Rep Power: 370

Hey ho, jigglemonkeys. I popped my Ractive rear section on a couple weeks ago and it was squished up against my bumper. After reading some posts on here I figured out that eventually my bumper would likely melt from the exhaust can contacting it, so I went to Speedy muffler to have the hangers extended. They couldn't even get my car up onto the lift cos they claimed it was too low (lazy bastards). I was also starting to get a little annoyed at the way the bumper would rattle against the exhaust as I turned my car on and off. Seeing as how I am constantly working and having no time to leave my car anywhere to have its exhaust fixed, I found a solution from a friend.
You know those little rubber dealies that connect your exhaust hangers to the ones on the car? I took those off and found the little "H"-shaped opening...I can fit something in there to stretch it! Not even having time to go to Homo Depot to buy some tiny 1" long pieces of PVC tubing (which would be ideal in either 1/2" or 3/4" thickness), I looked around the house for something...
About an hour of searching found me only a pen cap and a piece of glass tube from a makeshift bong I had planned to make and later gave up on. In a final, last-ditch attempt at redemption, I rummaged through my bag of LED's, wires, and various pieces of my car removed for modification. In there I found what I needed - the 4 metal sleeves for the original bushings for my shifter! I had since replaced the bushings with CapYoda's, so these were useless. I measured them and found them to be 1/2"...perfect, that would JUST clear the bumper. But those who know me will realize that I am always impatient and wont to go overboard (especially in the middle of the night after a couple of bong hits and/or several beers) so I dug up some electrical tape and wound it around and around the metal sleeve till it reached an overall diameter of just over 3/4"...OK, NOW I have some clearance.
I jammed this little piece into the middle of the "H" cut in the rubber hanger dealie, and secured it on either side with zip ties. I then compared the modified piece to the other as-yet-unmodded piece and found just under an inch of length was my reward. I did the same for the second rubber hanger thing and away I went to the garage.
Since the rubber pieces had been stretched, I found that the holes to go to the exhaust hanger piece had been reduced significantly...boo-urns. Ran back inside and picked up some silicone grease, slathered it onto the rubber piece's hanger holes (sounds kinda dirty now that I read this). On they went and I tested it...no contact, I have about a full 3/4" of clearance. No more melting bumper, although I lost a bit of paint from the bottom.

 
Rep Power: 0

--> moved to tech

 
Rep Power: 0

When i put my tanabe r-spec on I just bent the steel hangers til it sat how I wanted it to sit, but thats just me

good job on the inventive way to place it right though

 
Rep Power: 0

werd, good job

 
Rep Power: 0

I think this mod deserves some kind of award or 5-star classification. I mean, damn, using parts from a make-shift bong - that says it all. Seriously, though, I had the same problem with my Magnaflow catback. The tailpipe was resting on my bumper. What I did was remove the hangers from the top set of hooks, on the muffler only. I then attached the hangers to the mounting hooks using super heavy-duty nylon zip-ties I "acquired" from my work. Worked really well, dropped the tailpipe so I had about 3/4" of clearance....