ARK DT-S bt.

chii370 · 09-08-2013, 05:46 PM

I really didnt want to start a thread about this, but I didnt know who to ask or how to ask it. Im in a situation where I need to install my ARK alone. With no assistance. Also the car will be lower than normal as I dont own my own personal car lift lol..... So it will be up on front ramps with jack stands in the back. A: is this high enough "aprox 3.5 ft. B: can I do it alone regardless of how high the car is? the instructions mention another person used several times, for example for alignment of the tips. Has anyone installed an exhaust by themselves?

This is just the begining too...... once my GT rear, final drive gear, pistons, and rods get here im doing all that myself in the garage too. I can afford the parts, but not someone else to do the work ;(

Chuck33079 · 09-08-2013, 05:49 PM

It'll be doable by yourself. You might need to use your floor jack to hold pipes up while you bolt things together.

Also, you dont want to DIY the rear end. If you don't get it just right, it'll whine. A rear end you want to farm out to someone.

chii370 · 09-08-2013, 06:05 PM

ive changed rear ends and gears in older muscle cars..... cant imagine it would be to different. they come with instructions too lol. BUUUUT how much would it be for someone to do that? It only takes about 1.5 hours if you dont doddle.

Chuck33079 · 09-08-2013, 06:08 PM

Then I guess I'm confused by the exhaust question. If you can set up a rear end, an exhaust is child's play.

chii370 · 09-08-2013, 06:16 PM

yes but a center on a rear diff is the size of a basketball, not 10FT long lol. wondered what experiences people had trying to install one solo. Especially with such a low clearance. Also, do i HAVE to have a tune right away? If so.... I might just wait to install everything at one time. I know NOTHING about tuning so thats the one thing I have to shell out cash for.

Chuck33079 · 09-08-2013, 06:20 PM

You don't necessarily ever have to get tuned at all if the catback is your only mod. There's a long thread discussing this. You'll be fine.

dP3NGU1N · 09-08-2013, 06:22 PM

You should have no problem doing it solo. it's just going to be a bit tedious. The allignment is mostly based on the hangers so shouldn't be too much of an issue. You will want to use your jack stand to help hold part of the exhauster - specifically the portion that hangs over the center bracing point because it'll rattle if the pipe is vibrating against the brace.

You just need to make sure you have enough room to maneuver yourself under there.

CBE by itself won't do too much, the restricting point is still the cat itself.

MJB · 09-08-2013, 06:22 PM

I installed my Ark DT-S exhaust by myself with the car up on jack stands. Well... most of it by myself. I did have a buddy help hold the muffler section while I aligned the hanger bolts. That was the hardest part since the rear section is over 30lbs. Much easier with some help but it is do-able.

chii370 · 09-08-2013, 07:08 PM

nice, thats exactly what I was lookin for. Is it really 30 lbs? how much does the nismo's cat weigh?

MJB · 09-08-2013, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chii370

nice, thats exactly what I was lookin for. Is it really 30 lbs? how much does the nismo's cat weigh?

^Yes, its around 35lbs if I remember correctly. The entire system is around 70lbs. I weighed it before I installed it. Too heavy IMO, that is why I sold it and went with a Litespeed CBE.

chii370 · 09-08-2013, 07:24 PM

but it sounded good right? ;(

MJB · 09-08-2013, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chii370

but it sounded good right? ;(

With stock cats it was way too quiet. With TP or HFC's, sounds pretty good.

chii370 · 09-08-2013, 07:44 PM

lol im confused. what part of the DTS did you have? it goes from downpipes, to X, to cats, to tips. why would you have the cars original stock cats on the car? Am I missing something here? Also, putting the HFC's or test pipes on it make them hiss like CRAZY. Ive yet to hear a single setup that has them, regardless of exhaust brand that has HFC/test pipes that doesnt hiss when you let off the gas. I dont know much about exhaust, so what does it actually mean by "cat back". are the cats before or after the X? so the big chambers on the *** end are mufflers? Im assuming they need to be further up the pipes as your rear O2 sensor is after your cats.....

Ive heard on several occasions that the DTS is actually LOUD. it even claims 89db at only 3000 rpms on the site, thats LOUD. the nismo exhaust is about 90 at full rev.

Loud is subjective of course..... if your the type that thinks meisterschaft is JUST RIGHT, of course its going to be "quiet" to you. but personally I think meisterschaft are annoying. especially if your someone walking down the street and one of the dumb things scream from 4 blocks away. thats way to loud and intrusive on others.

And removing the cats would just make me fail emissions, but what happens if you remove the resonators?

Riptide67 · 09-08-2013, 08:13 PM

I did an FI exhaust alone using a lift. I had to use stands with towels to hold the resonated mid pipes and the rear cans. It took a bit more time but it was cool doing it on my own.

Chuck33079 · 09-08-2013, 08:14 PM

The stock cats are before the x pipe. There's no down pipes on a NA car. Those are the cats you're seeing attached to the exhaust manifolds.

The hiss is just something you have to deal with on a VQ. They all do that.

