96 Golf muffler question

The connecting pipe between front and rear muffler broke on my 96 Golf and both mufflers appear to be at the end of their life. The replacement looks simple if I can separate the front muffler from the long pipe that leads to the cat. The joint that I need to take apart has a flat clamp that is directly under a rib or stiffener that seems to be bolted to the floor boards. Is it OK to remove this stiffener so that I can get a better shot at the clamp? I'd hate to see the car start to sag if I take it off. Anyone have a recommendation for the tightening torque when I put it back on? RC