Mufflers rust out, this is why they are one of the most replaced parts of a vehicle. Or maybe you want to replace your muffler with a higher performing model for either a low growl or an ear-splitting roar (including everything inbetween).
Parts you'll need:
Raise and support vehicle. IMPORTANT - Always place a safety stand under the raised part of the vehicle. If the vehicle slips off of the jack, it could cause serious injury or death. Always chock any wheels that are not raised off the ground!
If the muffler isn’t welded on, soak any old muffler clamps and joints that will be removed with penetrating fluid.
Loosen muffler clamp bolts and remove old muffler clamps.
If the muffler clamps are rusted to the point the nut can no longer be removed, use a socket and ratchet to twist the nut. This will usually snap the clamp quickly and easily.
Once the muffler clamps are removed, you’ll need to separate the joints. They may easily slide apart, but more likely they will have rusted together and need to be cut. The same theory applies to the welded exhaust. To cut the exhaust, use a cut-off tool. In some applications, a hacksaw may be used instead, but the cut-off tool wraps around the exhaust to get in tight spaces, and gives a cleaner cut. Whatever tool you use, don’t cut off more than necessary. IMPORTANT - Be sure you do not cut any other parts of the vehicle, such as fuel lines, brake lines, wiring, etc.
Remove any hangers still holding the muffler on the car, and then remove the muffler from the vehicle.
Inspect the exhaust pipes that attach to the muffler to make sure that they can be reused. You may need to sand the outside of the pipes where they slide into the muffler, or use an expansion tool to remove clamp dents.
Now is a good time to inspect other exhaust system parts, like hangers, pipes, catalytic converters, etc.
IMPORTANT - The exhaust parts need to fit securely so you don’t have an exhaust leak. If the parts don’t fit snug together, even clamping them down tighter will not seal it properly, allowing exhaust gases to potentially leak into the cabin of your vehicle.