09-08-2013, 05:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
chii370 Track Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: . Posts: 642 Drives: . Rep Power: 16	ARK DT-S bt. I really didnt want to start a thread about this, but I didnt know who to ask or how to ask it. Im in a situation where I need to install my ARK alone. With no assistance. Also the car will be lower than normal as I dont own my own personal car lift lol..... So it will be up on front ramps with jack stands in the back. A: is this high enough "aprox 3.5 ft. B: can I do it alone regardless of how high the car is? the instructions mention another person used several times, for example for alignment of the tips. Has anyone installed an exhaust by themselves? This is just the begining too...... once my GT rear, final drive gear, pistons, and rods get here im doing all that myself in the garage too. I can afford the parts, but not someone else to do the work ;(

09-08-2013, 05:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29539	It'll be doable by yourself. You might need to use your floor jack to hold pipes up while you bolt things together. Also, you dont want to DIY the rear end. If you don't get it just right, it'll whine. A rear end you want to farm out to someone. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

09-08-2013, 06:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29539	Then I guess I'm confused by the exhaust question. If you can set up a rear end, an exhaust is child's play. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

09-08-2013, 06:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29539	You don't necessarily ever have to get tuned at all if the catback is your only mod. There's a long thread discussing this. You'll be fine. forza370z likes this. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

09-08-2013, 06:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
dP3NGU1N A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Irvine Posts: 1,682 Drives: 13 PW sport 6mt Rep Power: 18	You should have no problem doing it solo. it's just going to be a bit tedious. The allignment is mostly based on the hangers so shouldn't be too much of an issue. You will want to use your jack stand to help hold part of the exhauster - specifically the portion that hangs over the center bracing point because it'll rattle if the pipe is vibrating against the brace. You just need to make sure you have enough room to maneuver yourself under there. CBE by itself won't do too much, the restricting point is still the cat itself. Zbrah likes this. __________________ 35% Hooper Optik \| Takeda Attack CAI \| F.I. HFC \| Hotchkis Sway Bar \| Stillen 24row \| OS Giken Super Lock LSD \| TK Shift Knob \| EVO-R Carbon Diffuser

09-08-2013, 06:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
chii370 Track Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: . Posts: 642 Drives: . Rep Power: 16	ive changed rear ends and gears in older muscle cars..... cant imagine it would be to different. they come with instructions too lol. BUUUUT how much would it be for someone to do that? It only takes about 1.5 hours if you dont doddle.

09-08-2013, 06:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
chii370 Track Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: . Posts: 642 Drives: . Rep Power: 16	yes but a center on a rear diff is the size of a basketball, not 10FT long lol. wondered what experiences people had trying to install one solo. Especially with such a low clearance. Also, do i HAVE to have a tune right away? If so.... I might just wait to install everything at one time. I know NOTHING about tuning so thats the one thing I have to shell out cash for.

09-08-2013, 06:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
MJB A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tacoma, WA Age: 41 Posts: 1,498 Drives: a POS truck Rep Power: 496	I installed my Ark DT-S exhaust by myself with the car up on jack stands. Well... most of it by myself. I did have a buddy help hold the muffler section while I aligned the hanger bolts. That was the hardest part since the rear section is over 30lbs. Much easier with some help but it is do-able. __________________ 09 Nismo #0483 sold. Viper or C7 next time around.

09-08-2013, 07:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
chii370 Track Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: . Posts: 642 Drives: . Rep Power: 16	nice, thats exactly what I was lookin for. Is it really 30 lbs? how much does the nismo's cat weigh?

09-08-2013, 07:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
chii370 Track Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: . Posts: 642 Drives: . Rep Power: 16	but it sounded good right? ;(

09-08-2013, 07:44 PM	#13 (permalink)
chii370 Track Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: . Posts: 642 Drives: . Rep Power: 16	lol im confused. what part of the DTS did you have? it goes from downpipes, to X, to cats, to tips. why would you have the cars original stock cats on the car? Am I missing something here? Also, putting the HFC's or test pipes on it make them hiss like CRAZY. Ive yet to hear a single setup that has them, regardless of exhaust brand that has HFC/test pipes that doesnt hiss when you let off the gas. I dont know much about exhaust, so what does it actually mean by "cat back". are the cats before or after the X? so the big chambers on the *** end are mufflers? Im assuming they need to be further up the pipes as your rear O2 sensor is after your cats..... Ive heard on several occasions that the DTS is actually LOUD. it even claims 89db at only 3000 rpms on the site, thats LOUD. the nismo exhaust is about 90 at full rev. Loud is subjective of course..... if your the type that thinks meisterschaft is JUST RIGHT, of course its going to be "quiet" to you. but personally I think meisterschaft are annoying. especially if your someone walking down the street and one of the dumb things scream from 4 blocks away. thats way to loud and intrusive on others. And removing the cats would just make me fail emissions, but what happens if you remove the resonators? Last edited by chii370; 09-08-2013 at 08:13 PM.

09-08-2013, 08:13 PM	#14 (permalink)
Riptide67 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Oak Harbor, WA Age: 37 Posts: 1,610 Drives: 09 Nismo #0483 PW Rep Power: 69	I did an FI exhaust alone using a lift. I had to use stands with towels to hold the resonated mid pipes and the rear cans. It took a bit more time but it was cool doing it on my own. __________________ 2009 Nismo 370Z and 1975 Datsun 280Z 2+2 - PNW_INC - Legacy_Ohana Follow me on Instagam @s3zero_z3four

09-08-2013, 08:14 PM	#15 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29539	The stock cats are before the x pipe. There's no down pipes on a NA car. Those are the cats you're seeing attached to the exhaust manifolds. The hiss is just something you have to deal with on a VQ. They all do that. Leuz likes this. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent