aFe Y pipe install on 2012 JKU
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JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Tampa, FL
aFe Y pipe install on 2012 JKU
Here's my write up on the installation of the aFe Y pipe for the 2012! The purpose of this mod is to move the position of the exhaust cross pipe so it no longer contacts the drive shaft boot when a Jeep is lifted. Currently there are only 3 ways to address this problem - 1) Get a custom exhaust made, 2) Install TeraFlex exhaust spacers, or 3) Install this kit! I think some people had the wrong idea about what this kit actually does for the Jeep, so I wanted to make this write up to show everyone exactly how this mod works. Specifically, I wanted to show that y pipe lengths are kept equal, to preserve power and performance. I also wanted to show that this does NOT remove the drivers side loop that keeps the pipe lengths equal.
The problem on the stock Jeep is seen here - the exhaust is almost touching the drive shaft boot already, with NO lift!
Here is what's comes in the box (not pictured - an aFe license plate frame)
Here's what you need for the install (I didn't picture my jack or jack stands...but it really helps to have a little more room under the Jeep while you work!)
The supplied instructions say you need a 15mm wrench, a 13mm & 18mm socket, and a 3/8" ratchet. I didn't have a 15mm wrench, so I used a bolt pass through socket. These sockets are very low profile, and if you wanted, you could use ONLY this wrench with the 13, 15, and 18mm sockets. I also found an extension helpful. The pass through wrench, 13mm socket, and extension are pictured on the left. On the right was my 1/2" socket driver with 13mm and 18mm sockets, and a universal (flex) joint. The screwdriver and safety glasses are self explanatory!
This shows how the new pipe will be routed, vs the stock pipe routing. The cross pipe is moved back behind the cross member.
Take off the stock skid plate located behind the cross member (just above my hand in the previous pic) - there are 4 x 18mm bolts. Set aside the plate, the bolts, and your 18mm socket. You won't need it until we put the skid back on! P.S. An 18mm wrench, or even a crescent wrench would probably work fine for these.
Loosen the band clamp over the slip joint at the rear portion of the y pipe segment we are replacing. I used my low profile pass through 15mm socket wrench here, but you could also use a solid wrench, I suppose. FYI - this bolt is not super accessible, since it is located above the exhaust pipe...and it is on there TIGHT. The band clamp bolt here and on the band clamp in the aFe kit are the only 15mm bolts.
Unbolt the driver's side flange (and all other flange bolts in this install) with a 13mm socket on the bolt head, seen to the left in the picture. This flange is just rear of the drivers side exhaust loop. The "nut" on the other side is actually permanently attached to the flange, and does not need to be touched to remove the bolts. The lower bolt in this picture was easy to access, but the upper bolt was tough to get a good angle on - I used my universal joint attachment on my socket here.
Here's a pic of the universal joint, if you are not familiar. This was actually the first time I had used one.
Next up, remove the flange bolts on the passenger side - both of these were easy to get to.
Push the whole exhaust system towards the back of the Jeep by shoving backwards on the cross pipe. This should pop open the drivers side and passenger side flanges you just unbolted.
I used a well placed foot here to push the exhaust back to the rear of the jeep, while I pulled the y pipe forward. I had to shimmy and twist this thing a LOT to get it loose. This was easily the hardest part of the install, and I found it very frustrating. I do wonder if it would have been easier if I had removed the whole rear of the exhaust to facilitate this, as suggested as step 1 in the supplied directions...I just didn't feel like removing the whole exhaust for this project.
I got to here before I ran out of room to push the exhaust backwards.
I used a flat head screwdriver to pry the rubber hanger from the rear portion of the exhaust just behind the slip joint attaching it to the y pipe piece we are removing. This allowed me to move the rear portion of the exhaust both backwards and inwards enough to complete the removal of the old y pipe at the slip joint. Getting that slip joint fully apart was NOT easy.
Now that the old is out, here's a great time to compare it to the new! As you can see, the relative lengths of each side of the new y pipe is the same as what we removed - they are just shifted in position. Also, as promised, we didn't remove the loop!
Go ahead and slip the new y pipe into the slip joint that attaches it to the rear portion of the exhaust. Once that is done, you can connect the two halves of the new exhaust pipe. Just don't forget to put on the band clamp before you join the 2 sections together!
Start threading the stock flange bolts back into the flanges on the drivers and passenger side. Don't tighten anything yet!
I reattached the rubber hanger to the rear portion of the exhaust again once the new y pipe was hanging in place. It just pushes back on.
I used my jack to help support the rear portion of the exhaust while I tried to move things around to get all the flange joints to align properly, and to get the two slip joints as tight as possible. I also pulled the lower portion of the rubber hanger towards the front of the Jeep while I adjusted things - this seemed to be the most helpful thing to get all the parts to align properly. As things looked better and better, I started finger tightening the flange bolts, and then readjusted the slip joints. I did this over and over until everything lined up well.
Here's the fully tightened drivers side flange.
The fully tightened stock slip joint.
The new one joining the 2 halves of the new y pipe...
And the passenger side flange!
Look at all that clearance! This pic is actually a bit deceiving. The boot doesn't come anywhere near the new location of the stock pipe. In fact, the new cross pipe sits just below the very end of the drive shaft now.
There's a problem on the passenger side that still needs to be addressed - there are some low hanging lines that are awfully close to the new exhaust location...and they are FUEL LINES! That's no bueno.
I used a zip tie to loosely anchor the fuel line up and away from the exhaust. I also wrapped the fuel line with the supplied heat shield adhesive strips supplied with the kit. I also applied some of this adhesive shield to the exposed portion of the gas tank, which can be seen just above the left edge of the cross member. This shot is looking towards the back of the Jeep. Now that this is done, feel free to reinstall your skid plate.
