Hooker Catback Installation
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,294
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From: Dallas (Richardson), TX, USA
Hooker Catback Installation I'm hoping to install my Hooker catback on my stock '02 WS6 tonight. I'm probably only going to have 3 hours to work with, and I'm wondering what all I'm going to need in terms of tools, time, and knowledge. I will be at a friend's place (since I live in an apartment), so I want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row, as they say. Specifically, I'm wanting to know about getting the stock exhaust off the car. I've read that it has to be cut, but I thought that it wasn't welded (i.e. I thought it was bolted on). Is this not the case? Also, I've read that they're usually cut off with a sawzall. I don't have access to one of those, but I do have access to a hacksaw. Would that work?
I'm just trying to get an idea about all of this. A link to a howto would be amazingly helpful, but any answers or tips would also be appreciated.
I'm just trying to get an idea about all of this. A link to a howto would be amazingly helpful, but any answers or tips would also be appreciated.
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 120
Likes: 1
From: SW MI
The stock exhaust is bolted(actually clamped) to the y-pipe, but it is fully welded from there back. It is probably very difficult, if not impossible to snake the entire cat-back out of there without cutting the intermediate pipe where it goes over the axle, especially if you're putting the car on ramps/jackstands. Definitely use a sawsall! You can usually rent one if you don't have the cash to buy one. I also highly recommend buying band clamps instead of the std. muffler clamps Hooker provides. With the band clamps, you won't crush the pipes and you can adjust/remove the system as many times as you want. They are about $8 ea., but worth it IMO. I got mine at Carquest, but others may carry them also.
Other advice: Always adj./tighten in small increments, from front to back. As you tighten all the clamps, the tips will move more than you think! Tighten the **** out of the stock y-pipe clamp - the Hooker I-pipe isn't slotted to crush like the stock one, so it will rattle if you don't(probably best to replace this one with a band clamp also). Finally, some penetrating oil couldn't hurt if the old clamp is rusty.
If you use a sawsall and have good luck with that y-pipe clamp you should have no problem completing the install in 3hrs. Good Luck!
Other advice: Always adj./tighten in small increments, from front to back. As you tighten all the clamps, the tips will move more than you think! Tighten the **** out of the stock y-pipe clamp - the Hooker I-pipe isn't slotted to crush like the stock one, so it will rattle if you don't(probably best to replace this one with a band clamp also). Finally, some penetrating oil couldn't hurt if the old clamp is rusty.
If you use a sawsall and have good luck with that y-pipe clamp you should have no problem completing the install in 3hrs. Good Luck!
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,294
Likes: 0
From: Dallas (Richardson), TX, USA
Thanks so much for the reply. Could I find the band clamps at a hardware store? Pep Boys? Auto Zone? What's the total number necessary? (I haven't even looked in the catback box yet, so I dunno how many pieces it is total)
It took me about 15 minutes or so to take my stock exhaust off. I cut it just as it started to raise up over the axle. I also used a hack saw. The sawing is what took the longest at about 6 or 7 minutes. Not to hard of work!!
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,294
Likes: 0
From: Dallas (Richardson), TX, USA
Well, I'm here drinking a victorious beer. 
We had to cut the pipe twice - once before the axle and once after the axle. Had we lifted the car higher the latter wouldn't have been necessary, but it wasn't very high off the ground. There weren't too many issues in general, but it wasn't just a complete breeze either.
There are a few problems that remain that I can't solve myself. First, the tips need to be tacked on or they will fall off. They're tightened as much as I can get them on, but I'm still afraid they will fall off while I'm driving around. Secondly, the tips are too far apart. They don't fit in the back bumper too well. However, they're in there as far as I can get them for the time being. I'm not sure what to do about that at this point, but I guess it'll have to wait until the headers and Y go on. I can get the tips tacked on by Midas or whatever for cheap I'm sure.
As for the sound, it's not too bad. It sounds about the same up to 2k RPMs and very similar up to 4k. At about 5k it's decisively louder. I'd be disappointed if I didn't have headers coming, but since I bought the Hooker catback strictly to go with the headers, I'm not disappointed in the least.
We had to cut the pipe twice - once before the axle and once after the axle. Had we lifted the car higher the latter wouldn't have been necessary, but it wasn't very high off the ground. There weren't too many issues in general, but it wasn't just a complete breeze either.
