How to remove or lower exhaust or mufflers? Or how to replace Center Carrier Bearing

J

Jim Henderson

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I am going to be replacing the center Carrier Bearing that supports the driveshaft(Torquetube) on my 2004 LSV8.

There are the usual exhaust clamps holding the two pipes going from about mid car back and rubber hangers for the mufflers etc towards the back.

To get at the center carrier bearing I need to remove a belly pan or heat shield. To remove the pan I need to remove or lower the exhaust pipes.

To do this completely I would need to remove the rusty exhaust clamps and then drop the mufflers etc off the rubber exhaust hangers. I could probably get away with just dropping the mufflers from the exhaust hangers.

The problem is... I have never removed exhaust from rubber hangers. All my previous cars/trucks had metal hangers and either unbolted or would slip out.

The hangers do not slip out easily from the rubber hangers.

The rubber hangers are oval shaped and the metal parts of the system run thru some holes and appear to have an "Arrowhead" shape to them to keep them in place.

I am sure this is an easy job for a muffler guy with the proper tools. But I am or have neither, I think.

So how do I remove the rubber hangers or at least drop the rear part of the exhaust system. Special tools?

Thanks for any help. With this fix I should be back 90% of normal for my LS. Just need the center carrier and new radiator to complete. BWT, I have the radiator in my garage now so no questions there.

Thanks,

Jim Henderson
 
I may have answered my own question. This tool is on NAPAs webpage and looks like a tool that might do the job. Is this correct or is there a better (read that as I am cheap) way to do this?

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/C...haust-Hanger-Stretchers/_/R-SER436_0006402058

I hate to buy a special tool that I use only once in a lifetime. I have been working on cars since the late 60s as an apprentice klutz, and never needed to remove a rubber hanger before so I hate to buy a tool for this job. Maybe one of the stores lends out this tool?

Thanks,

Jim Henderson
 
I posted in your other thread, but I've removed rubber hangers from that style of hook before. All you need is a pry bar to get between the rubber hanger and the metal bar, and perhaps a little silicone lube to help it slide. The silicone won't hurt the rubber. It's not easy, but you probably have everything you need. I've never seen an exhaust shop use anything more than a pry bar or a large screwdriver on these things either.
 
Some auto parts stores will loan you tools for free (You have to give them a deposit equal to the cost of the tool, but they give that back when you bring back the tool in good shape.)
 
a spraying the rubber with lube helps out a lot...

ive used two different tools for this before, one was just a hook that you use to pull on the rubber a bit to stretch the hole out a little to help you pull the hanger out, the napa tool shown above is much easier to use as it pop the hanger right out for you...

personally, I always use doing a new job as a good excuse to go out and buy a new tool, especially if its not too expensive. one can never have enough tools around!
 
Yeah I love new tools but it's hard to justify spedning $ for a tool that I never needed in 40+ years and may never need again. I finally bought a tranny jack because I knew I would use it a couple times messing with the LS. Previously I have only needed one, one time back in the 70s.

So I will see if I can borrow the tool or if grease and grunt will do the job.

Thanks for all the ideas.

Jim Henderson
 
Well, heck. NAPA has the tool on sale for $25. I am a sucker for special tools and a sales price so got me one today.

If the rain holds off I will drop the exhaust sometime this week and have at that Center carrier bearing.

Will let you know if the tool works as adveritsed.

USA made for NAPA but seem a bit flimsy.

Jim Henderson
 
OK. I finally dropped the exhaust using this new tool and I would rate it about 4 out of 5 stars.

It certainly helped to get the job almost done but the tool doesn't appear to have the motion range to put the hanger shaft more than about 70% thru the rubber bushing. But at least it gets you past the "arrowhead" which is the hardest part of the job.

You have to work the bushing the rest of the way off by hand.

Silicone spray lube helps a lot and you can get the rubber bushing off with moderate hand force or the use of a pry bar. I used a wooden hammer handle. Getting the bushing back on is a hand job too, use plenty of lube. Not too difficult.

The only difficult area is the two hangers under the bumper. Limited space limits the force and angles you can use.

BTW, to remove the center carrier bearing, the reason I had to drop the exhaust, you only need to drop the rear half of the exhaust system, ie four rubber hanger bushings. You don't need to remove the pipes from the couplers after the cat, per the manual. It all just hangs there and there is enough room to remove the belly pan and the center carrier and drive shafts.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson
 
That tool is very limited in its use on the 4 hangers we have on the LS. Silicone spray and pry bars work pretty well, especially the flat bar type that can pull nails. They have just the right spread pattern to get to the core of the hanger and leave it with no options except to move. Did you index the driveshaft halves so that they go together in the same places? Not doing that could introduce a vibration, as the shaft is balanced only in that original configuration of the front and rear portions being mated. Are you doing the press work? When I did mine a few years back, it was a nasty job without the 3-jaw puller and bearing pressing collar, to get the old one off.
 
Yup I did index the couplings.

I had a local shop do the removal and replacement of the bearing itself. My puller was about 2 inches too short to get it and I have no press that would do the replacement.

If I had to do it again... I think I could get a machine shop or do it myself, cut some bar stock, drill a few holes and machine the hook ends to make longer pulling arms for my current 3 jaw puller.

I also suspect an appropriate sized pipe fitted over the splines would do the trick pressing things back in.

Jim Henderson
 
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