.

Reason I'm asking if I can take it off is, since the cat-back pipe is a little bigger than stock, when I go over bumps, I hear the pipe clank against that cross member (since there is like 1/8" of clearance). I wanted to put some rubber there, but that will probably melt.

Sooo... maxima gurus, do I need that piece, and if I do, how can I prevent the clanking?

 

No, you don't need this piece, many orgers have taken theirs off with no detrimental side-effects. I still have mine on, but my exhaust is stock for now...

 

oh, you mean this piece?



I haven't had it on for almost a year with no adverse affects. I'm sure it helps the structural integrity a bit so I wouldn't suggest taking it off for the hell of it, but as you can see I had no choice.

 

I have had mine off for a long time...

 

i think thats there if for some reason the exhaust breaks and falls...to prevent to cat, etc form hitting and dragging the ground

 

If that were the only reason its size wouldn't be so substantial. The freakin thing is held on by 8 bolts. And not little tiny bolts either...There's also another smaller brace, as the thread starter mentioned.

 

You're gonna have to readjust your exhaust to make this fit otherwise it will continue to clank. I would keep it on because it's a pretty hefty piece. I have mine on with the Cattman B-pipe... just realign your exhaust and it will fit.

 

with so many people who have taken it off with no side affects.... this means weight reduction, woo hoo!

 

It's the fwd. floor stiffener/brace. Introduced with later production '00s and subsequent Gen. 5s and Gen. 5.5s, I think. I believe it was to increase the crash protection rating which did get upgraded part way through the '00 production run. I added it to my earlier production '00 by rotating it 180 deg., otherwise it wouldn't clear the exhaust. When they added it to the later production '00s, they must have changed the exhaust, at least on the Fed. Spec. cars.

 

____________________ What in the hell did you do?

 

its there for safty raasons, structual / if you exhaust beaks(if your hangers break or etc your exhaust wont hit the ground)


I had my exhaust raised at a local shop.

but i guess you dont realy need the bracket..

 

I think the bigger ones helps a lot in structural rigidity, kinda like an FSTB.

 

WTF are you talking about. My 2000 was made in 1999. I have the brace.

 

His post isn't very clear.

Yeah mine was made in nov. '99 and it has the brace too. I cant remember which way it was on there though, I've had that thing off so many times now.

 

Wait, I thought that piece was the retainer for the exhaust bearing?

Kidding, good to know.

 

Mine was Sept. '99 production and didn't have it. When I tried to install this brace with the arrow facing fwd. per the later cars that had it, it contacted (hard) the bend in the exhaust pipe (near the rear Fed. Spec. O2 sensor), so I found I could install it with the arrow facing aft. I also had to trim the rear lip of the cat heatshield a small amount. When they added this brace they must have made a slight change to the cat to resonator pipe and/or repositioned the exhaust up somewhat. If you check the crash rating listed for the 2000 Maxi at the Highway Safety website the rating for the 2000 is for (or changed, I can't remember) cars produced after, I think it's Sept. '99. I'm not sure if this brace has something to do with the crash rating, but I decided to install it when I bought the car 4 years ago. I'm sure nobody else cares.

 

well I would say that if nissan felt a need to put it on the car I dont see areason as to why they would be wrong in doing that. If your car is a daily driver then I would say leave it on for sure but if not choose at your own discresstion then.

 

There's an arrow on it that points to the front brah.