How to get the exhaust elbow off

[azcummins]

I'm replacing the factory exhaust elbow with a drilled and tapped one (Thanks Tom!) but I'm wondering how to get the old one off. I have 66k miles on my truck so it is pretty rusted.



Can I just spray it with rust remover/bolt loosener and leave it for a while? Should I drive the truck around to heat it up and then try to take it off? What's your guys' opinion?



BTW... does anyone know the size on the bolts?



Thanks.

 

[MikeR]

If it's rusted on, just spray a little rust penetrant and let soak and it should come right off.



The bolt heads are 1/2in if I remember right.

 

[GTop]

When I put my BD Brake on my elbow bolts were frozen also. I couldnt get them to free at all. It took about a week of spraying them daily with penetrating oil before I was able to loosen them.





The bolts on my truck were metric. Either 13 mm or 14 mm, I cant remember which off hand. Be careful cause if yours are also metric a 1/2in is roughly the same size and you could end up rounding the heads. Also, if you do a search you will find my post from a few weeks back where i was asking the same question. Alot of very helpful hints and tips. Good luck

 

[LSMITH]

AZ, the best penetrating oil by far is Kroil from Kano labs. That stuff will free even the rustiest bolts in a day or two. Three year old exhuast clamps from the rustbelt are no match for it even. Get some Kroil and take the hard work out of it and take the risk of a broken bolt in a nasty place out of the equation. I do not know where you would get it out there, you might try a websearch.

 

[Michael Hughes]

When I put my Jake Brake on this summer I had 75,000+ on my truck. I used some penetrating oil and let it sit for about 2 hours. They all came out without any problems. Good luck!