I pulled the trigger on a new magnaflow muffler installation today. I Have the Lone Star Edition 2 wd Crew Cad Ram 1500 with the hemi and dual exhaust tips out back. The stock muffler is very mild and I wanted mild sound/performance and better gas mileage. I had the work done by a local shop who gave me a choice between a Borla, Flowmaster and Maganflow. The Borla was too pricey so it was between the Flowmaster and the Magnaflow. I love the flowmaster sound at WOT, but they tend to give off too much resonation inside on the highway. I did not want to **** off the wife so I went with the Magnaflow hoping for quite performance. The shop owner gave me a great deal, parts and labor only came out to $98.00 plus tax. First, the stock muffler is huge and weights a ton, at least dodge did us a favor and used clamps to hold it in place instead of welding it. It came off without any cutting. The Magnaflow is an 18" stainless steel universal muffler (#12278 w/lifetime warranty) with a 3" center in and dual 2-1/4" out. I inspected the muffler and it is very light and you can see strait through. Since the Magnaflow is substantially shorter than the stock unit, the shop used a 3" aluminum pipe to bridge the gap. Out back, the factory dual exhaust fit perfectly into the magnaflow dual outs. For the hardcore DIY guys, I could see an easy install at home using clamps if you don't weld. The shop welded it all together and sprayed anti-corrosion paint over the welds. Now to the results, when you turn the key, WOW a hell of a difference. It is loud!! I am glad I did not get the flowmasters, my wife would have killed me!! On the road, performance is slightly better, but the interior noise is substantially higher even with the stock resonators still in place. If you do not like loud noise inside the cab, then KEEP YOUR STOCK MUFFLER!! The sound is cool and I hope to get better gas mileage. However, if I could do it over, I would have asked the shop to order me a longer muffler, I think more material inside would have helped reduce the sound levels. I can only hope that after a few days the muffler will burn in and mellow out. I'll keep you guys posted. Until then, I just have to wake the neighbors when I go down the street

 

Congrats, nothing puts a smile on your face like the starting of a truck with a good exhaust system. Post a video or sound clip if you can.

 

I've got a Magnaflow Competition Series exhaust on my Challenger 6.1 Hemi, and it is seriously loud as well. Sounds like pure sex, but very loud. Thanks for the report on the Magnaflow with the Ram's 5.7 Hemi.

What I'm thinking of doing with my Ram is having a muffler shop cut into the tubing at the very front before where the exhaust combines into one pipe, and instead, run two pipes back to where the stock muffler is. Then remove the stock muffler and install two Dynomax Race Magnum mufflers, and then connect them up to the stock tail pipes and stock resonators. The exhaust would look stock from behind the vehicle, but it certainly wouldn't sound stock or perform like stock. I wonder how much resonance there would be with true dual exhaust? And I wonder if an X-pipe would be needed to reduce resonance?

 

You will love those magnaflows. I had them on my Dakota and it was a smooth throaty tone. When I redo my Rams muffler I will go with 3" tips. I am glad you're enjoying your new ram.

 

RGVram99,
there's a company (mufflex performance, www.mufflex-performance.com) that sells the magnaflows ready to swap with the oem. they have the 24", 18" and 14" mufflers, but it's more than twice what you paid plus shipping- though that could vary depending on which exhaust shop you go to i suppose. i'd be interested in hearing how yours sounds inside before i pick a new muffler for my truck though. but there have been a few times when i wanted it to be LOUD, like when yesterday when i had to go around a bmw that cut me off.

that said, isn't the exhaust system on the ram stainless steel from the factory? just curious, because you said the shop that did yours used aluminum piping.

 

i thinkin about takin out the y pipe and muffler and having true dual cat back with maybe an X pipe and glass packs. Im waiting for headers to come out but im still undecided about if i want to mess with them or not. Im also undecided about possibly putting high flow cats im worried it will set off the check engine light. shes probably gonna be pretty ignorant loud but she sure will sound good lol.

 

"ignorant loud" ... that's funny!

 

haha thats right where i come from where all about lifted and loud trucks
but it has gotten quieter though considerin the cops have been rapin ppl with ticket after ticket now lol if the truck wasnt brand new and i didnt care about the cops id put straight pipe all the way with 9" glass packs talk about ignorant there lol

 

All of you are making me want a dual exhaust now. ^&#*$!!!

 

That is a ridiculous price; I was pricing them and was hard pressed to find just the muffler at that price, let alone with the extra pipe and labor. The mufflex kits are priced accordingly to a DIY version of what I was quoted from local shops here.
I plan on getting the 24" muffler, as I've heard the 18 and 14" muffs online, and they were not for me. Mine will likely be a freebie, but if I could find a shop offering that kind of price I would gladly pay it to avoid the hassle.