removing 1992 ford ranger catalytivce convertor

[worangejuice]

ao i m trying to take this cat off, but the bolts are rusted brown and notihing grabs.
possibly need 6 sided socket or who knows the fuck.
Such a PIA job, if it wasnt so fucking old it be no prob.
So is it smarter to just hack it off and have a coupler , or a muffler shop and ask them to cut it off and put in the cat I already bought?
Better to just cut off? or take to a muffler shop?
Just need info and all the ford forums have zero info after searching

[e30e]

Take a torch to the bolts

[mrsleeve]

this may help

[ak-]

I use that for my haircuts too

[JasonC]

I think some logic needs applied here..... You can't get some rusty bolts off. But yet a simple trip to a muffler shop and an half hour at best for them to remove and put on new cat compared to you under the car fumbling with rusty bolts that are brown none the less lol. Lets use some common sense and drive to local muffer shop with the exhaust sytem intact and have them do it. Sorry for the long ass remark but sometimes i got to wonder if people think before they do anything cause you obviously know what a six point socket is and have the ability to turn a wrench but have to search a Ford forum then ask on a BMW forum how to get your cat off... :hitler:

[worangejuice]

yeah,so got the back 2 bolts loose. The problem is, I 'm helping out my friend's gf and they came over at 9 at night on a saturday. Im tryin to do it for free and get it done tonite. Low and behold the front 3 have rusted/warped. I figure if i can get a 6 sided socket I can grab it and get 'em off. So it got personal with the car at this point. I dont own a sawzall or know how to torch let alone have a torch. Never really changed a 19 yr old cat.
Thanks for chiming in guys, came back to the ol bread and butter cause theres some very knowledgeable 'smarty' pants on here ;)
I had also brought up a muffler shop to cut and weld real quick, but again saturday night and I dont know of any cheap shops in hollywood, nor could I guaruntee a price for my friend.
Very frustrating for me when the jobs not done after telling them I could help 'em out.

[mikeedler]

no worries if you were doing it for free anyway.

If you don't have the correct tools, send em on their way.

[mrsleeve]

ok lets try another approach. The sawsall thing is what all the thieves are using to just hack Cats outta cars for scrap value. I did relize you wanted to replace it with a new cat rather than a test pipe. Didnt know you were in the PRK either.


You have simple angle grinder??? or even a simple hand hack saw?? Use the grinder to grind the heads of the bolts or the nuts off or a wiz wheel to cut them out. Use hammer to persuade the rest apart. reinstall with new hard wear.


Use the hack saw in the same manner or even a drummel with what passes for a wiz wheel with that thing to make your cuts. You can even even cut the nuts in 1/2 so they fall away.

[JasonC]

yeah,so got the back 2 bolts loose. The problem is, I 'm helping out my friend's gf and they came over at 9 at night on a saturday. Im tryin to do it for free and get it done tonite. Low and behold the front 3 have rusted/warped. I figure if i can get a 6 sided socket I can grab it and get 'em off. So it got personal with the car at this point. I dont own a sawzall or know how to torch let alone have a torch. Never really changed a 19 yr old cat.
Thanks for chiming in guys, came back to the ol bread and butter cause theres some very knowledgeable 'smarty' pants on here ;)
I had also brought up a muffler shop to cut and weld real quick, but again saturday night and I dont know of any cheap shops in hollywood, nor could I guaruntee a price for my friend.
Very frustrating for me when the jobs not done after telling them I could help 'em out.

ah ok, now i can go to bed with a clear mind! :p

[worangejuice]

ok, I will look into a dremel or a hacksaw for price to budget.
and yes, maybe we can all get some rest tonite haha

[b*saint]

oxy-acetylene torch, a big hammer, and an impact gun. Beat the shit of of the flange, Get the nut cherry red, hammer on a socket that's too small, and impact it loose.

[325ix]

ok lets try another approach. The sawsall thing is what all the thieves are using to just hack Cats outta cars for scrap value. I did relize you wanted to replace it with a new cat rather than a test pipe. Didnt know you were in the PRK either.


You have simple angle grinder??? or even a simple hand hack saw?? Use the grinder to grind the heads of the bolts or the nuts off or a wiz wheel to cut them out. Use hammer to persuade the rest apart. reinstall with new hard wear.

This is how I removed the cat on my ix. It worked well except for my compressor is a little small to run air tools so it took forever.

[SUICIDE109]

Just cut it off at the manifold, it'll be fine...