All right, I’m really getting frustrated. I want to upgrade my exhaust on my '99 1500 5.2 4x4. Main goal: increase low to mid range torque and responsiveness (after all, it's a pickup, not a race car). The choices available seem almost mind-boggling. How is one to know what the best system is to reach their specific goals. If it were less expensive, you could try different things until you find what you like, but headers, exhaust pipes, cats, and mufflers can run you over $1000 easily for all, or upwards of $300 per component. Therefore, I want to get it right the first time.

You have to decide on:
-which brands (Flowmaster, Borla, Magnaflow, Gibson, Mopar, Hedman, Hooker, hundreds more)
-which material (stainless, painted, ceramic, chrome, mandrel bent, straight, etc...)
-what size (2.5", 2.25", 3", shorties, full length, mid length etc...)
-what components (headers and/or cat-back and/or muffler and/or pipes, or all of the above or some)
-what design (dual exit, single exit, side exit, true duals, h-pipe, x-pipe, etc...)
-what sound (nice and quiet, wake the neighbors dog, wake the dead)
-what looks best (some materials look nice, but fade or blacken after installation. Duals look cool, but single usually gives a little better performance, etc...)

AAAHHHH. Frustrating. How is someone supposed to know what will work best for their vehicle. Most exhaust shops try to either push the most expensive brand they carry, or push the components that come from their primary supplier. Often, I feel they don't really care if you are getting the system that is right for you or your goals. It's easy to say that the most expensive is probably the best, but I’m sure you can get equal results with less expensive components, but which ones, and in what combination.

Anyway, I’m mostly just venting, but I'd be curious to know if others agree/sympathize with me. Also, please post what exhaust set-ups you currently have, and what (from your experience) should be avoided. Is there any good reading materials/websites/etc on this topic (non brand specific, they are biased)?

Thanks.

 

DTO Muffler/Exhaust Thread
Awesome site if you have the time to look through and read it all

 

on my truck i have the gibson headers, 50 series dual out flowmaster kit with the 2.5 out's reduced to 2.25. this setup is equivelant to a single out flowmaster setup... (do the math on the dual outs vs the single 3" out and you'll see). My truck has awesome low end power and scoots pretty good for a 4x4 QC truck w/ 285's on it (soon to be 295's)