e30 320 stock muffler hangs low

[e30hu]

hello

To get my 86 320i ready for inspection I needed a new exhaust. I bought bmw parts and have installed it. However, the rear muffler hangs to low so I cant mount it on metal hangers.

First I tried hanging it up, then attached the mid muffler to the two front pipes, but that didnt work. Then I bolted together the front pipes to the mid muffler, but now the rear hangs too low.

Should I just jack up the muffler until I can bolt together the hangers or can that break anything? Whole exhaust is now only mounted to the car by the manifolds.

[323i E30]

So what's preventing it from reaching the metal hangers? If that's just gravity, I'd say lift it and put it in the hangers
There's also this bracket somewhere halfway the exhaust near the muffler that should slide in a rubber underneath the car.
Best get some fresh new hangers while you're in there btw (if you didn't already do so).

[e30hu]

So what's preventing it from reaching the metal hangers? If that's just gravity, I'd say lift it and put it in the hangers
There's also this bracket somewhere halfway the exhaust near the muffler that should slide in a rubber underneath the car.
Best get some fresh new hangers while you're in there btw (if you didn't already do so).

Thanks, I'll give it another shot tomorrow. I'll try to loosen the bolts in the middle, maybe that helps, then tightening it up after. When I tried hanging up the exhaust in the rear and then mounting it in the middle, it just hit heatshields and I couldnt get it high enough for the front pipes. The rubber and metal hangers are new, but aftermarket I think. They seem almost too small for the big rear muffler.

[323i E30]

You could put the new exhaust next to the one you removed to see if anything's different regarding angles or mounting positions.
I assume they are similar though, so it should fit.
Maybe you need to push the exhaust a bit sideways to get it in the right position. It shouldn't have any obstruction there.

Have you test-fit the hangers with the muffler, since they appear to be too small?
I don't know if the mufflers and hangers come in different sizes, because of either single- or dual pipe exhaust systems

[e30hu]

You could put the new exhaust next to the one you removed to see if anything's different regarding angles or mounting positions.
I assume they are similar though, so it should fit.
Maybe you need to push the exhaust a bit sideways to get it in the right position. It shouldn't have any obstruction there.

Have you test-fit the hangers with the muffler, since they appear to be too small?
I don't know if the mufflers and hangers come in different sizes, because of either single- or dual pipe exhaust systems

the old exhaust is the most homemade collection of pipes ive ever seen, haha. A million welds and bends. The new one should fit, its original bmw parts.
The hangers will fit if I twist and turn the muffler upwards, but that seems to be impossible when its connected with the front pipes.

I'll try again tomorrow, kinda hard when Im doing it myself + a jack that lifts the car 10 inches off the ground.