Exhaust Manifold Leak Drivers Clamp Advice

Hi there, I watched a bunch of videos on people installing Dorman 917-107 exhaust clamp on the rear drivers side exhaust manifold. The videos were less than helpful, so I wanted to share a little advice that will save you hours of cursing and scratching your head.

1. Drop the front of the driveline to front end. Just remove the 4 bolts on the end and move it to the side a few inches (mark it so you put it back the same way). Unless your forearms are tiny and your arms are extra long, you wont be able to get in between the driveline and the exhaust and reach it.

2. Remove the heat shield in your way. Remove the two 10mm nuts from the bottom, and one you reach under the hood. Just shift it out of the way. It takes 5 minutes and makes it super easy.

3. Install form under car. I found on a creeper with my legs facing the passenger side was the best angle of attack. I installed the bottom bolt first, got it started a couple turns, and then the top bolt a couple turns. Then use a pivot head ratchet wrench 14 mm and finish it up.

It worked great as well. No more noise and closed the gap I could see on the manifold. If you have the time and/or money pulling it off and drilling out the bolts would be preferable, but if you have an hour and $50.00 this works just fine.

I know this is old, but I’m struggling this at the moment.

My bolt is broken off on the rear drivers side and I’m trying to install the Dorman 917-107 clamp.

I’ve never dropped the front drive shaft /driveline. I feel stupid asking, but do all 4 wheels need to be off the ground to do this? Or can I just put wheel chocks behind the back tires, jack up the front, and have it in neutral?

I’ve seen that I need to mark the drive shaft so it is installed the same way, but I haven’t seen a clear answer on this.

I did mine on a 2005 Z71 and @WestLinnYukon is spot on with his instructions. I had mine up on ramps and in neutral and had a wheel chock at rear tires. I used a big screwdriver to insert at the u-joints to break the 4 bolts loose. Mark it so that when you reinstall, you set it all back in the same place. The heat shield is easy, as stated. I also started the bottom bolt first. If you try to do the top bolt first, you are holding the weight of the clamp and the bolt with one hand and trying to start in a cramped area. The bottom bolt has easier access and when that is started, and swing the clamp up to start the top bolt, the weight of clamp is supported by the bottom bolt and top bolt alignment is way easier, in that cramped area. It was easier for me to stick my feet forward or at an angle toward the p/s. Of all four areas for the clamps to install on the manifolds, the d/s rear is the hardest.

OR VietVet said:

I did mine on a 2005 Z71 and @WestLinnYukon is spot on with his instructions. I had mine up on ramps and in neutral and had a wheel chock at rear tires. I used a big screwdriver to insert at the u-joints to break the 4 bolts loose. Mark it so that when you reinstall, you set it all back in the same place. The heat shield is easy, as stated. I also started the bottom bolt first. If you try to do the top bolt first, you are holding the weight of the clamp and the bolt with one hand and trying to start in a cramped area. The bottom bolt has easier access and when that is started, and swing the clamp up to start the top bolt, the weight of clamp is supported by the bottom bolt and top bolt alignment is way easier, in that cramped area. It was easier for me to stick my feet forward or at an angle toward the p/s. Of all four areas for the clamps to install on the manifolds, the d/s rear is the hardest.

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I appreciate the advice. That answers my question. I’m going to jack up the front, put wheel chocks on the rear tires, and drop the drive shaft this morning. Then I’ll give it another shot. I tried to avoid doing this yesterday and ended up just wasting a lot of time.

Thanks again!

JayHow said:

I appreciate the advice. That answers my question. I’m going to jack up the front, put wheel chocks on the rear tires, and drop the drive shaft this morning. Then I’ll give it another shot. I tried to avoid doing this yesterday and ended up just wasting a lot of time.

Thanks again!

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DO NOT just jack up the front. Put jack stands, behind the front tires back toward middle of front doors, on the frame. Set the weight on the stands and verify that is stable by shaking the truck side to side. Then remove the jack out of the way. AGAIN, DO NOT just use a jack.

When you do this, you will need a sturdy stand to get up and in the engine compartment to release the bolt/nut at upper part of heat shield.

OR VietVet said:

DO NOT just jack up the front. Put jack stands, behind the front tires back toward middle of front doors, on the frame. Set the weight on the stands and verify that is stable by shaking the truck side to side. Then remove the jack out of the way. AGAIN, DO NOT just use a jack.

When you do this, you will need a sturdy stand to get up and in the engine compartment to release the bolt/nut at upper part of heat shield.

Click to expand...

I will definitely be using jack stands! I should’ve worded that differently.

I’m new to all of this so I am being very cautions when doing anything under the vehicle. I usually do put my jack stands on the frame right about where you mentioned, behind the front tires on the frame.

I see now why my wording caused some concern sorry about that

When I am working on bolts/nuts in tight places, I first break them loose with a wrench or socket to get the leverage I need. Then I switch over to any 1/4" drive ratchet and socket that allows for better access in tight areas. I have a 1/4" drive small Milwaukee Tool battery ratchet, too. If you have ratcheting flex head wrenches, that works too.

Following this advice, I was finally able to get the clamp on the rear drivers side!

It was not fun, but it's done. Disconnecting the front drive shaft and letting it rest on the exhaust worked perfect and it was much easier to disconnect/reconnect than I thought it would be.

Big thanks to @OR VietVet