Removing factory muffler to install TRD questions

[CosmicGrooves]

How many have done this themselves? From what I understand, it's bolt on so it's as easy as removing one and installing the other.

Is this more difficult than it sounds? How tight are the bolts? Can you remove them with a wrench or ratchet fairly easilly? How tight do they need to be when installing?

The time for my TRD muffler purchase is nearing and I just want to have it all figured out before I make the jump. I'd much rather do it myself than pay someone else... unless it's a real pain.

[cklinh]

Use the right tools (especially CORRECT sized sockets) and you'll be fine... don't end up like me:



Rounding one of the nuts and having to drill the sucker out.

[CosmicGrooves]

Those nuts look strange. Do you need a special socket for those, or just the right size?

I've stripped my fair share of nuts over the years. This is one time I really DON'T want to do it.

[GzNutz]

I attempted to do it myself but two winters of salt corroded the nut to the bolt. Had to have the bolts cut off...but install was a breeze. Just the right size will do.

[KSolara]

I got my muffler taken off and a straight put on..
I was just checkin how it sounded without the muffler one day and my friends and I broke the bolts.. I decided that it sounded good so i left it that way and got a straight put on for like 50 buks
I recently needed to get the car inspected so i had to put on the muffler.. luckily they made the straight a bolt on too so i was able to take the straight out and put the stock muffler on myself.. the hangers are a bit of a pain but easy enough (didnt even lift my lowered car)...

ps: i think having no muffler sounds about the same as the TRD muffler which is way too expensive and doesnt do anything besides changing the tone of the exhaust

[crispone]

Did mine at 50,000 miles. TRD was a straight bolt-on.







^^^ Fortunately, I DIDN'T do it on that day.


It can be a little challenging, but mainly because of the weight and awkward position you are in as you hang the thing in the rubber mounts.

g/l!


-crisp

[CosmicGrooves]

Wow! It NEVER gets that cold here... and I'm glad for it!




I thought I was late getting the muffler, but i'm not at 50k mi yet... getting close, though.

[kingkakyle]

get some of that pb blaster?
and spray it
then buy a breaker bar?
basically a giant bar to increase ur torque
and ull be fine...i was able to do all of this and change my exhaust without jacking the car and im lowered and have a sport lol

oh and the standard size sockets (i think 14 or 15 mm) fits those bolts
it will make it easier if u have 2....one to hold it and the other to turn (when ur putting on the TRD ones)

[PhreakdOut]

Uh, the nuts on my OE muffler we WELDED to the flange. Only the bolts are removed. I did use a propane torch ($25 at Ace Hardware) to heat up the nuts (so they expand).

I used WD-40 to help ease the bolts loose and sprayed the rubber bushings to get the rods out. I used adjustable pliers to push the rod head into the bushings. (The toughest part of the removal.)

[Midias]

^^ WD-40 on the rubber mounts will save you a world of being pissed off.

[CosmicGrooves]

Thanks for the tips!!!

[beastman]

Me and my dad tackled installing mine one night. Fairly easy install. Just helps to have two people to help hang it if you can get a buddy. And like cklinh said, dont round the nuts, they suck to drill out or cut off. Thats what happened to me and it took us an extra 30-45 min to cut the sucker off. I love mine though, just enough sound.

[Midias]

I liked my TRD muffler but I loved it after I added custom 2.5 inch piping in front of it.

http://www.solaraguy.com/viewtopic.php?p=476635#476635

[PXLpainter]

Check out my Car Domain pages (go back to the earlier posts - it was one of the first Mods I did). Took my 15 min to take off the OEM and put on the TRD muffler and didn't even need to jack it up to do it. It'sjustsofuckingsimple!

[crispone]

I liked my TRD muffler but I loved it after I added custom 2.5 inch piping in front of it.

http://www.solaraguy.com/viewtopic.php?p=476635#476635

Ditto! (Although there IS a small resonance at cruising that SOME would not care for... but I don't mind it, and it's NOT obnoxious at all... just a better, more throaty sound...)


-crisp