That makes perfect sense. What I disagree with is the group of people saying, apparently reflexively, that the stock muffler is a big restriction. The more they talk without giving specifics as to why, the less I think they know what they're talking about. I'm not hideously hard to please for evidence on this-I'm only asking that someone show SOMETHING halfway realistic for proof. Before/after dyno results, track results, back pressure readings, or even (I know, I'm dreaming here) flowbench results.
When someone offers as proof "well you can see through my aftermarket muffler", that's setting the bar rather low. Sure you can, and you can see through a glasspack too-that doesn't mean it flows worth a ****. Line of sight through a muffler and good flow are not necessarily the same thing, and in fact often aren't. Some of the best flowing mufflers around can't be seen through.
Vehicle: 09 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport 4X4, 09 HD Rocker C
Location: Apopka FL
Posts: 808
yeah and all mufflers are different, i have the 18" magnaflow and there are the 14" and i think a 24" then you have a whole line of flowmaster, glasspacks, and many others that are all going to have different results
but just to put it out there i dont think that i felt any difference in throttle response or any gains at WOT but thats just my butt dyno.
i wish i would have gotten a dyno before and after the exhaust but the cost for the dyno time is just to much
I would think that if it is restrictive to the point of hindering performance, it would only be so at RPMs most people never hit with their trucks. Getting my muffler done on thursday, but only because I want a better sound, and it's free. I expect nothing from it performance wise.
I also believe that not enough back pressure can be a hinderence as well. In my last f150, I had a flowmaster dual output full catback for several years (with 'proven' dyno gains, etc). The muffler rusted out last fall and I had a tailpipe break loose on the way to work. Sounded bad a$$, but ran like garbage. Didn't want to spend cash on a new muffler at the time, so, I ripped it off, and put my stock giant muffler and single tailpipe back on (had been sitting in the basement for years waiting for just such an occasion), and that thing ran better than it had in years until I traded it in on my ram.
Normal driving conditions, I really don't think there's a noticeable difference in most simple mods short of a tuner.
Vehicle: 2009 ram 1500 slt bighorn 4x4 loaded austin tan
Location: new jersey
Posts: 142
most muffler swaps or catback systems on avg will only get you 5-20 hp gain in a certain rpm range,which you will not really notice especially in a 5500-6000 lb truck
I went to the muffler shop and they looked at my exhaust. The guy told me there would be no change to the performance and very little change to the sound. He said he would take my money if I still wanted to have the resonators removed but the only way to see any change at all would be a complete muffler swap. For those of you who have change the resonator for a straight pipe, is there any difference in MPG and sound?
I would think that if it is restrictive to the point of hindering performance, it would only be so at RPMs most people never hit with their trucks.
If you tow much with these Hemi's you're going to be hitting pretty high RPMs. On a recent weekend trip with my loaded down 18' tiltbed trailer I climbed a six mile long 10% grade. Cruise was set at 85 mph, and the truck shifted down to 3rd gear, with the engine revved to 5500 RPM for several miles. The Hemi sings like Pavarotti at that RPM, and I for one, was real glad that I had the STOCK muffler on the truck. There would have been some serious drone at that high of an RPM for that long of a climb with a loud aftermarket exhaust.
The stock exhaust did not seem to hold the truck back at that RPM either.
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2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8: May 2009 Vehicle of the Month Winner
2004 Jeep Wrangler Sport: July 2009 Vehicle of the Month Winner
To reiterate, I made only this minor change - Removed the rear-most muffler (resonator) whichever your specific terminology prefers. I noticed no gains in acceleration, obviously, but the truck sounded much better. Again, my goal was to get a mild sound gain, for a minimal amount of effort/funds/etc. I drive my truck weekends, and for camping and didn't want a loud sound change. I am more than happy with my $70 investment. For anyone hoping to get a mild sound change, this is the cheapest way IMHO.
Hope i didnt beat the horse dead or you know what i mean..
I also had my resonators removed after reading about it on this site. My muffler guy also told me there would be no change in sound and tried to push me into getting a new muffler. I told him I had a magnaflow on my '07 and it was too loud and I wanted to give this a shot. So, he too was glad to take my money.
I couldn't be happier after doing this. I definitely noticed a sound change, but my wife did not. If stock is 1 and a flowmaster is a 10 and a magnaflow is a 7.5, this is about a 3.5. There is no drone, but it's a little louder at idle, cruise, and WOT. The sound "curve" is the same, just a little louder. And since I liked the stock sound, just wanted a little more of it, this is perfect. You will not get a gain in mpg or HP from your resonator removal, just a little more sound.
