So sometime early next year I intend on replacing my exhaust system from headers back. I have some questions though cause I would like to get the most power I can out upgrading my exhaust.

1. Which is better, Long Tube headers or Shorties? I've heard different things. On the one hand I have heard that shorties provide more low end power while long tubes provide more high end power. On the other hand I have heard that shorties are better than the stock manifolds but long tubes offer more of the low end power and are better than the shorties.

2. I am interested in doing true duels from Cats back. Thing is, their is only one Cat. I've considered just deleting the Cat because I can get away with it in the state I live in, Alaska. But I would like the truck to remain legal in other states cause I won't be in Alaska forever. Is it possible to add a second cat? More importantly what are the advantages of running true duels besides a better sounding exhaust?

My truck is a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500, 4x4, off road package, 5.9 liter gas engine

 

Where in the RPM range do you want the thing to make the most power? Low RPM or high?

 

it is known that long tube headers will rub or make contact with the front drive shaft under heavy acceleration or other circumstances. i, myself would go shorty headers and then whatever you want to do after that.

 

Low RPM

 

Coming from Kalifornia, I recommend getting a 49-state legal cat and having it installed 3 years prior to ever thinking about moving there if that is your plan. As for headers, long tubes are better than shorties and shorties are better than stock. If you are going with long tubes, there will be clearance issues as Brandon said but it can be modified to work. Finally to piping size, 2.25" for duels or more torque or 3" for a single out and a little better horsepower.

 

Longtubes will give you more of an improvement over shorties. You may be able to bend things a bit to provide enough clearance for them. Tube diameter determines where you make the power though. Ideally, for low-end, you would want 1.5 inch primaries, however, those are no longer to be found in the aftermarket..... Pacesetters are, I think, 1 5/8ths. (1.625) Are under 300 bucks, and are still easy to find.

Duals give better sound, and can give you more 'area' for flow. But, as you aren't building a 10,000 RPM race motor, that isn't quite as critical here. If you go duals, don't go any larger than 2.25 inch pipe. In all reality, a 2.5, or 3" single exhaust would flow just as well. (and prolly give better low-end than duals.....)

If you do run duals, be sure to put an H pipe in somewhere, not too far from the motor. That also improves low-end.

As for cats, if you don't need one where you are now, skip it, fix it when/if it becomes an issue.

 

I just replaced my exhaust from the manifolds back, I went with a y-pipe/catalytic converter from Magnaflow and a 3" Magnaflow exhaust system. I'm happy with it, it's a pretty good setup.

 

And has a nice, deep tone to it as well, I would bet.