Has anyone ever removed the stainless tip off an original 1999 muffler? I need to. Have any helpful ideas from someone who has done it? Is it pressed on, welded, etc.? Thanks all.

 

I've got my OE system hanging in the garage ... Lemme go look.

 

It's a press fit, should just slide off.

 

If you look down the inside diameter of the tip you'll see two tongues extending from the inside diameter of the tip to the outside diameter of the pipe. It looks like the tongues are welded (either spot or seam) to the inside of the tip and to the outside of the pipe.

... did that all make any sense?

It doesn't appear that the tip can be removed without damaging it pretty bad.

 

That does make sense, but that means they spot welded it from the ID of the muffler pipe. Difficult but not impossible. I'm still hoping they didn't. Thanks for the reply...

 

I went back out and got all up in there.

I honestly can't tell. The tongues are for certain spot welded to the inside of the tip. But I can't really tell how they're secured to the pipe.

I twisted the sh*t out of it ... not a budget. I tapped at it a little with a hammer ... not a budge.

Not for certain how it's secured but it certainly is secured.

 

Rust and age is holding it in place. You can get a replacement at any auto parts store for about 10 bucks.

 

thanks for working on yours to help me out with an answer. also thanks to njmaxseltd. I've been a machinist my whole life and will take it to work. I'll get it apart one way or another. Thanks all...

 

Just slip a new tip over the old. If the retaining screw starts to rattle, have it spot welded on for about $10

 

cut it off and reinstall a 3" SS tip or larger and butt it up all the way to the rear muffler exterior bulkhead center the remaining Oem tube and spot weld it in 4 locations....



Here's 2.5" tips I added to the 5th Gen Muffler on the bottom

 

My tip was forcibly removed when my max got rear ended a few weeks ago. There's only a couple of spot welds holding it on. A block of wood and a hammer would probably work fine.

 

As I recall my original 'exhaust finisher' was just pressed on and had teeth to grip the tailpipe. I know this because I bought the car new, and noticed when I got home that it was missing.. Went back to the dealer and had them add it... Guy just tapped it on with a rubber mallet. When I replaced the muffler the first time I was able to remove it and use it again. When I replaced the muffler the 2nd time there was no way it was coming off.. I found a replacement tip at Autozone that does not look too bad...

 

Look up "Kool Vue Exhaust Tips"