2014+ Exhaust Systems & Mufflers

Hashishh · March 17, 2018

Hey guys, I'm looking for some advice. So last week I did a simple muffler swap on my 2015 Silverado 1500 5.3. I simply cut the stock muffler off and threw on a cherry bomb extreme, with the flapper still intact in the stock position. After a week and a bit of having it on I'm wanting louder as this sounds just a tad louder than stock but with a nice deep rumble. I've come to realize these trucks really don't sound mean without some drastic measures.

Originally my plan was to do a little parking lot DIY and cut back to the flex pipe and run a 3" aluminized pipe from there and have it go up over the axle and Y off into duals to each corner.

After doing some looking around I remembered NAPA sold a pretty extensive selection of exhaust tubing and decided to take a look. Turns out I can buy a (nearly) complete stainless Dynomax exhaust minus the muffler for around 550-600CAD if I buy the parts separate rather than in the "kit" (the kit is around 1100CAD). Part number is Dynomax 39530.

What I'm trying to get to is does anyone have experience with this kit or any dynomax products in general? How is the quality of the stainless (409? Can't imagine its 304)

What do you guys think? Should I get to building myself or go with the pre made dynomax?

Edited March 17, 2018 by Hashishh
Typos

WC_LTZ · March 17, 2018

Hey guys, I'm looking for some advice. So last week I did a simple muffler swap on my 2015 Silverado 1500 5.3. I simply cut the stock muffler off and threw on a cherry bomb extreme, with the flapper still intact in the stock position. After a week and a bit of having it on I'm wanting louder as this sounds just a tad louder than stock but with a nice deep rumble. I've come to realize these trucks really don't sound mean without some drastic measures.

Originally my plan was to do a little parking lot DIY and cut back to the flex pipe and run a 3" aluminized pipe from there and have it go up over the axle and Y off into duals to each corner.

After doing some looking around I remembered NAPA sold a pretty extensive selection of exhaust tubing and decided to take a look. Turns out I can buy a (nearly) complete stainless Dynomax exhaust minus the muffler for around 550-600CAD if I buy the parts separate rather than in the "kit" (the kit is around 1100CAD). Part number is Dynomax 39530.

What I'm trying to get to is does anyone have experience with this kit or any dynomax products in general? How is the quality of the stainless (409? Can't imagine its 304)

What do you guys think? Should I get to building myself or go with the pre made dynomax?

If you’re hacking up your exhaust to save a few bucks why buy a kit? I’m assuming you left the resonator (or whatever people call it, the second muffler) by the rear axel? Cut that off and put straight pipe in to make it louder.

I find it hard to believe the stock muffler being replaced with a cherry bomb is quiet.

But hey, everyone is looking for different sounds I guess.

KARNUT · March 17, 2018

I’ve been using custom benders for 40 years. The are cheaper you can customized your exhaust to your liking. On my 14 I went with muffler delete, it wasn’t very loud. Later I added magaflo for a different tone. I’m continually amazed that people will pay over a grand for mail order exhaust and install it themselves. A little online searching can result in finding a custom bender.

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Rob Okray · March 17, 2018

My local shop just put on a Flowmaster and deleted my resonator using the remainder of the factory stainless and fabbed up the custom bits while I waited. About an hour. $275

Hashishh · March 17, 2018

7 hours ago, WC_LTZ said:

If you’re hacking up your exhaust to save a few bucks why buy a kit? I’m assuming you left the resonator (or whatever people call it, the second muffler) by the rear axel? Cut that off and put straight pipe in to make it louder.

I find it hard to believe the stock muffler being replaced with a cherry bomb is quiet.

But hey, everyone is looking for different sounds I guess.

I won't be buying the kit in its entirety. And quite honestly, I'm just bored looking to change up the sound of my truck. And hey, if you can do it, why not? That's why I'm tossing up the idea of just doing it myself but once I seen I can score the pipe for my exhaust from the cat to the pipes including a dual out and all pre bent for just over 500 bucks I figured that may save me some headache (and 3" alum pipe here is around 100 bucks per 10 feet so I'd be looking at probably close to 150 bucks before even having it bent and that's cheap aluminized stuff).

I was going to just cut the resonator and put in a straight piece but I'm wanting to run duals for the looks.

Besides all this, living in Canada has ruined my exhaust system and it's about time to re do it.

As far as the cherry bomb goes, yup I don't find it loud at all. I left the resonator and flapper in place. Sounds like stock with a rumble. A bit louder but not all that much. When I brought it into the shop to weld it my coworker told me they didn't even notice a difference.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Hashishh
Pictures taking up half the page removed them

michigan2500hd · March 17, 2018

I won't be buying the kit in its entirety. And quite honestly, I'm just bored looking to change up the sound of my truck. And hey, if you can do it, why not? That's why I'm tossing up the idea of just doing it myself but once I seen I can score the pipe for my exhaust from the cat to the pipes including a dual out and all pre bent for just over 500 bucks I figured that may save me some headache (and 3" alum pipe here is around 100 bucks per 10 feet so I'd be looking at probably close to 150 bucks before even having it bent and that's cheap aluminized stuff).

I was going to just cut the resonator and put in a straight piece but I'm wanting to run duals for the looks.
Besides all this, living in Canada has ruined my exhaust system and it's about time to re do it.

As far as the cherry bomb goes, yup I don't find it loud at all. I left the resonator and flapper in place. Sounds like stock with a rumble. A bit louder but not all that much. When I brought it into the shop to weld it my coworker told me they didn't even notice a difference.

