BigMAK1

I'm severely tempted to go to the dealer and say "Manufacturing Defect this exhaust should be 1/2" higher"... but they'll just say "remove your skid plate". Obviously... if that plate wasn't there I'd probably no longer have an exhaust so I can't remove it (wheeling stock; need skids! -- note the scrapes).

Problem: when it warms up and/or gets some flex it rubs/rattles and makes a terrible racket that resonates thru the vehicle rather loudly.

That rockhard skid is right where it should be the exhaust is just too low. In fact - I have the cat skid (small skid on right of those pics) mounted on the inside (rather then outside) of the tranny/oil skid just to pull the tranny oil skid down a little lower or it rubs at rest.

Maybe I should just flatten the pipe a bit? If I go get a Dynomax cat back will I have more clearance? I'm heading to Tucson from Omaha on Friday and I could schedule a stop with a shop on the way...

edit: actually just looked at Dynomax' cat back and looks like it hooks up just after this point - i.e. behind the cross member and back so that wouldn't help. hmmm.

JCKnauer22

one thing that i did was mount the rock hard skid over the t-case skid. it makes a smoother surface and allows you to use all of the rock domes. it also gives you just a tiny bit more clearance under the exhaust. i just ground the upturned edges off of the t-case skid mounting tabs and hit it with some paint. i used a few washers as spacers for the other 2 or 3 bolts. i posted a mini write-up on this a while back. i'll see if i can find a link for you

BigMAK1

Rockhard already ships with a rectangular piece of steel that goes all the way across the cross member between the skid and cross member to lower it. But I think you're right - I probably should just grind the tabs off the t-case skid then shim the others with washers and tuck it all in to lower it.

The reason I didn't do that right off the bat was ... would it be enough? Does your exhaust hang this low too? Looks like it's lower then the cross member due to that fattening in the pipe at the bend.

I'm not too worried about the paint I'd just scrape it all off anyways

JCKnauer22

can't find the page i was speaking if, but it's not that complicated. here's a pic of mine right after install



i also have a problem with the exhaust. i've heard that bending the exhaust hangers can help a bit. i was thinking of cutting a small piece out of each hanger and then welding back together. i've also thought about doing some kind of hack job on the exhaust tubing to try to raise the crossover a bit. i figured i'd get into it once it warms up some more.

any cat back system you get is going to start too far back to help this. they bolt on right where the 2 pipes join, right after the crossmember there.

JCKnauer22

i got mine back in 08 before they started shipping the shims. i thought about calling to get one but i'm gunna see if i can do it thru one of the other ways i mentioned. and tucking the tcase skid doesn't help much to clear the exhaust, but it does smooth things out quite a bit. one less little thing to get hung up on