glo106

I got a pair of GT500 axle backs a couple weeks ago and this past Saturday, I took them to a muffler shop for installation. It was a well reviewed place that doesn't charge a ridiculous amount. I also picked this place because I knew they've worked on Mustangs. Anyway the installation appeared to go well and then yesterday when I was driving, I noticed occasional rattling/clanging sounds, mostly just when changing levels of plane (e.g. entering a driveway). When I got home I searched for common causes, and most people said to check the hangers and brackets to make sure they were mounted tightly. Thankfully I'm skinny enough to slide underneath that area without needing lifts or jacks. Lo and behold, out of the five total 13mm bolts (3 on the driver side and 2 on the passenger side) that are supposed to secure the hanger mount to the car, the bozo only screwed back 1 of 3 and 1 of 2. I was livid when I looked underneath and saw this.

At this point, I don't even want to deal with that muffler shop again. I figure I can get some new 13mm bolts, but to screw them back on would require removing at least part of the mufflers to obtain access to one of the bolts on each side. I found some pics online that show which bolts are missing (circled in red). I also saw that the bolt hole on the car closest to the rear bumper on the driver side doesn't even line up with hanger mount's bolt hole. I'm due for a scheduled maintenance service and was going to schedule something this weekend and I wonder if the Ford service guys would do the job for me while it's getting serviced. Otherwise, I might just put on the bolts myself. What would you all do if you were in my position?

Note: before anyone says, "you should've installed them yourself," I seriously and definitely considered it. But as it would be my first time doing something like this, I just would've rather had an "expert" do it (and as an American, I wanted the task done and I wanted it done asap )

myo6mustanggt

I would bring it back to the muffler shop make them fix it

Lake_Vert

Bolts could've come off. I doubt it. Go in nice and if they are not forthcoming with a viable solution, become a hard a$$ and leave. No harm to you, only their reputation.

70monte

I would have went back and demanded that they re-install the missing bolts and let the manager know what the deal was. I don't let that kind of stuff go but I guess I like to get confrontational about crap like that. That guy will continue to take short cuts unless people start speaking up.

I installed my own GT500 mufflers and didn't even use a lift. Very easy to do.

Wayne

glo106

If there were only one bolt missing, I might chalk it up to it falling off at some point on accident, but doubtful that three would be missing accidentally. I do think he took a shortcut and didn't put back those three bolts for whatever reason--too difficult, maybe? I'm gonna call them tomorrow and let them know my problems. If anything, I'm just gonna retrieve the bolts if I they still have them and either put them back myself or have the Ford service guys do it.

BaknBlk

When I put the Roush exhaust on my 13, I actually reached above the mufflers and unbolted the hangers and dropped them that way. I didn't even have to jack up the car, as you don't have to squeeze under it very far. I don't know if they changed the hangers or not for 14, but maybe you can put some new bolts back in yourself...good luck !!

PJRManagement

Manager...for sure. He/she will make you whole again. If they do not, if paid by credit card, challenge the charge when you get your statement.

JoeMidnight

I would totally go back to the shop again and hang around the bay and watch the tech like a hawk and make sure that its done properly. I would have them take it all down and do it to your satisfactory before the car is lowered from the Bay.

magnido45

Which muffler shop is this...so I can avoid them!!!

backin15

Installer must have been lazy. If the missing bolt is the one above the muffler it isn't a fun one to get to and he probably figured you would never see that it was missing. I found a ratcheting 13mm box end wrench makes it quick and easy.

kanine

Let us know what happens, I would take it back to the shop and have them fix it since you paid for it.

However, those bolts are not hard to put back on yourself, you will have to unclamp the muffler from the over axle pipes and just slide the muffler towards the back of the car on the hangers and you will be able to reach those bolts.

glo106

It sounded so easy the way you described it so I gave it a try yesterday. I tried the more difficult driver side first and after a couple hours of struggling, I ended back where I started (that driver side muffler is really a pain in the butt). I wasn't able to slide the muffler towards the rear because the installer last week must have bent something slightly on the hanger mount to make it virtually impossible to slide the muffler. So I just took off the muffler completely, and putting the missing bolts back was no problem. Easy, I thought. But then getting the muffler back onto the hangers was impossible, even with loosening and dropping the black track bar. I basically had to put the muffler back the lousy way the installer did it.

That brings me to today. Not wanting last week's bad muffler shop to do another bad job fixing their mistake, I took it to a reputable muffler shop in my area and the guy did both sides quickly and satisfactorily (for $20--fair and at this point, I just wanted it fixed). He had to unbolt the midpipe to get the driver side muffler back into the hanger and the ball socket lined up. I really wonder what the hell the installer last week did. I called the manager to let her know that he does an incomplete job and takes shortcuts and she should be aware of that. That shop is lucky I'm generally non-confrontational and didn't give them more hell for the half-assed job. If I ever decide to do any exhaust or muffler work in the future, you can be sure the original place isn't getting my business.

70monte

I'm not sure why you had so much trouble. I did mine without it being on jack stands in about 45 minutes. I unbolted the mufflers from the mid pipe and then unbolted all of the exhaust hangers and pulled the mufflers down with the hangers still installed.

To get to the bolt on the middle hanger you just slide the muffler forward after unbolting the rear hanger.

After that, I transferred the hangers from the old mufflers to the new ones and bolted everything back up and aligned the tips. Not a bad job at all. Sorry you had so much trouble.

Wayne

Joeywhat

Why even remove the hangers? With some soapy water I had no issue leaving them on during the install.

glo106

I tried, and so did the guy who did the job today. Nothing was going to work unless the whole muffler came off. The second missing bolt on the hanger mount was part of the problem. It wasn't aligned properly with the hole on the car frame.

Sliding the muffler back on the hangers worked like a charm with the passenger side muffler though. I do think the installer last week did something with the hanger mount that made the job difficult for me yesterday.

tbone004

I think the trick for taking out the bolts and putting them back in is to remove the muffler from the rubber mount in the front of the muffler and loosen the pipe assembly. This will allow the muffler to be pulled down so you can get a ratcheting wrench on the bolts.

Done the job on several cars and this is the process I have used, normally 40 mins from start to finish on ramps.

berzerk_1980

I don't know if we need any more advice, but the method I used was to unbolt the rear, easily accessible bolts, then unbolt the front bolts, remove the muffler and swap the isolators over to the new muffler on a work bench.

There's only two bolts that I thought were hard to get to, they're the ones on top of each muffler. I think I used a box end wrench, accessing it by wrapping my hands around the sides of the muffler, one on the wrench and the other holding the business end of the wrench onto the bolt.