Stripped Exhaust Bolt. How to remove?

I was in the process of removing my muffler and the top bolt between the muffler and cat stripped. It won't go back in and it won't go out anymore than in the picture.

How would I remove it now?

 

Sawzall with a fine metal blade for the win.

 

Heat and vice grips or just cut it off if there’s access.

sometimes a nut cracker will work if there’s clearance

heat, generally on exhaust parts before trying to remove them is helpful.

 

One thing you can try.

Remove the lower bolt. As you spin the upper bolt to remove it, gently pry the flanges apart to help pull the bolt out of the nut.

If your lucky this will work and you'll have stripped the bolt and not the welded on nut.

 

I bet he’s more likely to lunch the mating surface and cause himself more problems.

 

Stripped as in spins free or froze in place or is the nut rounded out?

 

Plenty of room above the bolt / nut to put a prybar between the top of the flange. I was not suggesting he grunt on the thing, just apply a bit of force to get by the hopefully stripped thread into a good one to make it move.

 

Run the truck for a few minutes, let that pipe get good and hot.

 

I'd start with lock pliers on the nut n hit the bolt with an impact. If that don't work, sawzall like @TILLY said.

 

Thanks for the suggestions everyone

 

The threading is stripped on the bolt or nut.

 

Nut splitter or saw.
If they did these like my fist gen taco, you may need to get replacements from dealer as the nut is specialized(takes different size wrench) to fit down inside the flange.

 

Cut the bolt head off after putting vice grips on the nut so it can’t spin, otherwise the bolt will spin making the cutting much longer.
Snap-On, Snap-Off

edit to add - if you can’t get a Sawzall in there, a pneumatic 90 degree die grinder with a cut off wheel on it would make quick work. If you use that, you have to keep the bolt from spinning- vice grips on the nut.