So tomorrow I'm going to delete the DPF and CAT. I have the tuner (H&S XRT Pro) and the pipe arrives today. I'm going to install myself and as luck would have it, all my friendly help is out of town. Soooo....I'm going to try it alone.

Any tips and tricks?

 

Jacks to help hold it up. Jack stand and then just lower it bit by bit.

 

Also a long ratchet strap to pul the DOC/DPF away from the tail exhaust pipe.

 

You are brave but it should be possible. First buy a couple cases of your favorite beer. That way if it doesn't go good, at least you can relax with a good friend (the beer) and think of better times.

I would drop the entire exhaust which is easier than it sounds. Unbolt it from the down pipe and then unbolt the hangers from the frame rails (3 small bolts on each). Then make the changes you need to with it off the truck, raise it back up and rebolt the hangers. This should save ALOT of swearing. A jack will make this much easier, although if you start at the back and work forwards lining things up and starting the bolts without tightening everything it won't be that bad. Once it's all started, tighten it up and life should be good. The exhaust is quite light once the DPF and CAT are gone. This is the way I would do it if I had to do it again, but others might disagree.

Of course I should mention that this probably won't work if you are planning on putting the truck on a hoist, due to the height you would have to lift the exhaust in one piece. In that case I would unbolt everything from the DPF back and put it back up in pieces starting at the front and working back for obvious reasons. Line it up, start the bolts and then tighten at the end.

The tuner install should be straight forward but unfortunately I don't have any experience with the H&S. Good Luck

 

Thanks for the tips. Not familiar with a rachet strap. Same thing as a strap wrench? BTW, what do the two units together weigh? 100lbs?

 

Nevermind on the rachet strap. I have one of those big yellow ones. I get the idea....

 

A ratchet strap is what is usually used to bind down loads. I don't remember the weight, but I think it's about 70-80lbs.

 

The DPF is a solid 80-100lbs, at least it felt like it. The CAT isn't alot.

 

It's usually easiest to remove both CAT/DPF as one item rather then mess with the bolts linking the two.

 

I am assuming that you are doing the race pipe (keeping muffler). If true, when it comes to disconnecting the pipe just past the DPF and in front of the muffler, loosen that band clamp and kick the muffler loose. Once put back together, check the hanger on the muffler pipe (mine came off the hanger during the kicking phase).

 

Yes, I'm keeping the muffler. I can't imagine how loud it would be with all three items in the exhaust (DPF/CAT/Muffler)

Good advice. Thanks

 

The part after the cat was where I could not get it loose. I ended up paying a muffler shop to take it apart. They heated it up and pried it loose.

Thte dpf/cat weighs in around 77#, I shipped one last week. Once you get that off you are home free.

The two bolts in front of the dpf, mine they were welded. You loosen the nuts instead.

The xrt pro takes 10 minutes to install.

 

I did mine alone and I'm 69, so unless you're 70 you're gonna be embarassed if you don't get it done. Two main points, find a way to make some room under the truck. I made a ramp with 3 2X6s and drove the front wheels up on it. Take the DOC and DPF off as one piece, The front of the DOC to downpipe bolt was the hardest, the top one. There is an access hole through the frame. I used a 3/8 drive set with a good universal connector and a nice 12inch or so extension. I see this is probably too late but I'm sending just in case. Good luck. Oh yeah, the rear most sensor is not coming out. You don't need it with the H&S anyway, but it's not coming out. I needed mine and had to buy a new one.

 

Also helps to spray all connections, bolts and sensors with PB Blaster and let it soak a while. May help with some if those stubborn ones.

 

Thanks all. Now it will have to wait until Saturday. Since the truck only has 11k miles, hopefully the bolts are a little more foregiving..