I'm bought a new direct fit exhaust system for my 97 F-150 4wd. I've unbolted the original exhaust from the exhaust manifolds and seperated it from the muffler, but I can't seem to be able to remove it because the torsion bar crossmember is in the way. Yes, I could just cut the pipes, but because the new exhaust system looks like the original exhaust system and it's suppose to be a bolt-in operation, I figure if I find a way to remove the old exhaust without cutting up, I should be able to install the new exhaust without any welding, right?

Anyway, everything is hanging loose. I can remove the drivers side, just not the passenger side. Do I have to mess with the torsion bar crossmember? I don't have the tools or experience to do that.

Thanks for all reply!

 

If its a direct bolt on...then that is exactly what it should do. Have you taken a look at it from the top of the engine compartment? Alot of manifolds will come out through the top. If not, then the bolt on will "bolt on", but they never mention that you may have to remove other parts. If you must relieve the tnesion on the torsion bar to remove it...first mark the bar and the torsion nut to make sure you know just where they went. Jack the truck up from anything other than the suspension. You want the suspension hangin free. Then back the torsion nut out, (At the back end of the torsion bar), and then you should see your bar move freely and loose. then you can undo the crossmember. Good luck. If all else fails, put the manifold back on and take it to a local muffler shop.

 

I don't think the manifold is his prob Billybob. Sounds like the H pipe. Before removing the torsion bar, go a head jack it up and see if the H pipe will come out then. It might help if you unbolt the sway bar(aka anti roll bar) connector at the right wheel spindle (steering knuckle). My thinking is that you may be able to get the torsion bar to hang low enough to slide the pipe out.

Good Luck

 

BillyBob,

Mayhelm is right, the problem is there is a crossover tube that makes the passenger side exhaust look like a "T" more than a "H" now becuase I've already disconnected the middle section at one point. The other point of the middle section is welded to the passenger side runner.

Anyway, to try to explain it a little better, if you think of the passenger side exhaust as a "T" one part of the tee was attached to the exhaust manifold, the middle part of the tee goes across to the driver's side exhaust and it does this infront of the torsion bar crossmember. The exit end of the exhaust actually continues about "14 inches above and behind the tosion bar crossmember towards the rear of the truck. Because of the cat's I can't pull it out from on top.

If I follow your directions for the torsion bar work, are you saying I won't need any special torsion bar tools? Are you saying that by jacking the truck up with the suspension hanging, there won't be much of a preload on the bars?

 

Mayhelm,
It's not the torsion bars themselves that are a problem, it's the torsion bar crossmember because part of the passenger side exhaust pipe runs about "14 beyond the crossmember towards the rear end. The new replacememt exhuast pipe is built the same way. I don't think I have a choice but to undo the torsion bar crossmember, but I don't know for sure because I've never done this before. Sorry for the long description.

 

The torsion bars are , for lack of a better explanation, spring steel shaped into a solid bar with a tab at one end. When you back the bolt off of it, it allows the bar to "un-wind". This releases the tension on the bar, allowing you to remove it. The other end is shaped, (My old Sonoma was shaped square, others may be shaped octagon), that goes into the same shaped hole. The "spring" action presses downward on the suspension, giving it its, "bounce". Some have even raised the front about an inch by tightening the bolt more. Just remember, JACK THE TRUCK UP. You dont want any weight on the suspension. It creates just all sorts of problems. And the bolt will turn much easier without a load.

If anyone has pics or a better explanation, please post. I am not always the best with descriptions. Never would make a good tech writer.

 

Billybob69,
Your description was good enough for me. I really appreciate your help. I will put your instructions to the test as soon as it stops raining!

One thing though and I'm sorry if my question is a little reduntant - just want to be safe and sure, once the front is up on jacks and the wheels are hanging, it will be safe (after measuring bolt depth for re-tightening) to start backing off the tension bolt and once the bolt is almost all the way out there shouldn't be much spring tension or load left? If I take the bolt all the way out of both bars I should be able to then unbolt the crossmember and slide back out of the way. That sounds easy to me. Will I have any problem in realigning the tension bars and starting the bolts again to begin apply tension?

I'm sorry for all the questions but you've been real helpful and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

Even with the torsion bar adjuster bolts backed almost the whole way off there will still be tension on them. You need to push on the torsion bar "key" while you remove the bolt and the long nut that it goes into. To push on the key you'll need to use the special tool for it or you can probably use a 2 jaw puller. The jaws hook on the crossmember and the puller screw pushes on the torsion bar key. There is a hole made in the key for doing that. You tighten up the puller until the adjuster bolt is loose and can be removed and then remove the puller. Getting the key off the end of the torsion bar can be a real pain. If you have an air hammer that will usually work. Otherwise remove all the crossmember bolts and you can hit on the front of it to push the keys off the bars.

 

Racerguy,
I think what you're calling a two jaw puller is what we used to use to pull our timing chain sprockett off the crankshaft (otherwise known as a gear puller) back when I use to race cameros (sorry, I know this is a Ford place). I've seen the hole in the key that you mentioned and it makes sense to me to have the jaws grab the sides of the crossmember while setting the screw in the hole. Is it hard to get the keys back in place?

danr

 

RACERGUY...Thanks for chiming in! I knew someone sooner or later would jump in with more details. I have only messed with the torsion bars on a 97 Sonoma. Not exactly the same.

 

danr it sounds like we're talking about the same kind of puller.
It usually goes back together easier than it comes apart.

 

Thanks RacerGuy, BillyBob69 and Mayhelm!

If you guys don't mind, I'll report back after my success this weekend....weather permitting.

danr

 

Sorry for the delay in responding to how the retro fit went, but I've been too busy just driving around enjoying the new "pep" in my old ride to hold still long enough to sit down and write.

With all the good adviced I've received, the installation went rather smooth. I did learn some things however. For one thing, when did Ford go all metric? Guess it's been a while since I've worked on one. I also learned that I really didn't need to remove the torsion bar crossmember after all. What does need to be removed is the tranny crossmember.

The removal of the old exhaust took probably 60 percent of my time. I just took one step at a time and double checked every step. I managed to remove the exhaust as one complete system. No cutting or burning required, just unbolting things. The re-installation went quicker than I thought too. I just left everything relatively loose until everything was in place and then just starting tightening things up. You do have to be careful of the angle of the exhaust flange where it bolts up to the manifold exhaust.

Other than that, I'd rate it a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, with ten being the hardest. To anyone with questions, please feel free to write me and I'll do my best to answer your questions. Again, my thanks for those who took the time to offer advice to me!

danr

 

Good to hear that you got it done successfully
How much power difference did you notice?

 

what kind of exhaust did you buy? and what did it cost? im looking for some right now too, but cant decide what to get!