Replacing axle; drop entire exhaust?
 

I just posted this over on the Project 41 page but the axle is unhooked & I'd like to get it back together tomorrow!:
Pelican Technical Article: Replacing CV Joints and Boots / Axle Replacement

Simple question: can I remove just a section of the exhaust to drop the axle out or does it 'all' need to be removed? And if 'all', what does that entail? From the exhaust manifold out? Or some sub-section?
I did look at the pictures in Project 46: Muffler Replacement but it didn't clear it up for me. I'd rather not mess with the geometry/alignment.
BTW, I'm replacing the entire axle on an '01 S.

Just pull the cat on that side. ..... You'll need to drop the support tray as well.....I wouldnt mess with the muffler, the bracket on the back of the trans is a pain. .....
I've done hundreds of them. ..

OK, off to try that! Thanks.

The axle itself came free pretty easily; I used a 22mm socket on the end & tapped it out with a deadfall hammer & later, a 10lb sledge! It's just hanging there waiting for an escape route! Thanks again.

So, as I'm trying to drop just the cat, I'm looking at separating it at the 3-bolt flange at the base of the headers/1st cat. And then at the double-band just before the u-shaped pipe, correct?
You are not referring to dropping it at the bolts that go into the engine, are you?

At the three-bolt flange, the first nut snapped the bolt right off; is that a pressed-fit bolt/stud when I go to replace it?

Pull the 3 front bolts of the cat, if one breaks which is pressed in use heat on the broken stud after you have it removed. .... Heat it red cherry hot, smack it out with one blow of a hammer, replace with a normal nut and bolt.
The rear connecting slip pipe can just be slid one way or the other, there is also a roundbar hangar with 2 13mm nuts, you may need to pry it over the heat shield as you drop it.
The aluminum under tray sits between the long aluminum lateral braces, once the braces are unboltedyou can swing them out enough to drop the plate. .. There are 12 total 15mm nuts holding it on. ....fyi

All good for the axle install! I don'y have a torch at home so I'm onto my next question:
Back pressure question