Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-28-2016, 08:13 PM   #1
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Missouri
Posts: 71
Exclamation Is there a good performance muffler that's quiet?

I currently have a single 2-chambered Flowmaster (3" in/out) dumped under the bed right in front of the axle on my 04' Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi quad cab. For driving around town, and even on the highway it sounds awesome......nice deep idle, pretty quiet when cruising on the highway, and really screams when you mash the pedal. I tow a 25ft ski boat with my truck, and short trips to the lake (1 hour) don't really bother me too much, but the exhaust can get a little loud at times when you starting getting into the gas going up hills.

Now that we picked up a small 19ft camper trailer, and I've been going on some longer road trips with the family......and after a few hours, the exhaust note just gets annoying. It's not bad when you are on flat ground, but going up hills when the motor is spinning higher rpms just gets annoying.....I'm tired of hearing it (so are the wife and kid).

I'm going to cut the Flowmaster off and replace it with something else. I don't want to lose any power, but I do want to lose the noise and interior resonance. What should I try? Magnaflow? Borla? I want something that's quiet.....something that won't get annoying after pulling a trailer for 6+ hours.
IQRaceworks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2016, 06:15 AM   #2
Seasonal Camper
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Tn
Posts: 384
Borla. You can still get good power but with out the killer droning.
__________________
Burgy
(Kevin and Lisa)
2008 Nissan Titan
2015 ST270BH
https://burgpath.us/photos/index.php?cat=13
Burgy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2016, 06:37 AM   #3
Full Time Camper
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DFW, TexUS
Posts: 1,032
The borla's on my Lincoln LS WERE nice but it may be more than just the muffler - might be location too - I would dump it out back, not under the bed...

you might also as consider a complete downpipe back kit...
__________________
johnboytoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2016, 06:54 AM   #4
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Ny
Posts: 90
Good quiet muffler

I just removed the same Flo Master with 3" Stainless Pipe also from my Ram 1500. Not a Hemi, but a simple 5.3 liter.
I removed it after only 5000 miles. (2 1/2 years)
As you state noise level wasn't bad top end cruise, but deafening under load, or higher RPM.
The Dodge is my "spare" truck, it did sound cool, but I got tired of it, especially early morning archery hunts, accessing crop field edges.
I first put it on for improved performance for pulling my TT.
The Exhaust Speciality shop advised that I would not see any performance improvement, but maybe slightly better gas mileage (which was not my goal anyway).
I needed to keep the new 3" Stainless exhaust in/out so the only option was a truck style muffler, louder than a stock Ram but definitely quieter than Flo Master. They called the muffler a 180 ? Hope this helps. Wish I could get more performance, 5.3 (1995) 3spd auto Trans not sure gears 330?
__________________
Bowhunter and Linda
2012 Zinger ZT 26BHS
2019 Silverado 2500 HD High Country 4x4 6.6 Duramax Diesel and Allison
1995 Ram 1500 4x4 5.4 Gasser/Hunt Truck (cherry)
Bowhunter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2016, 11:24 AM   #5
Seasonal Camper
 
campingcpl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Indiana
Posts: 258
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnboytoo View Post
might be location too - I would dump it out back, not under the bed...
X2! Before cutting off the muffler and buying something new I would see about just dumping the pipes out behind the rear tire or out the back like johnboytoo said. Having the pipes dump out under the bed just makes it that much louder in the cab.
__________________

Phil & Janine
2010 Dodge Ram Crew Cab Short Bed 2500HD Cummins
2014 Cruiser 333RL
campingcpl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2016, 01:20 PM   #6
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Ny
Posts: 90
Good performance muffler

Just to add to my pre us post:
My 3" stainless exhaust system terminated and exited behind the rear tire, and was still too loud.
Biggest thing was I saw no increase in performance by having Flo Master.
When I went back and had it changed back last week, I got an "I told ya so" from the muffler shop owner.
__________________
Bowhunter and Linda
2012 Zinger ZT 26BHS
2019 Silverado 2500 HD High Country 4x4 6.6 Duramax Diesel and Allison
1995 Ram 1500 4x4 5.4 Gasser/Hunt Truck (cherry)
Bowhunter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2016, 01:51 PM   #7
Full Time Camper
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DFW, TexUS
Posts: 1,032
Well, it DID tell you so

but no amount of youtube videos, etc will let us know how it sounds on OUR vehicle...
__________________
johnboytoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 06:34 PM   #8
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Missouri
Posts: 71
Well, over the weekend I got rid of the 2-chambered 40-series Flowmaster and replaced it with one of the longer 18” bodied Magnaflows with 3” in/out. Instead of just dumping it under the bed in front of the rear axle, I ran it out the side in front of the rear tire. It’s definitely quieter than the Flowmaster was when there is no load, or a light load on the motor…much quieter. When just driving the truck around town, it’s definitely quieter.

But, I pulled the boat over the weekend, and when you are hard on the gas and the RPM’s are up over 3000 or so, I’d say it’s just as loud as the Flomaster was as far as overall volume, but the “tone” is smoother and deeper, and not as raspy sounding. It’s still too loud for my taste, the lower deeper tone of the Magnaflow actually bothers me more than the thin raspy sound of the Flowmaster. The one thing that I did notice was that with the Magnaflow, on straight and flat sections of highway running at 65mph….according to the MPG display on the truck, the Magnaflow muffler picked up 1-2MPG vs. the Flowmaster. I guess that just goes to show how restrictive that Flowmaster really was.

