will removing the CAT affect EGT's? Will I notice performance gains without changing anything else? I am a little apprehensive to do this mod if all of that smoke will get me pulled over...

 

The smoke is from the programmer if your stock your truck shouldn't smoke even if you run straight pipe...So if smokes your worry your fine

From what I'm told removing the muffler lowers EGTs some and makes it louder and deeper tone (thats all I have done)

Removing the CAT will make it louder but shouldn't affect EGTs much... lilfroger told me that, I don't have a pyrometer yet so I couldn't tell you what the effects were on my EGTs

 

Interesting observations with the new exhaust.
Ok first improvment is that all the little noises and quirks that I heard before? They are all gone now, for some strange reason I can't hear them any more.....lol
Second and most importand is that I now know that the stock exhaust must have been very very restictive. I have never seen my RPM's get over 3000 before.
Last night I got on it pretty good with the Smarty on #3 and the RPM's got almost to 3200 and seemed to get there alot faster. Could this just be the T/C slipping? I don't know but seems to spool up quick and RPM's jump way up there pretty fast!

 

Does it have a drone at highway speed? I've been thinking about putting on the 4040xl but my truck is already loud enough with the stock muffler.

 

So far I don't think it's too loud. I haven't had it up to constant highway speeds yet but will have nome info on that after driving it to work and back tomorrow.
As far as drone goes, I haven't really heard it yet but when my truck goes around 45mph steady speeds it shifts into OD and rpm's are at around 1100-1200, here is where it is at it's loudest I am guessing because the engine is lugging a little at that low rpm? It doesn't really sound like drone but it is the loudest driving speed other than flat out stomping on it.

 

That has to be hands down the BEST before and after versionI have ever heard with the Aero. PROPS to you Buzzy !!

For those questioning the drone, I've never heard of a drone at all and I've had mine on now for almost a year. I think the key is to mount it back where the stock muffler was. I think those who complain about a drone mount it up where the cat was.

Chewy - I told you not to sell it !!

 

Thank you again Chewy....lol. No but really!
Another couple things I discovered now is that while at idle, that new straight pipe vibrates like a sun-n-m-bich!! Doesn't rattle or anything and is welded up solid but I crawled up under there to have a look today and damn that sucker vibrates.
Also discovered that the MORON that installed the Aero didn't turn it so you could see the Aero logo on the side of it. Damn thing is facing up towards the bed!!
He also positioned it where he had to weld 2 hangers on the Aero it's self!! I'll get pictures tomorrow and show you. I can't beleve someone would take a nice shiny muffler like that and pretty much just **** all over it,

 

weld on it? Im not welding anything to my aero 4040xl. im just putting it where cat was and a genos muffler delete where stock muffler was.. im just using 4 " step/band clamps for my connections no welding.

 

PLEEEEEEEASE tell me that they installed it the right way with the rings towards the rear !!

 

Yes, I made sure to tell him where the inlet side was and watched him slide it on. But I forgot all about telling him to make sure that the "Aero" was pointed where you can see it. And when he started welding it up, I turned away, so I didn't realize we was friggin welding hangers right on the dam muffler!!
He should have made a short pipe at the outlet end to move it closer to the cab and weld the hangers on the pipe.