any one eles have trouble geting to bolts to remove exhaust?

[tzepp27]

whats the best way to remove the stock exhaust??

[jwight]

Here's the Evilution version: Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia

Other say it can be done without removing the rear bodywork. YMMV.

[Turbo42]

nope no trouble at all. I must have took off and put them on about 100 times

[mvaldes]

I'm not totally sure this is what you're asking, but here are my notes from when I installed the DTH single tip. (After removing the valence.)
Leaving the heat shield in place, I found that there wasn't enough room to get my e-sockets in there but was able to break free the bolt with the 5/16" ratchet wrench for the heat shield bolt attached to the stock muffler and the 3/8" ratchet for one of the cat/muffler bolts. For the other one cat/muffler bolt, I had to put on the box end wrench and grab the open end with my needle nose vise-grips to get enough leverage to finish breaking it loose. A switch to the regular box end wrench completed the loosening of the first one, because there wasn't room to get my particular ratchet (craftsman) to click to a new ratchet position. The tip about using channel locks to squeeze the muffler hangers through the hanger rubbers made that a simple task after the liberal application of WD-40. Hope that's of some help.

[pghjake]

Did my first exhaust swap w/o removing body panels. A real PITA. The second time I took off the rear fenders / panels in one big block. Much easier, but I would suggest putting cardboard down over any concrete in case you drop the panels. I did it by myself and yes, I now have a couple small scratches from my driveway jumping up and biting the back end.

[mendo]

If you are talking about the stock muffler, I can take it off in less than 15 minutes with just open end wrenches. I use regular wrenches on the torque heads, it works. one small bit at a time, then before you know it, it's off!

If you have the correct combination of swivels, extentions and flex-head ratchets, you can get all of them with the ratchets.

I have pulled one of the headers off and re-installed the stock exhaust by driving up with two wheels on the curb, sliding in underneath and changing it out. (one of the muffler prototypes broke!)