HELP! Replacing the exhaust!

[firsttimewrench]

Hey Ya'll,

I've got an 80 gs 450 im working on. The bike had several pretty good size holes in the exhaust. Originally I was just going to weld it up, but I found a "new" exhaust that is in pretty good shape, just a couple dents and a little surface rust. So I'm trying to put it on, but I cant get the left and right sides apart. They are connected by an H bar. I tried to put it on leaving them together, and can't get it to fit around the frame. So does anyone have any tips to getting the left and right sides apart? I'm afraid of bending it.

It's frustrating working for hours and hours on something silly like this. lol.

[JEEPRUSTY]

Make sure the clamp is loosened
then get a nice friend to hold one size whilst you twist the other.
Of course mine only has one pipe across.

[firsttimewrench]

yeah it only has one pipe, and the clamp is off, but the thing wont move. I've tried penetrating oil, a little heat, and a rubber mallet. so far nothing...

[Big T]

Patience, grasshopper

Allow the oil to work thru the gunk