Removing Old Style Elbows

"I am having a problem removin

"I am having a problem removing the elbows from my old (log) style exhaust. The studs don't want to come out, nor does the riser want to separate from the manifold. I'm afraid that if I bang on it too much, I'll damage the manifold.
Anyone have any tips or tricks to make this easier?"

"Sure, I have a trick and a ti

"Sure, I have a trick and a tip. The trick is bang on it until it crumbles into pieces, then remove it. The tip is, don't break the manifold. Seriously, the riser is obviously junk, break it with a heavy hammer. This should not damage the mainifold, although if it's in the same state as the riser, it's time to go anyway. You can buy hardware kits which include new studs, nuts and gaskets. P.S. if you need the risers I think I have a pair left from a recent job which I'll sell below wholesale. E-mail me if interested.
Good luck, Rick"