My exhaust gasket is shot so I'm trying to remove the midpipe to cat bolts, but having no luck... I'm trying to use a M12 stubby impact which has 250 ft/lbs of torque, so it might not be enough...

I've never used a torch, but my thought was to get a MAPP torch and heat up the bolt on the cat side and try to have the nut and bolt came out as one piece. Would this even work? Or should I heat up the nut on the midpipe side to get the nut off and then remove the bolt some other way?

Do I need to worry about the torch with my Greddy Ti? Years ago I saw someone selling a Greddy Ti with a cracked flange with the claim that an exhaust shop used a torch on it and it broke off...

 

Hit it with PB blaster every 2 hours for 24 hours. Try impact. If failure then torch it. Try impact. Failure again... time to cut.

I got so sick of all this, I replaced the four bolts for the CAT with TITANIUM hardware. Copper anti-seize wasn't doing the trick for me after a winter or two.

 

Yeah, no doubt the undercarriage has seen the wet weather. My first thought was time to cut those fasteners as you noted!

 

What’s the best way to cut it?

I have a hackzall with a 5 inch metal blade, but there is no way for me to rest the shoe on anything, so it seems too dangerous…

After I cut the bolt, how do I remove the bolt from the cat side? Can it just be hammered out or would it need to be drilled?

 

THIS will do it

 

WEAR SAFEY GLASSES !!!!!

I had one of these wheels EXPODE once and it hit my safety glasses... I would be OL'ONE EYE if wasn't wearing them..

 

I dunno about cutting the studs out of the cat. Properly replacing them could be a huge PITA.

You try hitting it with penetrating oil? Sometimes when things are stuck, tightening it just a tiny bit can help break it free.

If that fails, bring the heat.

EDIT:

I see they are caked in rust. Some naval jelly or other rust dissolver will probably be really helpful.

 

^^^Good point. Kinda forgot the CAT has a permanent, pressed stud vs nut & bolt?

 

Nut breaker/splitter, but there seem to be room to hammer a wrench there

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Heavy-Duty-Nuts-Splitter-Tools-Set-Nut-Breaker-Tool-Durable-Portable-Heavy-Duty-Nuts-Splitter-Tools-Heavy-Duty-Nuts-durable-01/1745272403?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=10117 8708&&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&w l3=42423897272&wl4=aud-393207457166la-51320962143&wl5=9027656&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl1 0=571399075&wl11=online&wl12=1745272403&veh=sem&gc lid=CjwKCAjw-rOaBhA9EiwAUkLV4s21DkM4RM4T4QoX8XTPZfLYMhDvhG5g7n5 8IR-V77xb6VoI127zQBoCcEwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

its a more expensive tool, but a magnetic heat induction gun is a great tool to add to a collection. I have a bolt buster, it works amazing whenever you can get to an area on the nut/thread side.

 

I sell the induction heating tools if you want one lol, but I would try heating it up with a torch and quench it with pb blaster. You may need to repeat it a few times but I haven't found one that wont come off with that method.

 

That needs a gas axe. No saving it.

 

That was my thought... There are NO THREADS visible anymore, and it is a rusted solid unit. Cutting it is the only way out.