I'm having problems installing a new muffler.

[MindyM]

Help, I am very frustrated. I have had my 1991 Ford Explorer 4x4 for four years now. I have replaced many parts on my truck and now the muffler has rusted apart and fallen off. After being pulled over twice for a loud muffler I finally went to the local Auto parts store and purchased a muffler as well as a tail pipe with resinator. Now the problem is I can not seem to get the tail pipe in the factory location to mount it! What am I doing wrong??? Tried inserting pipe from front and rear, no matter what I do I cant get it in there. Someone please help, any ideas?

 

[BrianDye]

I dont know exactly how to describe it, but when I bought my catbacks for my 92, you just gotta work with it and get it in there...
Did you buy the stuff specifically for a 91 Explorer, or did you just go with what looked good?

 

[MindyM]

I purchased specifically for a 91 replacement.

 

[BrianDye]

Well it should go in from the "front" as in having the tailpipe by the muffler and fish it through. Its a real B*tch to get the metal brackets into the rubber for the mounts on the explorer itself

 

[MindyM]

Would it make a difference if it was jacked up or not?

 

[BrianDye]

I think so, only for the fact that we jacked my explorer up about a good foot on the passenger side, and did it, then later on down the road, when I tried to take it off, without jacking it up, I couldnt get it out.

 

[rileyrs]

jack it up at the frame to drop the axle a bit to get more clearance for install. just cut out the muffler and replace it with a more free flowing muffler, it will be easy, and sound better, and you'll get some power over an oem muffler.

 

[MindyM]

THANKS SO MUCH! gunna try it and see if it works for me.

 

[BrianDye]

No prob...glad to help, have patience though, maybe bring a couple drinks haha

 

[MindyM]

Know anything about the 4x4 system? Situation is that my truck sat in a barn for about 9 years! Its a 91 and has only 72k miles on it (54k when I got it 4 years ago). The 4x4 was RARELY used, and now I lock the hubs and push the 4x4 button and nothing happens???

 

[BrianDye]

Nope, I have the same problem with my 92, nothing happens, but on a rare occasion, the light will light up, along with the 4x4 icon, dunno if it actually works though haha

 

[MindyM]

well jacking it up a foot didnt help, unable to get tailpipe back over the springs. any new suggestions???

 

[MindyM]

Where on the frame should I jack it up??

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

welcome

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've renamed your thread, and moved it into the stock 91-94 section.

 

[elbow2342]

Mindy, you might try disconnecting the lower end of the shock absorber.. and then jacking it up on the frame on the right side. this should give you more room to work. Elbow

 

[Anime]

It really helps to have the spare tire removed, and the right side of the rear sway bar disconnected from the frame mount and dropped down (you may need to disconnect the other side from the frame as well to get it down). With the vehicle raised up some on jackstands (in front of the leaf spring hangers is the only place you can put them on the frame, otherwise put them under the rear axle if you can't lift it up enough to put the jackstands on the frame) it should be fairly easy to carefully maneuver the tailpipe backwards between the shock and now disconnected sway bar mount, then out to where the hanger goes into the rubber mount. It's a bear getting that hanger in there, too. Once the rear pipe is in the hangers, just mount the front pipe to the catalytic converter, put the muffler in place, attach it to the front and rear pipes, then adjust and tighten the clamps and you're done!

 

[Tony H]

Did you unbolt the rear shock on the passenger side? you need to get that out of the way to get the pipe in. I think you can just unbolt the bottom of the shock and move the shock out of the way.
I promise.. that's the issue.