New Exhaust Install?

Mich0705 · November 5, 2015

I have a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab Short-Bed. Just recently bought a Borla ATAK Cat-Back System for my truck and getting ready for the removal/install of the old & new setup when I return home from my work trip. Big into doing a lot of vehicle work in my garage, been doing it forever and I like the feeling of accomplishment when I get things to work. Just wanted some feedback before I get real deep in the removal/install of everything because I know exhaust removal can be tricky at times. I want to keep the factory OEM exhaust in ONE piece, no cutting! Going to store it in my rafters for the day when I grow up and have kids and want to retire the whole loud truck thing. Some people say the exhaust can't be removed in one piece and some say it can. If anyone has removed their factory exhaust on a recent year truck and has done it without access to a lift let me know how you did it so I can replicate that process without bashing my head against the wall with trial and error.

My general plan of attack is to jack the truck up and put the frame on jack stands so the tires are off the ground and the suspension can hang. Drop the spare down and just take it out for the time being. Undo everything in time, and try and slide it over the rear axle out the back of the truck. Haven't heard of too many successes doing so, but done enough work on other trucks to understand general processes. Just need to know if that's generally a plan that has worked in the past or if trying that is futile. I would much rather work at the process for an hour or two than cut the muffler and I am not an easy way out kinda guy.Its either it comes out in one piece or its not coming off in my garage. I'll pay and take the truck to a lift and pull it off there and just wheel the thing home and do the install in my garage. As anyone would understand, I would like to do it all in one place, save money, do it myself, and not drag the process out. If it can be done I'm sure gonna give it a heck of a whirl. Let me know if you did it and how. Thanks

Wideopen · November 5, 2015

On the driveway I took my exhaust out in one piece without taking the spare tire off. I also have a lift kit which has 4 inch blocks in the rear which gave some room to get it out. You say you're going to lift your truck up so you shouldn't have a problem

FishinJ · November 5, 2015

I did mine and and it's not lifted and was pretty easy. I removed they spare and jacked the frame up as high as I could so it created as much space as possible between the axle and body. Be sure to spray the hangers real good with some kind of lubricant so you can pull the pins out. When I got it all unhooked it was much easier to have a second person to help and you'll need to pull & twist it back far enough to clear the cross member. Once it cleared the front cross member with some twisting and turning we pulled it out the front in one piece.

I only used the jack that came with the truck.

fondupot · November 5, 2015

I also took my stock exhaust off in one piece. All I did was jack up the rear passenger side. You will eventually have to turn the exhaust piping and pull it out perpendicular to the truck behind the rear wheels. If that makes sense.

Good luck.

*edit* I also lowered and removed the spare for more access.

tnchevy · November 6, 2015

Removing the spare tire helped me quite a bit to get mine off in one piece. I ended up putting my stock exhaust back on and it was twice as hard to do as it was to take it off!

Badass69 · November 6, 2015

Mine was 3.5" the whole length which just made it more a of a pain but I took it off in one piece just like I did with other trucks. I jacked the truck with a frame jack I have off the hitch and the let the rear suspension hang plus dropped the spare. Took some wiggling but it came right out. If a guy has access to a 4 post hoist you can pull it out the front too and not have to wiggle the muffler over the diff lol.

Sent from a potato

EIKON · November 6, 2015

These guys are on point.

If doing on the ground, just jack up as far as you can, drop the spare, and have a little patience. If someone has a two post lift where the suspension can droop, then no need to drop spare.

After you get the truck off the ground, just undo the front clamp, take off the hangers and pull out.

Very straight forward affair.

Mich0705 · November 7, 2015

Thanks for the feedback guys! Wasn't too worried about anything but getting the stock exhaust out in one piece. Heard a lot about people cutting their stock exhaust because they "couldn't" get theirs out. Mainly probably just people not willing to put the time in to pull it out and the want to install their new setups with no reason to put their stock one back in. Along the same lines I liked what I was hearing about the Borla ATAK and heard it on a truck and fell in love with the system on the 5.3L V8, and Borla is very reputable in the exhaust industry. Since I haven't driven a truck with it equipped, just the outside tone, hows the tone in cab? I'm assuming with the time they put into designing the system and the money you pay for it that its good all around. Just wondering for my own personal interest, kinda itching to get home and put it on. So if you have it on let me know! The stock exhaust just doesn't do anything for me. Its also interesting you can post from a potato lol, I'll have to remember that one ha.