How to replace a broken car exhaust pipe hanger

Car exhaust systems include exhaust hangers that attach to the exhaust pipe to keep it quiet. Raise your car to replace the exhaust hangers.

The symptoms of a broken exhaust system hanger are most often noises that you haven't heard before. It might sound like you're dragging a bell under your car, or you might hear a knock as you pass a speed bump. Or maybe the failure was more catastrophic and now your exhaust pipe is dragging the ground. Either way, one or more of the exhaust hangers have failed and it's time to replace.

Replacing an exhaust hanger is usually not a difficult job. But it requires a lot of arm strength and work under the car, which can be inconvenient if you don't have a car lift.

Part 1 of 1: Exhaust Hanger Replacement

Necessary materials

• exhaust suspension
• Floor Jack and Jack stand
• Mechanic Creeper
• User's Guide
• Pry bar or thick screwdriver
• Protective glasses
• Nippers

Step 1: Jack up the car safely and place it on stands.. Working under a car is potentially the most dangerous thing a home mechanic can do. Make sure you are using good quality jack stands to support the vehicle and prop it up from the manufacturer's recommended jack points. Your vehicle owner's manual should list the best places to jack up.

Step 2: Find your broken hanger(s). Most modern cars use various variations of a rubber donut to hang the exhaust pipe. They all stretch and break over time.

There may be more than one broken hanger, or maybe some of the hangers are stretched and ready to go. It's probably in your best interest to replace them all. There may be three or four of them, and they are usually not too expensive.

Step 3: Remove the hanger. You may want to pry off the hanger with your compartment, or you may find it easier to cut the hanger with wire cutters.

It can be tougher than it looks, hangers usually have a steel cable embedded in the rubber. If you are removing more than one hanger, you can put a stand under the exhaust system to keep it from falling when you remove the hangers.

Step 4: Install the new hanger. Use a pry bar or screwdriver to slide the hanger onto the bracket. If this is a hanger that needs to be put on a pin, it may be helpful to lubricate the hanger with silicone grease before attempting to install it.

It can be a battle because the new hangers are not very stretchy. It may be helpful to place a floor jack under the exhaust pipe and raise it closer to the bottom of the car until you have the new suspension installed.

Step 5: Check it out. Before you put the car on the ground, grab the exhaust pipe and give it a good shake. The new hangers should allow him to move around without letting him hit anything under the car. If everything looks ok, get the car back on the ground and pass some speed bumps to make sure everything is quiet.

One look at the narrow space between the car and the ground is enough to convince you that you don't want to spend your Sabbath day crawling under it. The good news is that this is not necessary! You can call your mechanic to come to your home or office and check for an exhaust problem while you go about your business.