First of all I am new to this site. I just recently bought a 96 ram 2500 ext cab short bed 5.9 off of my cousin. He has the cat hollowed out and the muffler is gone. I'm interested in putting LT headers on it. I was wondering if anybody knew if I was able to put the LT's on and still be able to use the original exhaust system set up? Or would I have to buy a new cat and y-pipe?(i think that is what it goes into, I haven't been under it yet). Thanks

 

If I were you and wanted to put Pacesetter LTs on my truck, I'd ditch the factory setup and have an exhaust shop build a true dual setup with a x-pipe and cats instead of hacking up the factory setup.

 

if you run long tubes, you wont be able to use the factory y pipe. will have to get a mid pipe made for long tubes.

 

I kinda figured I would have to do that. Thanks for the info

 

If I were to hollow the cats, would I need O2 sensor extender things as well?

 

yes it helps, but why buy 2 new cats and hollow them out? kind of a waste dont you think?

 

Dont hollow the cats.

 

If you are absotivly posilutly against having any form of a cat, you could get an exhaust shop to build you a true dual x-pipe set up that runs to two glasspacks or some such.

Put the front o2 in the x, and the rear (with non-fouler mod) a few feet downstream of the front (in either pipe). This kind of set up (with mufflers) should keep enough of the scavenging effect not to rob you of too much low-end.

Might be hard to find a shop to do this for you though, there's a pretty hefty fine for them (and you) if they knowingly let you drive outta there without a cat. Defeating or removing an emissions part on any vehicle made after 1976(?) is a federal offense. Not that I personally care (mines gutted), just thought you should know.

 

In my county in my state they don't check emissions but the cat's have to be visual. I figure if its visible they can't really do much about it.

 

Just keep the cats. They wont hurt anything.