I have a 1995 Ram 2500 with a newly rebuilt 5.2 with shorty headers installed. Currently has a gutted cat, a medium size 2x2 muffler (note sure of brand), and dual full length pipes that outlet under the rear bumper. Lifted 9" with 3" body lift on 38.5x12.5s, with a 5.13 axle ratio.

It is incredibly loud. I know most people want loud exhausts but I would like to quiet it down so I can actually have a conversation while driving. Looking for suggestions on what will get the most bang for my buck as far as cats/mufflers/pipes, and get it close to stock volume without restricting flow too much.

Thanks

 

Mufflers really don't make that much difference in flow..... maybe 1 or 2 horsepower at worst. When mine needed replaced, I just went to a local muffler shop, told 'em I wanted it quiet, and they put a muffler on it for me. I don't hear my exhaust at all. The tires are the loudest thing on my truck.

 

My '96 with a 5.9 had Flowmaster 44's on it when I got the truck. The pipes cover where the spare tire goes so it has to be in the bed but the truck sounds gooood! A nice burble, even if my foot is in it, but not overly loud.

 

I have a 3” Magnaflow on mine (36” long) behind LT headers (no cat).
It is louder than stock no question, but is only a bit much when you’re on it… casual acceleration it’s fine… highway cruising I can still hear the wind noise from the mirrors.

 

Well, in general front and mid silencers are responsible for in cab noise, whilst the end silencer is for the environmental noise. Turbos and cats are also good silencers, because they are equalizing the exhaust pulses. Pipe headers add up some noise compared to the cast versions, especially the thin wall 4to1 ones also can add a rattle at low to mid rpms, when they are out of resonance (but more common for long headers).

From my experience, if you are not on a tight budget it might be a good idea to by a new cat, or straight pipe it. Leaving it as a hollow box will drag power, and in most cases make a drone tone at a specific rpm, most likely lower to mid range. Guess where I know from

If that's still too loud probably a mid silencer with a "camber" (those you can't look thru) will do the job. Rule of thumb: big parts need big silencers.

 

I'm actually looking to sell off these new tires I have to get something else because these tires are terribly loud as well. I have a 99 1500 4x4 5.2 with BFG KM3s on it and it's quiet as a car as far as road noise even with the windows wide open at highway speed. the whole cab was dynamatted for a sound system. Thinking about doing that to this truck also, just to help the volume inside.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I will look into mufflers and cats to start. I love the tone and rumble it has but I don't like how just driving through town, I hit a big hill and suddenly the truck is screaming, resonating off every building around me lol

I was not aware that gutted cats weren't great, but now that I think about it, it makes sense. I don't need this to be stock volume but right now on acceleration up a hill, it's as loud as the v10 ram I had with NO EXHAUST in it

 

That exhaust should be pretty quiet with dual pipes and a muffler, you shouldn't hear anything in the cab. My money is on the gutted cat. OEM y pipe/cat sounds like crap without the guts.

I have the Jegs catless y pipe with just a Thrush glass pack dumped just before the axle and it's quieter than my old Flowmaster, which I miss terribly.

Glass packs are super cheap and easily installed. Plus they get quieter as they wear/break in. Anything with fiberglass is quieter than chambered. Also, any length or bend to the pipe changes the tone and volume as well. It's basically a pipe organ and can be tuned to your liking. Adding a simple tip or resonator can make a huge difference.

 

Yeah I'm going to test the cat theory tomorrow, I'm going to drop the pipe after the cat and put a straight pipe through the body of the cat chamber and clamp it back together...truck is real clean so it will be a quick job. I'll see how that sounds, and go from there.

I daily drive a 99 1500 4x4 5.2 with an oem cat, and a long muffler that dumps in front of the rear axle and that is the perfect volume and tone, so I should have thought of the gutted cat right away

I also should have mentioned I'm in NY so inspection might be an issue if I don't have a converter

 

if you want quieter vehicle could go for dual 2"- 2.25" exhaust pipe. i find smaller pipes seem to help an exhaust be much quieter than larger pipe. my 93 has a 3" exhaust and it is fairly loud even with a cat and muffler. then i got other vehicles like my elcamino which has dual 2" or 2.25" and it it fairly quiet with no cat and not really much for mufflers. the work truck have 4" exhaust and it is nearly impossible to have a conversation in and you here it coming from a block or so away. it is also a diesel but definitely seems like the larger pipe almost seems to make it have a deep window rattling rumble.