Side Steps & Exhaust Advice Needed

I want to add some steps and possibly rock sliders but with my current exhaust configuration I don't see how.

1. Are there any steps that mount to the underside of the tub instead of the frame?

2. If not, what would you think are good options for changing my exhaust?

I am not rock crawling with this thing, but want to keep the clearance for those times you have no choice but to go over the obstacle. As you can see, the PO ran duals out the side with the muflers right under the door. Another problem I have with the current setup is all the exhaust going into the cab when running without doors. I think the bodylift also create challenges with what I want to do. I found some steps/sliders by Warrior, but don't think they will fit.

Thanks and here are the PICs.

 

how big of a lift does it have on it and where can i get a front end that flips up like that?

 

I did not lift it or do the hood modification, the PO did. But I will try and answer the questions from what I know about the Jeep. Have only had it two weeks, so I don't know much yet.

I know it has a body lift. The spacers between the body and where the body mounts by the rear bumper are 3", so I am assuming it is a 3" body lift. I was told it also has the shackle reversal, but I don't know how much lift that provides. Maybe someone can jump in and tell us. I was also told the front end has been lenghtened and I have longer front leaf springs. It clears 35's really well and at significant compression and flex it has not rubbed yet, but I have not tried it on a ramp, just tree stumps and logs.

The front end is 100% custom. The hood is all fiberglass and hinges by the bumper. It is really nice to take the whole thing off with just two cotter pins. I can not verify it, but the PO told me the front end body swap cost him several thousand. He does not have paperwork for most of what was done, so I could not say if it was custom made or not. I doubt it. I am sure that somewhere at some time mass produced that front body part. Just don't know if they still do or who they were.

I know I was not much help, but I hope someday to get my hands on the notebook the PO used to document his mods. He told me he would look for it, but I am not holding my breathe.

 

I'm something of an old fart wrt exhaust systems, but I like my exhaust quiet. If it were mine, I'd remove the hot rod exhaust and go with a single (free-flowing?) muffler in the stock location, with a rear-exit exhaust. All this would be inside the frame except for the tailpipe from the rear axle back.

Don't get me started about headers ...

Those side-dump exhausts are probably exciting for the first few hours of driving, but the noise, fumes, and heat would get old pretty quick.

Also, there's a reason why the rockers are covered with diamond plate. That area routinely gets bashed in, and those pipes are vunerable. Even the stock exhaust placement gets banged up. In the day, the factory steps on nearly every Jeep were either bent or gone.

Not judging - just another opinion.

 

I would also prefer the exhaust on the quiet side and out the back. Unlike Tim, I do headers inside the frame wells and dual exhaust tucked up inside the frame rails out the back. Nice and high and up out of the way. I will admit that the headers hang down a little more, are louder and are more prone to leaks. I tighten my header bolts often to keep them from leaking. I also put new headers on, get them hot then retighten when they are hot. That seems to help keep them tight but hard on fingers....

Someone here had some Warn rock slider made for a CJ7 and modded to fit the 5. Those with a step on the side of them would be up and out of the way and nice and stout. They would mount right there where the diamond plate is.

The way your exhaust is now it is going to get destroyed on rough trails. It will get bashed in right where the pipe crosses under the frame. Or right there behind the tire as the tire comes down off the obsticles you go over.

Very nice looking jeep BTW.

Edit; after I posted I looked at my avitar. In that pic my jeep has the fender outlet headers on it still. I removed those and put inside the frame headers on it.... I still run the fender outlet headers on my trail/plow jeep. It is way too loud and those headers are more prone to leaking because of the way they sit they put a lot of force on the flanges. Sounds great with my foot on the throttle hard coming thru a mud hole tho

 

Thanks guys. What do the rock sliders mount to? Will they work with a body lift, since the tub is no longer proportinate to the frame like when it is stock?

 

I had fenderwell headers at one time, I never hit them on anything but they were self destructing with all of that weight hanging so far off the engine, couldn't keep hangers on the mufflers and didn't like the smell next to my door, so now I run inside the frame custom exhaust with stock manifolds, fits very well and have not even had to tighten a bolt in 7 years! I run flowmaster mufflers, get alot of compliments on the sound, but I am getting a little tired of the noise, I guess I'm turning into a oldfart too tmgr!

 

Replace the side diamond plate with angle iron, and then weld whatever step you desire to that. Don't worry about relocating the exhaust. If it gets too bashed on the trail, then replace it. Fumes aren't much of a problem as anyone who has had a jeep with side exhaust will tell you. Fumes are actually more of a problem when the exhaust dumps directly out the back and is not angled out to the side. Then it circulates back into the jeep when driving down the highway. -Back to the step, to help people get in the jeep for now, tell them to step on the front of the rear tire.