I had a problem with the bolts holding the cat to my Stebro muffler coming
loose, too. I replaced the Stebro supplied high-quality stainless hardware
in this one spot with non-stainless Home Depot bolts. Now that the corrosion
set in, they are locked nice and tight! :)

All the rest of the exhaust fasteners are still stainless, though.

TomC
tcarrington@relitech.com
http://volksweb.relitech.com
http://checkerweb.relitech.com
85 VW Vanagon Crew Cab
82 VW Westy Diesel=>Gas Conversion
81 Checker A-11 (Taxi)
65 VW Notchback

-----Original Message-----
From: Max Wellhouse [mailto:maxjoyce@IPA.NET]
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 1:30 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Need to tighten my CAT!!!

Somehow I've been vibrating nuts and bolts off my exhaust system including
the Stebro muffler.  Latest issue is the Oring gasket between the Stebro
and the catalytic converter.  Preplacing the bottom two bolts wasn't too
hard, but anybody got a wrench /socket/visegrip combination that will get
up in that incredibly tight space?  Installed the engine with muffler and
cat installed and getting that nut and bolt snug wasn't easy even with the
engine out!!  Went to Sears and bout a 3/8 slide handle and a 13 mm
crowfoot and a stubby 13 mm combo wrench.  We'll see if that $26 investment
gets the job done.  Also thought of using an allen head capscrew for the
bolt half, but still would have trouble tightening the nut on the other
side.  Help appreciated as always.

Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel.