Repair Procedure
1. Raise vehicle on hoist2. Remove tailpipe.
3. Remove muffler from vehicle.
4. Remove frame mounted muffler heat shield.
5. Remove the rebound cushion for the passenger side D-Pillar body mount.
6. Cut off the rear muffler hanger rods vertically on the front and rear of the cross member (Fig. 1).
7. Enlarge the two rear heat shield mounting holes with a 9/32 in. drill. Warning limit drill length to prevent damage to rear A/C lines above crossmember.
8. Using a rubber mallet tap the new rear muffler hanger rod bracket in to place (Fig. 2).
9. Using a 13/64 in. drill, drill the 2 bottom holes into the old cross member. Limit the drill length to prevent damage to the rear A/C lines above crossmember.
10. Install two M6 self tapping screws and tighten them to 13.6 Nm (120 in. lbs.)
11. Using a 13/64 drill, drill the remaining holes into the old cross member.
12. Install the remaining screws and tighten them to 13.6 Nm (120 in. lbs.).
13. Install the frame mounted heat shield and tighten the four screws to 13.6 Nm (120 in.lbs.).
14. On vehicle built prior to March 8, 2004 (MDH 0308XX), cut off the tailpipe hanger rod horizontally at the bottom of the spare tire cross member (Fig. 3).
15. Using the new tail pipe hanger as a template (Fig. 4). Transfer the holes from the bracket to the cross member. Use a 10 mm drill and drill the holes. It may be necessary to move the trailer hitch electrical wiring harness out of the way, which is above the cross member, to prevent damage to it.
16. Loosely assembly the bracket to the cross member with nuts for the vertical bolts on the bottom side of the cross member and the nuts for the horizontal bolts on the rear surface.
17. Tighten the fasteners to 34 Nm (25 ft.lbs.).
18. Move wiring harness back into its original position.
19. Install rebound bumper cushion. Use MOPAR Lock & Seal and tighten fastener to 60 ft.lbs.
20. Loosely assemble the muffler and tailpipe assembly on the vehicle with the rubber isolators.
21. Loosen the exhaust manifold to Y pipe bolts.
22. Jack up the muffler so that the inlet side muffler hanger rods are 38 mm (1-1/2 in.) for 4.7L & 5.7L or 45 mm (1-3/4 in.) for 3.7 L in the supported condition. Measure the dimensions from center to center of the front hanger muffler rod to the center of the frame hanger rod. Next measure the two hanger rods at the rear of the muffler. Measure from the center of the frame hanger rod to the center of the muffler hanger rod.
23. Tighten the Y pipe to exhaust manifold to 34 Nm (25 ft.lbs.).
24. Adjust the rear of muffler so that the two center to center distances on the rear rods are equal. Tighten the muffler clamp and the tailpipe clamp the clamps to 61 Nm (45 ft.lbs.). Release the exhaust system from the jack and verify that the isolaters are not grounded and the dimensions for the locations described above are now less than 46 mm (1-7/8 in.) on 5.7L and 4.7 L engines or 50 mm (2 in.).
25. If the measurement still can not be achieved then remove the tailpipe, grind off the locator button and insert the tailpipe farther into the muffler outlet. This operation will raise the tailpipe and the muffler.
26. Tighten the tailpipe clamps to 61 Nm (45 ft.lbs.), and verify that the dimensions described above are now less than or equal to 46 mm.
27. Check to ensure that all three isolators on the front muffler are not being grounded on the frame or other components such that they do not provide isolation.