I used a Dremel tool and a cutoff disk to cut the bolt I could reach, then tapped the rings around to cut the other side off.

You can sometimes just slit the the nut and the resultant clearance and heat from the cutoff disk will loosen it up enough to let it turn.

You may need to heat the ring to drive the bolt out, they can get stuck too.

You will probably need to slit the right side "slip joint" connection pipe on the front mufler to catalytic converter connection, it will not slide off, usually firmly rusted in place. You can do with with a small torch -- heat a line down the bottom of the pipe red hot, then turn the oxygen up and hold the torch about 20 degrees off parallel and burn the hot strip out -- this will leave the inner pipe untouched. Or, since this requires much more space and techinque than most of us have, use the Dremmel with a cutoff wheel to cut two slits in the pipe about a quarter inch apart, then peel that strip back and bend the "sides" back a bit -- pipe will fall right off.

This is a royal pain on the ground under a car, believe me!

Going back in, install the front muffler with clamps, but leave them loose, then install rear muffler, leave loose.

Hang complete exhaust (use new rubber, the old bits allow it to droop too much), then tighten the solid steel butt joint on the front muffler to cat clamp, leave the "fiber" one loose, then tighten the rear muffler to front muffler clamp, then last the fiber one.

The difference will be dramatic! Only problem is that now you will hear all sorts of noises you didn't before, and will probably next be replacing suspension links in the rear!

peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!