There are a few problems that remain that I can't solve myself. First, the tips need to be tacked on or they will fall off. They're tightened as much as I can get them on, but I'm still afraid they will fall off while I'm driving around. Secondly, the tips are too far apart. They don't fit in the back bumper too well. However, they're in there as far as I can get them for the time being. I'm not sure what to do about that at this point, but I guess it'll have to wait until the headers and Y go on. I can get the tips tacked on by Midas or whatever for cheap I'm sure.
As for the sound, it's not too bad. It sounds about the same up to 2k RPMs and very similar up to 4k. At about 5k it's decisively louder. I'd be disappointed if I didn't have headers coming, but since I bought the Hooker catback strictly to go with the headers, I'm not disappointed in the least.
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 120
Likes: 1
From: SW MI
Glad to hear the install went well.
I had to overtighten my tips to the point where the pinch bolt is bent, but they've never loosened up-tacking them on or shimming them is probably a good idea.
You have to jam the drivers side pipe as far into the muffler as possible to get the spacing right. Since I don't have to worry about fitting in the bumper this worked for me. You may have to trim a bit off the end of that pipe to move it inward more. If you used band clamps this gets tricky because of the width of the clamp, but regular clamps should be no problem.
From the soundclips I've heard, the LT's really wake up this system. I think you'll be happy with it then.
I had to overtighten my tips to the point where the pinch bolt is bent, but they've never loosened up-tacking them on or shimming them is probably a good idea.
You have to jam the drivers side pipe as far into the muffler as possible to get the spacing right. Since I don't have to worry about fitting in the bumper this worked for me. You may have to trim a bit off the end of that pipe to move it inward more. If you used band clamps this gets tricky because of the width of the clamp, but regular clamps should be no problem.
From the soundclips I've heard, the LT's really wake up this system. I think you'll be happy with it then.
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The sound with ory is great and I just got my tips fitting right tonight as well. I ended up having to cut a good bit off of the passenger side where it enters the muffler to get them to fit right in the bumper. I also had to cut some off to get them tucked up under the bumper, Just tack a quick weld on the tips to keep them still, mine always moved even after I tightened them all of the way. Overall I am very pleased with the sound and the fit, much better than my Magnaflow but it sounded good too!
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
I recently installed the Hooker catback on my car, and noticed that my muffler isn't level (the driver's side hangs lower than the passenger side). Plus, my driver's side exhaust hanger is stretched like crazy to the right to hold the driver's side pipe. Is this normal, or did I not adjust the main pipe and intermediate pipe to the correct loaction? I've got all the pipes goign to the muffler jammed in deep, and I put bolts into both holes on the passenger's side exahust bracket (I only found one bolt included with the kit). Was I supposed to only put one bolt in, so that the passenger's side hangs lower? I've currently got a rattling/scraping sound when I start moving from a stop as well, so I'm thinking it might be the intermediate being positioned incorrectly, but I figured that the two bolts on the passenger side exhaust bracket should have located the rest of the system properly.
I recently installed the Hooker catback on my car, and noticed that my muffler isn't level (the driver's side hangs lower than the passenger side). Plus, my driver's side exhaust hanger is stretched like crazy to the right to hold the driver's side pipe. Is this normal, or did I not adjust the main pipe and intermediate pipe to the correct loaction? I've got all the pipes goign to the muffler jammed in deep, and I put bolts into both holes on the passenger's side exahust bracket (I only found one bolt included with the kit). Was I supposed to only put one bolt in, so that the passenger's side hangs lower? I've currently got a rattling/scraping sound when I start moving from a stop as well, so I'm thinking it might be the intermediate being positioned incorrectly, but I figured that the two bolts on the passenger side exhaust bracket should have located the rest of the system properly.
Originally Posted by yak
I have a similar question. I put mine on last night, once the stock exhaust was off I did it myself in about an hour with no lifting of the car.. Thats right the rear tires never left the ground. my kit came with 4 bolts... 3 for the inlet pipe to the muffler and one for the bracket. The rubber piece on the bracket is streched like a futhermucker and it is slightly turned sideways because of the lack of a second bolt. I am going to lowes today to pic up another bolt because the stock one is not comeing out of the stock bracket like hooker says. Also does anyone's pass side tailpipe hit the insode body panel? I can't really describe what is it, but it hits something.
Did your catback come with a bolt to replace the hanger bolt on the rear passenger side (before the pipe attaches to the muffler)? I am having a bitch of a time getting my I-pipe from the hooker to slip over the Pacesetter ORY. I get it about 3/4ths of the way on, but it is not enough to get the hanger bolt in. I bought my catback used, and I only have 3 bolts (for the muffler connection).