All done! Now go clean up and have a beer!
The problem on the stock Jeep is seen here - the exhaust is almost touching the drive shaft boot already, with NO lift!
Here is what's comes in the box (not pictured - an aFe license plate frame)
Here's what you need for the install (I didn't picture my jack or jack stands...but it really helps to have a little more room under the Jeep while you work!)
The supplied instructions say you need a 15mm wrench, a 13mm & 18mm socket, and a 3/8" ratchet. I didn't have a 15mm wrench, so I used a bolt pass through socket. These sockets are very low profile, and if you wanted, you could use ONLY this wrench with the 13, 15, and 18mm sockets. I also found an extension helpful. The pass through wrench, 13mm socket, and extension are pictured on the left. On the right was my 1/2" socket driver with 13mm and 18mm sockets, and a universal (flex) joint. The screwdriver and safety glasses are self explanatory!
This shows how the new pipe will be routed, vs the stock pipe routing. The cross pipe is moved back behind the cross member.
Take off the stock skid plate located behind the cross member (just above my hand in the previous pic) - there are 4 x 18mm bolts. Set aside the plate, the bolts, and your 18mm socket. You won't need it until we put the skid back on! P.S. An 18mm wrench, or even a crescent wrench would probably work fine for these.
Loosen the band clamp over the slip joint at the rear portion of the y pipe segment we are replacing. I used my low profile pass through 15mm socket wrench here, but you could also use a solid wrench, I suppose. FYI - this bolt is not super accessible, since it is located above the exhaust pipe...and it is on there TIGHT. The band clamp bolt here and on the band clamp in the aFe kit are the only 15mm bolts.
Unbolt the driver's side flange (and all other flange bolts in this install) with a 13mm socket on the bolt head, seen to the left in the picture. This flange is just rear of the drivers side exhaust loop. The "nut" on the other side is actually permanently attached to the flange, and does not need to be touched to remove the bolts. The lower bolt in this picture was easy to access, but the upper bolt was tough to get a good angle on - I used my universal joint attachment on my socket here.
Here's a pic of the universal joint, if you are not familiar. This was actually the first time I had used one.
Next up, remove the flange bolts on the passenger side - both of these were easy to get to.
Push the whole exhaust system towards the back of the Jeep by shoving backwards on the cross pipe. This should pop open the drivers side and passenger side flanges you just unbolted.
I used a well placed foot here to push the exhaust back to the rear of the jeep, while I pulled the y pipe forward. I had to shimmy and twist this thing a LOT to get it loose. This was easily the hardest part of the install, and I found it very frustrating. I do wonder if it would have been easier if I had removed the whole rear of the exhaust to facilitate this, as suggested as step 1 in the supplied directions...I just didn't feel like removing the whole exhaust for this project.
I got to here before I ran out of room to push the exhaust backwards.
I used a flat head screwdriver to pry the rubber hanger from the rear portion of the exhaust just behind the slip joint attaching it to the y pipe piece we are removing. This allowed me to move the rear portion of the exhaust both backwards and inwards enough to complete the removal of the old y pipe at the slip joint. Getting that slip joint fully apart was NOT easy.
Now that the old is out, here's a great time to compare it to the new! As you can see, the relative lengths of each side of the new y pipe is the same as what we removed - they are just shifted in position. Also, as promised, we didn't remove the loop!
Go ahead and slip the new y pipe into the slip joint that attaches it to the rear portion of the exhaust. Once that is done, you can connect the two halves of the new exhaust pipe. Just don't forget to put on the band clamp before you join the 2 sections together!
Start threading the stock flange bolts back into the flanges on the drivers and passenger side. Don't tighten anything yet!
I reattached the rubber hanger to the rear portion of the exhaust again once the new y pipe was hanging in place. It just pushes back on.
I used my jack to help support the rear portion of the exhaust while I tried to move things around to get all the flange joints to align properly, and to get the two slip joints as tight as possible. I also pulled the lower portion of the rubber hanger towards the front of the Jeep while I adjusted things - this seemed to be the most helpful thing to get all the parts to align properly. As things looked better and better, I started finger tightening the flange bolts, and then readjusted the slip joints. I did this over and over until everything lined up well.
Here's the fully tightened drivers side flange.
The fully tightened stock slip joint.
The new one joining the 2 halves of the new y pipe...
And the passenger side flange!
Look at all that clearance! This pic is actually a bit deceiving. The boot doesn't come anywhere near the new location of the stock pipe. In fact, the new cross pipe sits just below the very end of the drive shaft now.
There's a problem on the passenger side that still needs to be addressed - there are some low hanging lines that are awfully close to the new exhaust location...and they are FUEL LINES! That's no bueno.
I used a zip tie to loosely anchor the fuel line up and away from the exhaust. I also wrapped the fuel line with the supplied heat shield adhesive strips supplied with the kit. I also applied some of this adhesive shield to the exposed portion of the gas tank, which can be seen just above the left edge of the cross member. This shot is looking towards the back of the Jeep. Now that this is done, feel free to reinstall your skid plate.
All done! Now go clean up and have a beer!
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JK Freak
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 859
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From: Grass Lake MI
Originally Posted by engine12
Why not remove the "loop" ? It seems that would be better for all around performance..... Any thoughts ? Thanks
The loop increases power and torque due to equal length y-pipe legs. The collector, or "y" works as a scavenging device (creating a vacuum in the opposite tube of the exhaust pulse), effectively pulling the next pulse out, and giving you more power!