I’ve ordered some more 3” pipe sections, so my next step is to run the exhaust all the way out the back dumping behind the rear passenger tire….just like a standard oem truck exhaust. I’m hoping this will do the trick. I kind of like doing exhaust work, it gives me a chance to break out my mig welder and run some wire through it.
IQRaceworks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 06:50 PM   #9
Site Team
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,153
….according to the MPG display on the truck, the Magnaflow muffler picked up 1-2MPG vs. the Flowmaster. I guess that just goes to show how restrictive that Flowmaster really was.

[/QUOTE]

Before giving the Magnaflow all the credit, you should take into consideration -- wind, or lack of it.
Lloyd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 07:09 PM   #10
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Missouri
Posts: 71
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lloyd View Post
….according to the MPG display on the truck, the Magnaflow muffler picked up 1-2MPG vs. the Flowmaster. I guess that just goes to show how restrictive that Flowmaster really was.
Before giving the Magnaflow all the credit, you should take into consideration -- wind, or lack of it.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I agree.
IQRaceworks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 07:50 PM   #11
Full Time Camper
 
woodwalker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: ca
Posts: 574
Maybe you need a bigger truck so your not running 3000 rpms and it would be way quieter
__________________
2015 Redwood 36RL pushing a 2015 Denali DRW
woodwalker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 08:13 PM   #12
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Missouri
Posts: 71
Quote:
Originally Posted by woodwalker View Post
Maybe you need a bigger truck so your not running 3000 rpms and it would be way quieter
If a 1/2 Ton Dodge Hemi ram can't pull a 4000lb trailer, something is wrong.
IQRaceworks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2016, 09:21 PM   #13
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Utah
Posts: 33
I run magnaflows on my Marauder and love them, quiet until you open it up and even then not overpowering.
__________________
2013 Crossroads Z1-ZT251TD
2008 Ford F350SD, V10 3V, lots of mods. 5.13 gears
2013 Polaris RZR XP
24shofast is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-07-2016, 03:45 PM   #14
Full Time Camper
 
woodwalker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: ca
Posts: 574
Quote:
Originally Posted by IQRaceworks View Post
If a 1/2 Ton Dodge Hemi ram can't pull a 4000lb trailer, something is wrong.
Just kidding
__________________
2015 Redwood 36RL pushing a 2015 Denali DRW
woodwalker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2016, 09:03 PM   #15
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Missouri
Posts: 71
***UPDATE***

My Flowmaster 3" universal tailpipe kit came in, so I decided to do some more work on the exhaust tonight. After getting rid of the Flowmaster muffler that dumped in front of the rear axle (because it was way too loud), and then swapping it for a Magnaflow muffler that exited in front of the rear tire (it was quieter, but still annoying while pulling a heaving trailer for long periods of time)......I decided to run a standard 3" tailpipe setup and exit it out the rear like a standard exhaust.

Here is what it looked like when it was exiting in front of the rear tire. The high pitched raspy Flowmaster sound was gone, but the Magnaflow was much deeper sounding...and droned pretty bad.





The Flowmaster tailpipe kit was a "universal" kit made out of 3" pipe....it took a long time, and just about all of the patience I could find in order to get all of the sections cut to the proper length , and in the correct orientation in order to make everything fit just right. And I have a lot more respect for the guys that work at the muffler shops...welding up under a car or truck with no space, in a bad position, with bad gun angle, and not enough room to even see what you are welding...takes skill! What a pain! But when it was all finished, it made a HUGE difference in how the truck sounds. Much quieter, and much "tighter" sounding if that makes any sense. I haven't pulled a trailer yet, but just from revving it up in the shop a little bit, it sounds much more "refined".....I think I'm finally done with this exhaust project!!









IQRaceworks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2016, 06:53 AM   #16
Site Team
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,153
Looks pretty professional.
I hope that cures the problem for you. In my younger years, I liked the noise of a good exhaust system, but not any more. Quiet is good.
Lloyd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2016, 08:28 AM   #17
Full Time Camper
 
woodwalker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: ca
Posts: 574
nice job. My days of glass packs are long gone
__________________
2015 Redwood 36RL pushing a 2015 Denali DRW
woodwalker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2016, 09:16 AM   #18
Full Time Camper
 
Steve7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Nv
Posts: 628
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lloyd View Post
Looks pretty professional.
I hope that cures the problem for you. In my younger years, I liked the noise of a good exhaust system, but not any more. Quiet is good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by woodwalker View Post
nice job. My days of glass packs are long gone
X3. Stock for me!
__________________
Steve & Sue
2017 Grand Design 297RSTS Travel Trailer
2017 Ford F-350 Lariat Crew Cab diesel 6.7 SW LB 11,500 lb GVWR package
Former: Crossroads ST26RB
Steve7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2016, 04:20 PM   #19
Weekend Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Utah
Posts: 33
Very nicely done!
__________________
2013 Crossroads Z1-ZT251TD
2008 Ford F350SD, V10 3V, lots of mods. 5.13 gears
2013 Polaris RZR XP
24shofast is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2016, 06:48 PM   #20
Full Time Camper
 
NorskeNY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 874
I put a Silverline on my 2005 Duramax. CAT back installation - helped lower turbo temps too.
__________________
Bob and Pat

2012 Cruiser Patriot CF335SS.

2011 Silverado 3500HD LTZ CCLB Duramax SRW 4X4

https://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/...ailerKeuka.jpg
NorskeNY is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Crossroads RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:17 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×