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Cat leg stuck to header and they won't budge.

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I had my Kook's header installed a little over a month ago and because of the crap weather I think I may have only put about 200 mile's tops on it since then, loving them by the way. My problem is I wanted to install the off road legs but the cat legs seem to be fused to the collectors. I disconnected everything from the overaxels to the H-pipe but they wont budge. I pulled, pushed, pried and cussed, nothing seems to work. I was careful not to damage the headers but they were flexing somewhat during my effort. I don't understand how they can be so tight at that joint, it's not like it was crimped or welded together, at least from a visual stand point. Anybody run in to this?
 

steveespo

Lord knows I'm a Voodoo Child
Moderator
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W2W Racing
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Cookeville TN
Rubber mallet and a MAP gas torch. Heat the joint and try and drive them rearward with the mallet.

I use a coating of copper anti seize on the joints when I remove and replace the cats on my ARH setup. It burns off but leaves a film that seems to keep the tubes from welding up.
Steve
 
What is a MAP torch?
We were going to try some heat but the gas bottle was empty, we didn't anticipate needing it. So this has happen to you before?
 

steveespo

Lord knows I'm a Voodoo Child
Moderator
4,008
1,924
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Cookeville TN
MAP gas are the small propane bottles with screw on torches that plumbers use, about the size of a 1 liter bottle. Home Depot sells them. The exhaust connections get stuck sometimes and a sharp rap with the mallet usually frees them up. When you track the car the exhaust gets real hot and the joints get real tight. Heat on the joint will expand the outer tube a little and help break it loose.
 
1,482
408
You're saying you have all four nuts removed from the H pipe to header flanges? Can you get a pry bar either in between them to help force them apart, or possibly move one header towards or away from the engine? Weird that you'd have problems there. When I pulled my H pipe it pretty much fell out of there.
 
I tried wedging a board between the driveshaft loop and the hpipe and push away from the headers, even side to side but I didn't want to take the chance of flexing the headers to much. I'll see how the heat and a rubber mallet works this week end, if it doesn't rain.
 
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408
racered302 said:
Yeah, right after fatboss hit a big fat cat, he was probably looking for pictures too. lol :)

I'm thinking.. "did the fur melt to the header, or is it really just wedged in there?"
 
Well I want to send a thank you to steveespo, the MAP torch did the trick. One side I banged on and broke it loose after heating it, then while my brother-in law started heating the other side, I went to get something to support the pipe so it wouldn't fall, bang my head, wandered forward a couple of more steps in a daze and heard the pipe hit the floor back on earth. Once my head ache went away we got it installed. I'm glad I was wearing a hat but the button on top the hat is where the contact was made and felt like I got hit with a ball peen hammer. Anyway the exhaust sound great and way to loud. I need to put my other restrictor plates in. Thanks again Steve, the MAP gas must be the hottest there is in a single can. I had sticker shock when I bought it but it did the job in no time.
 
Well, I did take the never seize with me but I forgot to put it on. I'll contribute that to the fact I was in a daze after I hit my head. I remembered after I started cleaning up and put the can away. I said the hell with it, I didn't want to take it apart again. I'll probably do it when I swap out the over axle pipe then I'll be done with the exhaust. If I see you in Charlotte I may have a few question for ya. :)
 

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