I was installing my new Flowmaster Cat-Back tonight and when I set the car down off the jack it looks like it's pinched the over the axle pipe between whatever that suspension piece is (goes from one end of the axle to the other) and the trunk along with the metal heat shield. That suspension piece looks like it's bent around the pipe and the pipe looks squished a little bit. I haven't taken a real close look but I think it's probably pretty messed up. Have I totally screwed up my car?

 

it dosent sound like nothing major, but i have to see what your talking about thats bent, mabey i gather its the sway bar, or panhard rod. Eitherway, they are both easy and cheap to replace.

 

I'll try to get a picture of it with my digicam tomorrow when there's light. It's the thing above the axle that looks like a sideways V. I've got the car back up on jack stands right now and I'm sort of afraid to set it back down for fear of further damaging my suspension.

 

This is a picture I found on the internet. It's the two black bars that go across the rear-end only I just have the stock ones.
https://www.camaroz28.com/~chris/mmexhaust/pic00005.jpg

 

i believe your talking about your panhard rod and if your car has the 1le suspension wich most firehawks do your car is alittle lower then most so by putting in a biger exhaust you lessen the room. so i would say your suspension is fine.

 

Yea, you bent the panhard rod. It keeps the rear end straight when moveing. So when you take off down the track and it looks like should be going left, but your going straight. Then its messed up. j/k. I dont know if that would happen, but they are cheap to buy, BMR makes a good one. Summit racing can probabily get one to your door the quickest. Lakewoods is good, and i have the red Hotchkis on mine. Since you will have it up again, go ahead and buy some Lower Control arms, they will help traction and are also cheap.

 

It's kind of hard for me to tell which bar your talking about, is it the lower panhard bar or what some call the upper panhard bar? If it's the lower panhard you should replace it, the upper panhard can be modified to clear the exhaust. I can't remember were I saw a picture of the modified bar, what they did was cut out the section were the exhaust touched the panhard. They then fabed up a piece that went up and over the exhuast pipe and welded it into place. Sorry I couldn't explain it better.

Al

 

I believe you are talking about the "Upper Panhard Bar" which has a bend in it anyway. Check out the picture on the right:

http://www.granatellimotorsports.com/gmpanhardrods.htm

SteveC