1993 Dodge Dakota LE, Extended Cab, 5.2L, Original Owner, 176,000 miles

26 years after I bought this beauty it sounds as if it is time to replace my original muffler. I need to crawl under there and do a more thorough inspection to be sure nothing else is needed but last time I was under there the muffler was starting to go and I did some patchwork. I'm pretty sure it's a stainless steel exhaust system so the pipes seem to be in good shape still. I've replaced a couple of the clamps throughout the years and I know another one or two need replacing as well.

I need a recommendation for a replacement muffler that is,

1) Quiet. I'm 60 years old and not turned on by a rumbling exhaust system.
2) Requires no (or minimal) cutting and/or welding and/or modifying.

The truck has been garage kept throughout its life so it's far from a rust bucket. Thank you!!

 

Go for a universal OEM style with the same inlet/outlet configuration (may require doing some measurements laying on your back under the truck) The, cut the old one off and weld or clamp the new one on. Any muffler is going too require cutting/welding/clamping so the closer you get the new one to match the original one will give have the least amount of cutting/welding.

 

I don't mind cutting and clamping. But I do not own a welder and my welding skills are crap. Can't remember, are the inlet/outlet diameters on the muffler smaller or larger than the pipes (typically)?

 

I replaced mine from the manifold back with a Walker system from Rock Auto. Don't see the Y pipe any more but here is the link for your year engine https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...stem+kit,10727
Mine is the v6 and it sounds cool but isn't loud. There was no cutting involved and no welding necessary. I still have the long reduscer as they sent me both that and the short one. My truck is short. If you had to cut a cheap grinder and some cutting discs from harbor freight will do it. Or a hacksaw.

 

Thanks, 94. Good info. I need to crawl under her again and measure the pipes and to see if they are center or offcenter. When they say 3" is that the ID or OD? Do you know? And if both the pipe and the muffler are the same diameter how will one fit over the other (or is one flanged?)?

 

when they say 3in pipe, it is OD. Then they will expand the other end to go over.....

 

I did not have to figure out how it fit to the old stuff since I went with a new system. my 94 is the year they reduced the exhaust manifold outlet and pipe. The walker pipe was larger than OE. But since it fit so well I expect yours which is OE 3" will fit right up to any of the natural break points that diagram in the info will show. The pipes are like a bell and spigot one end is larger to fit over the next section it connects to. Walker has videos on YT too.

 

I'll add that to cut the old pipes out, you can use an exhaust pipe cutter ... like this one: https://smile.amazon.com/Mrcartool-E.../dp/B07TZJ7BCT

That's more of an example. I THINK most of the Loan-A-Tool type programs also have one - https://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tool...ter/111609_0_0 for the AutoZone version.

RwP

 

Hello,

If you are looking at changing your muffler or your exhaust then there are a couple of recommendations from my previous experience.
- DO NOT EVER HAVE THE MUFFLERS DUMP UNDER THE CAB, the DRONE WILL KILL YOUR BRAIN. My current set up is a 360 magnum, with hookers long tube headers to 3 inch dual pipe with a h pipe to cross them, with dual super 44 dumping under the cab and boy it is hella loud. Perfect if you don't want to hear the significant other but you will have ear plugs will you in the vehicle most times.


- If you want noise than flow master super 44 will do the trick, they essentially are a straight through muffler and are F##king LOUD. This of course is dependent to your truck.
- If you want cheap then "cherry bomb" or glass pack will do the trick, like the muffler above, it is a through design and allows the best air. But this will definitely "embellish" the whole rice rocket noise. IE: the back fire, the high squeal rev's, the wanna be Fast and Furious car. I kid you not most of these ricers will be mad jealous of your noise maker.
- cheap mufflers will tend to be blown through if have any backfire issues.
- remove the catalytic converters if you are able to and place a second muffler in its replace.

 

I do believe it is a legal requirement for the exhaust to dump BEHIND the cab...... else you end up breathing the exhaust.