Tools To Cut Stock Cat

[sbkim]

Greetings. What tool(s) can I use to cut the stock cats off?

Can I use dremel or just a regular saw?

Thanks

 

[GTSPOWERED]

I used a sawall with a new blade. I had to be carefull not to hit the back side of the sill because the blade length was a little too long. Also a strap clamp helped to remove the cat from the resonator.

 

[SNKEBIT]

sawsall

 

[sbkim]

Thanks! So no manual saw?

 

[onerareviper]

Make sure you cut the exhaust pipe, and not the very end of the cat. The cat metal is very thick and difficult to cut. But yes, use a sawsall. One that allows you to adjust the base length, so then you don't have the problem of to long a blade. Also, try to cut as close as possible to the cat.

P.S. - A dremel would take you hours, and you will go through ten's of those discs. IMO, those things are only good for VERY small jobs.

P.S.S. - A manual saw? I would say no, as there is very little room to work and it is hard to get leverage.

 

[FranciscoR.]

Sawsalls are amazing. You can literally cut ANYTHING with the right blade. If you're cutting exaust piping, a good metal blade will cut the pipe in like 15 seconds.

 

[sbkim]

Ok thanks again guys! I better wait for my mechanic to cut...

 

[FRANK]

Ok thanks again guys! I better wait for my mechanic to cut...

If you don't have a sawzall you can use a Stanley Coping Saw with a fine tooth metal blade. It may take about an hour or two per side but it will do the job.

I can lend you my oxy-acytlene setup if you feel ambitious...

 

[Ron]

Why not just take off the header pipe and use a pipe cutter? Two bolts on early GENII or one bolt on later. A lot easier and safer than cutting it off while mounted IMO.

 

[Achilles99]

I was about to cut the straight pipes off my car and install hi-flow cats... what angle does everyone use the sawsall at to avoid hitting the sidesill? What length blade?

I like Ron's idea... how do you remove the header pipe?

 

[1TONY1]

SbKim, I hope you are putting highflows back on unless you want you car LOUD. There is no way I would cut those pipes on the car. I take them off and use a portaband or the big band saw.

 

[sbkim]

1tony1 - yes, I am running Roe High flows. Now I am getting paranoid about using any power tools while the cats are on the car.

Could someone provide explanations on removing from the header flex pipe?

thanks

 

[ViperJoe]

Cut mine on the car, 4" bimetal blade in a Sawzall took my time, didn't hurt anything else.

Get up under the car, see the single bolt band type clamp that secures the header pipe to the manifold? Loosen it.
(When I welded the cat to the header elbow pipe I removed the nut completely)You may need a small screwdriver to wiggle around between the clamp to "break" it loose. Then you should be able to separate the two.
I re-used mine with no problems (2k miles on the car).
Good luck!

 

[Toby]

I cut mine off with a 4 inch air powered cutting wheel just after the weld. It took about 5 minutes each side and the pipe area that the disk couldn't reach I just worked the cat back and forth until the metal ripped. Simple and easy. I did raise the hood and placed an old blanket over the top/side of the car to keep the sparks and metal dust off the car.

 

[Vipersrule]

I modified an old skill saw - tore off the brackets and the blade guides. Put in a metal cutting blade.

It took me a long time to figure out how I was going to cut off the cats since I did not have the right saw. I actually bought a neumatic cutting wheel (it really sucked and would never have worked) when I got the idea to just modify an old skill saw and put in a metal blade.

Didn't hurt a thing - just had to hold it at the right angle. Took all of a minute to cut one cat off - real fast.

Of course, I now have a metal cutting skill saw with no guide or blade sheild - but you never know when I might need to cut a car in half and it would probably do the job very well.........

 

[sbkim]

another stupid question - do you remove the stock cat back BEFORE you start cutting the cats? or does it not matter what order? Someone is waiting to buy my stock setup so I am curious if I can indeed cut the cats after the remaining sytem is not attached to the car - ie. cat is dangling from the header pipe...

 

[Toby]

I removed my stock cat back system before I cut the converters off. There is a exhaust bracket holding the pipe from the cat to the header so having the weight of the cat without support from the rest of the system is no big deal.


I just happen to have a pic when I took mine off and I put an arrow where the bracket is that shows you the support.

link to the pic if the pic doesnt show up for you...

http://vca2.viperclub.org/gallery/uploads/137/IMG_2596web.jpg

 

[sbkim]

Toby - you da man! Thank you. Is it ok to drive without cat back -as seen above?

 

[Toby]

Toby - you da man! Thank you. Is it ok to drive without cat back -as seen above?

If you like the melted door look and a check engine light as the rear O2 sensors won't pick anything up...then go for it!

 

[2002graphiteviper]

Take sills off - drive to your local chop shop - have them slice through it like butter... And put the new pipe on and tighten...

After doing a few myself - it was much much faster simply to have guys do it that had the right tools and a lift to make it easy...

 

[sbkim]

ha! yeah that was really a dumb question wasn't it... be cool to see flames coming out from the side