I have searched around and have decided on the Magnaflow 18" (unless someone can convince me otherwise) for my new truck. I have an 09 Hemi SLT and after watching videos here and on youtube, it seems to be the "best" all around muffler for my application - I want some sound but I don't want it to be ridiculous (I owned an '01 5.9 with straight pipes - sounded awesome, but I'm a little older now . I have the single stock exhaust and plan on just swapping the muffler. I looked at the mufflex kits, but I can get it welded for cheaper than that. So with that being said, is this essentially the same muffler that comes with the mufflex kit? http://www.autozone.com It is autozone part # 13259 and the dimensions are 18 x 4 x 9 inches and it has the 3" inlet/outlets. Looking at the stock muffler, I would guess that I would want the "center inlet, offset outlet" so that there will be less bending of exhaust pipe when the muffler shop welds on the extension pipe to make it reconnect with the back end of my stock exhaust. I also noticed this one is SS with the satin finish, which is fine by me b/c I won't be looking at it anyhow. For around $65 for the muffler, it seems like a winner and the guy that does the exhaust work around here is CHEAP. Please let me know if this is the correct muffler to order for my application that would be the same muffler that is used on the 18" mufflex kits. Thanks guys!

 

Maybe this will help someone like me in the future. I ordered the 13259 mentioned in the previous post but I realized this is a different magnaflow muffler than the mufflex kit after doing further research. The 13259 is described as a "turbo muffler" and seems to be built differently than the one on the mufflex kits. I called Autozone to see what their return policy was (the muffler is scheduled to be delivered in 2 days to their store) and I can get a full refund upon delivery. So I went back to Autozone this morning and ordered the 11259 for $101.99 (can be had on ebay for 87.99 with free shipping 3-8 days) and it will be here in 2 days. I am almost positive now that this is what is on the mufflex 18" kit after reading the description. Either way it is going to be very close. I called mufflex, but they "weren't sure" what the part # was and I can understand why they might not want to give this info out. I'm not bashing the mufflex guys at all...they have a great product, but I just know I can accomplish the same thing for over $100 less and it will be welded. The 11259 measures 18 x 4 x 9 and has the satin finish stainless steel (mirrored finish like mufflex is part # 14359 but is 177.99 at autozone). Again, I won't be looking at it so the mirrored finish doesn't matter to me. There is one other possibility that the mufflex kit is using part # 12259 satin finish (mirrored is part #14259) which measures 18 X 5 X 8. Hopefully what I ordered this morning will sound like the mufflex 18" kit. I will post my final results when it arrives and I get it welded on and add a sound clip or 2. It could be worse, I guess, I could have gotten the "turbo" muffler welded on and THEN realized it wasn't what I wanted.

 

good luck man!

i will have to say though that it was defiantly worth it for me to buy the mufflex muffler because i dont have a cheap muffler guy around and it only took me 45 min to install by myself.

 

I installed the magnaflow cat back system, changed from single exhaust to dual. Highway mileage went up about 2 and in town went up about 4, providing you keep you foot out of it.

If you want a deep throaty sound it is great. Quiet on the highway, sounds off when you get on it.

2009, Ram 1500, 5.7 Hemi, 4X4, SLT, Crew Cab with Ram box.

 

I'm just the guinea pig so that someone in the future can do the same thing if they chose not to go the mufflex route and still get the same muffler and sound. As far as welding it up goes, the high end quote that I got was $75, and the low end is $45 and I have one other guy I am going to check out when I actually have the muffler in hand. I am using the stock single pipe and may add a tip later at some point, but I am not worried about that right now.

Before I decided to order this muffler myself, I called around and asked if local shops would be able to get an 18" magnaflow muffler and how much to weld it in. Most of them will install a "magnaflow" muffler, but they are didn't seem too concerned about what the size/style it was so instead of dealing with mark up and possibly the wrong length muffler, I decided to get it myself. Who knows, some of them may just install the $65 turbo magnaflow and call it a day and most customers will be perfectly happy. It costs around $200 for them to do the whole job including the muffler, but the same shop quoted me $45 to weld my own in..go figure. So even on the highest end price wise I am looking at $185 total, on the lowest end so far I'm at $155...not bad IMO.

Cigarthef, that is exactly the sound I am looking for. I should have the muffler tomorrow so I'll let you guys know how it goes if I can get it installed tomorrow.

 

I ended up doing the magnaflow cat-back system as well. Cost me 600$ w/ shipping.

I have a mufflex 18" that I removed when i made this conversion. Let me know if the install goes bad, its available for sale!

 

Sneeks, just out of curiosity do you notice any change in sound with your new setup vs. the mufflex. I am curious to know why you went from one setup to the other. Thanks man - Paul

 

I just had a magnaflow 12278 muffler installed, I have dual setup. I noticed a small increase in fuel mileage maybe a 1mpg difference but also noticed I seemed to lost some low end grunt.

 

Got my 11259 welded up - I have the single pipe factory setup, and left the resonator on and used the existing piping so basically just a muffler swap. It literally took the guy less than 15 minutes from start to finish and the man lays down some very clean welds. It cost me $45 to get welded and $102 for the muffler, so with tax I spent right around $155. Anyhow, it sounds GREAT and I definitely don't notice any loss of power at all....it seems a little more "responsive" if anything. Sounds just like the mufflex 18" kits from the vids here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg1XuiZnAa4 and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV0Ztz6J2o0 so if you want to save about $100 and get the same sound and performance you may want to consider going this route.

 

If you have installed or heard a mufflex kit, it sounds fairly similiar to a DoDs16
or... 16" mufflex muffler.

I did a lot of tests on the exhaust swap. So far, physically (havent dyno'd) I can feel the rumble under the truck where, for stock, it was quiet, and smooth. There was a plus to the conversion, i'm up 1 MPG after driving with it for a month.

Sound wise, its pretty beefy with your foot on the gas, yet mellow on the coast. Its easy to drown out with your windows up and volume on the radio at about 20 or so (REN/RER) system.

I've got a thread on here somewhere with pics of the belly and rear of the truck. I love the fact it goes to pipes to the end, rather than those clunky resonators.