Midpipe Kit for FR-S, BRZ and 86: What It Changes
By REMARK Exhaust | Published: 2026-11-01
Category: How-to Guides
A midpipe kit replaces the restrictive factory mid-section on 2013-2021 FR-S, BRZ and 86. Here is what it changes, how to install it, and the checkpoints that prevent leaks.
Quick answer
Install a midpipe kit on a 2013-2021 FR-S, BRZ or 86 by supporting the exhaust, unbolting the factory mid-section at both flanges, test-fitting the new pipe with fresh gaskets, and torquing the joints before lowering the car. The kit changes the mid-section only; it does not replace the axleback, so pair it with the muffler you plan to keep.
What a midpipe actually changes on this platform
The factory mid-section on the 2013-2021 FR-S, BRZ and 86 carries the resonator and the pipe that connects the front pipe to the axleback. A midpipe kit replaces that section, so the changes you feel and hear come from removing the factory resonator and any crush bends in that span. It does not change the header, front pipe or muffler.
Because the axleback stays in place, the sound result depends heavily on which muffler you already run. A midpipe on a stock axleback is noticeably louder than stock but still tame; the same pipe on an aggressive axleback can become drone-heavy at highway speed. Decide on the axleback first, then choose the midpipe to match.
Midpipe vs catback: which one you are actually buying
A catback replaces everything from the catalytic converter back, including the midpipe and the axleback. A midpipe kit replaces only the middle span. If your axleback is already the sound you want, a midpipe is the cheaper way to open up the middle; if you are changing the muffler too, a catback avoids mismatched flange sizes and double labor.
Check the flange pattern and pipe diameter at both ends before ordering. A midpipe designed for the factory axleback may not mate to an aftermarket axleback with a different flange or slip joint, and no catalog listing can confirm that for you. Measure your current joints and compare.
Used and open-box kits: what the listing does not tell you
Some midpipe kits are sold as used or open-box parts, which changes what you should inspect on arrival. Scratches and blemishes are normal on a used pipe and do not affect function, but a bent flange or missing hardware does. Confirm that gaskets and hardware are included before you start, because a missing gasket turns a one-hour job into a parts-store run.
The listing also will not tell you how the pipe fits your specific axleback. That is a measurement you make on the car, not a specification you can look up.
Step-by-step midpipe kit install
- Lift and support the car safely: Raise the car on jack stands or a lift and support the exhaust with a stand or strap before loosening anything, so the pipe does not drop onto you when the last bolt releases. Never work under a car held only by a jack.
- Soak the flange bolts: Apply penetrating oil to the bolts at the front pipe and axleback joints and let it sit. These bolts see heat cycles and often seize; snapping one turns a bolt-and-nut job into drilling and tapping. If a bolt will not budge, heat it rather than forcing it.
- Unbolt both ends and remove the factory mid-section: Remove the bolts at the front pipe flange and the axleback flange, then lift the mid-section out. Keep the factory hangers and rubber isolators; the new pipe reuses them. Label the bolts and note which side each flange faced.
- Test-fit the new midpipe before tightening: Slide the new pipe into place with fresh gaskets at both flanges and hang it on the isolators. Leave every bolt finger-tight so the pipe can shift and align; tightening one end first is the most common cause of a leak at the other. The pipe should sit without forcing or prying.
- Check clearance along the full run: Look for contact with the subframe, heat shields and floor pan, and confirm at least a finger's width of clearance at the tightest point. Exhaust moves under load, so a gap that looks fine cold can rattle when hot. Recheck clearance after the first drive.
- Torque the joints and recheck after a heat cycle: Tighten the flanges evenly, then start the car and let it reach operating temperature. Let it cool and re-torque, because gaskets compress and bolts loosen after the first heat cycle. A second torque pass after cooling prevents most post-install leaks.
Product facts
- Midpipe Kit - FRS/BRZ/86 (2013-2021): Fits 2013-2021 Scion FR-S, Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ; part number RO-CPZN-C; gaskets and hardware included; free ground shipping to the lower 48 states. The included gaskets and hardware remove the most common reason a midpipe install stalls halfway through.
Midpipe Kit - FRS/BRZ/86 (2013-2021) - Midpipe Kit - FRS/BRZ/86 (2013-2021): This is a used part with a 4.8/5 condition rating; scratches and blemishes are to be anticipated, and it was previously test-fitted to a Scion FR-S. Inspect the flanges and pipe ends on arrival, since cosmetic marks are expected but a distorted mating surface is not.
