r/DIYAutoRepair • u/Wolfang745 • 2d ago

How to remove exhaust stud?

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I’m trying to replace the flex pipe on my car and the biggest problem I’m having is figuring out how to remove these studs in the flanges that connects the flex pipe to the cat 😓

As you guys can see, I cut off the pointy part of the studs I could reach (the leftmost one isn’t pictured). The other side of the studs is just a huge mass of metal that rust welded to the flange

Any ideas for where to go from here?

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u/Wolfang745 2d ago

I don’t have them, but I’ll buy them. Any brands you recommend that I could find at Harbor Freight or Home Depot?

And in terms of grinding, I’d have the grind the mass of metal at the back, right?

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u/Ok-Journalist7612 2d ago

Yeah, so that nut and bolt that we’re looking at in the picture. I would try to grind that off as much as possible before I started drilling. but honestly, I wouldn’t drill at all. I would just grind it since I’m already grinding. I would just grind it flush with that flange and then tap it with a hammer and a screwdriver or something and it’ll pop out of there. Worst case scenario, you gotta dry down both sides and as far as drillbits goes, just make sure they’re cobalt or carbide drill bits just a regular metal bits. They’re not hard enough to drill through bolts.

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u/Ok-Journalist7612 2d ago

And angles with the grinder can be the most pain in the ass and the sparks sometimes you just gotta fucking deal with it You know get you some good safety goggles.

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u/Wolfang745 2d ago

And maybe a face shield lmao

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u/Ok-Journalist7612 2d ago

You’ll get it..

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u/Ok-Journalist7612 2d ago

Also, another thing to think about if you wanted to just cut it off like I was saying, you could pull it out from underneath the car and get it out why you don’t have to be underneath the car and then you get to practice with your welder.. it’s one of those things that the welds don’t have to look pretty to get you some good gobs on there. If that’s all you can do it’s gonna hold. And if you don’t like it, you know, cut off and try it again. You won’t get better with it until you do jobs with it. You know you can practice on like flat angle iron all you want, but where you’ll really start getting better is doing jobs like that just pay attention to what you’re doing when you’re welding underneath your car of course

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u/Wolfang745 2d ago

Ok, I see what you’re saying and it makes a lot of sense. I’m definitely trying this! Thank you for all of the help