Cat stud removal

[SandawgK5]

Has anyone removed the studs from the cat and replaced them with bolts? I have to keep my cat and the delete uses bolts and is easier to get in and out. The cat studs are super long and make it a pain in the *** to get in place.

Can I just drive them out by putting a socket on the "head" side of the stud or do I need to use a press or something. I have driven wheel studs in and out with a brass drift but I don't want to bend the cat flange.

Thanks for any help

Dik

[ralderman]

I'm not sure, are they welded in or just pressed in like a wheel stud? I'm getting ready to take my cat out to replace the gasket, but may just let the exhaust leak until I can get a cat delete pipe.

[Mr. Black]

Pretty sure they are just pressed in. I could not get them to budge without step drilling them up to size.

I cut the broken parts of the studs off close to the flange. Then just started drilling up a few drill sizes at a time untill I was able to punch the remains out of the flange.

Took about 20 minutes and once done I just replaced with bolts washer and nuts.

[SandawgK5]

Thanks, If I cut them off I am not really out anything I guess it is better than bending the flange.

Dik

[Mr. Black]

Yeah, just keep in mind, I tried punching them out after cutting them off flush and they would not budge. I had to drill them out a ways.

They are pressed in like an axle stud with splines.

[SandawgK5]

I cut them off and drilled them out up to about 1/4" and the first one knocked right out. The second took me about an hour. They apparently are pressed in before the flange is welded on and the stud head became one with the flange weld.

I had to cut the weld bead where it was on the stud head and it came right out. I now need to fill a groove on my flange, maybe 1/8" deep. I think I am gonna just run a weld bead on there and smooth it where the bolt goes.

Thanks for the help

Dik

[amdriven2liv]

I just punched mine out, and keep using them for the delete pipe. No big deal. Although mine is an 04, so not sure how later models are. You could always just gut the cat and put it back in.