I'm starting to get the opinion that if we leave the stock resonator and especially the flapper valve that it doesn't really matter what muffler we install in place of the stock muffler it's going to be fairly quiet. My Magnaflow has a deep mellow sound to it at idle just a little louder than stock. Probably a quite a bit louder if I floor the pedal but never uncomfortable to my ears. I really need to figure out how to use my GoPro so I find out what it sounds like outside the truck.
I was going 70-80 mph yesterday on the expressway and really had to concentrate to hear it at all.
Could it be the Active Noise Cancellation that's making it quiet on the inside? Maybe. However GM did a good job making these trucks quiet. Now if they could figure out how to build a truck that doesn't have interior rattling, and wind noise.

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Hashishh · March 17, 2018

That's essentially what I'm getting too. I'm planning on running it straight piped from the cats back (not really straight pipe I know). Worst comes to worst I'll pop a muffler in if it's too loud.

I had someone else in the truck revving it while I stood in front of the tail pipe and all I found was it sounded a bit meaner than stock but not noticeably louder. I've been planning on keeping the stock flapper in place as I've been reading this helps with drone a lot.

I drove a 2.5hr round trip the day after putting the cherry bomb on and the sound in the cab was 100% same as stock. Can't even hear the muffler unless I've got the radio and fans off in the truck with the windows down. Sorry to hear about the wind noise and rattling in your truck. Mine seems fine but it's hard for me to tell as I've got 33.2" duratracs and those get pretty noise by themselves.

Now the big question do my exhaust myself with aluminized or for 300 bucks more upgrade to (mandrel) pre bent 409 stainless?

On a side note what's the best way to attach images on this forum?

Edited March 17, 2018 by Hashishh

Hashishh · March 17, 2018

2 hours ago, KARNUT said:

I’ve been using custom benders for 40 years. The are cheaper you can customized your exhaust to your liking. On my 14 I went with muffler delete, it wasn’t very loud. Later I added magaflo for a different tone. I’m continually amazed that people will pay over a grand for mail order exhaust and install it themselves. A little online searching can result in finding a custom bender.

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The cheapest place I could find was minute muffler at about 700 bucks to go from cats to a single out no muffler. We never talked what grade of exhaust tubing but I'm assuming aluminized. I bought some reducers from them and they were all mismatched and ended up having some pretty crappy fit ups. Don't know how but they bent some of my 3"ID to 2.75"ID reducers into 3.125"ID to 2.75"ID.

Most muffler shops around here are quite over priced and do some poor quality work unless I want to drive 3+hours.

Keep in mind too, living in Canada we pay quite a bit more for some things as you guys do across the border. It's not uncommon for a cat back system to run over 1000$ which is roughly 760 USD. The system I'm looking at would come out to about 380 USD all pre bent stainless.

KARNUT · March 17, 2018

The cheapest place I could find was minute muffler at about 700 bucks to go from cats to a single out no muffler. We never talked what grade of exhaust tubing but I'm assuming aluminized. I bought some reducers from them and they were all mismatched and ended up having some pretty crappy fit ups. Don't know how but they bent some of my 3"ID to 2.75"ID reducers into 3.125"ID to 2.75"ID.

Most muffler shops around here are quite over priced and do some poor quality work unless I want to drive 3+hours.

Keep in mind too, living in Canada we pay quite a bit more for some things as you guys do across the border. It's not uncommon for a cat back system to run over 1000$ which is roughly 760 USD. The system I'm looking at would come out to about 380 USD all pre bent stainless.

I did one mail order exhaust and I was convinced. Did many engine builds and exchanges. Id rather do a engine swap on my old truck than change the exhaust. There’s good exhaust shops and bad just like anything else.

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Lgetz · March 17, 2018

20 hours ago, mferry22 said:

I still have the resonator. I just had the muffler replaced and the flapper valve removed. Does magnaflo make a louder muffler that would fit the 6.2? Is it possible the muffler shop put in the wrong muffler?

A louder Magnaflow muffler would be the 14151 which is a 3.5" in/out with a 14 inch body. It is a "race" muffler so it would be loud. The shop could have used a 3" muffler with a 14 or 18 inch body which would be louder than a 12909. The 12909 has a 22 inch body with a 3.5" inlet/outlet, is offset/center and fully reversible. Fits great provided the shop takes their time measuring and cutting off original muffler and flapper valve. My guess is your truck does not have the 12909 because at cruising speed it is very quiet.

Lgetz · March 17, 2018

20 hours ago, michigan2500hd said:

Do you have the 5.3 ? If so I think the part number is 12586. That's the quietest over I believe. 3" in and out.
The 12909 is for the 6.2. it has 3.5" in and out.

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Magnaflow part number for a 5.3 is actually 12589 which is a 3 inch inlet/outlet. 12586 is a 2.5 inch muffler.

mferry22 · March 17, 2018

Thanks, I'll have to get under the truck and measure the muffler.

SuperChevy14 · March 17, 2018

4 hours ago, Rob Okray said:

My local shop just put on a Flowmaster and deleted my resonator using the remainder of the factory stainless and fabbed up the custom bits while I waited. About an hour. $275

How’s the sound after you had this done. I’m thibking about removing my resinator too. I just had a Flowmaster 40 installed

Rob Okray · March 17, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGfRcvkwggo

Just had it up on I-94. In top gear at 70-75 you can just hear it burble a bit with the windows up, radio on softly, and heat on low-med fan speed. In town or in traffic, has a nice growl. Good rumble at idle.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Rob Okray

Rob Okray · March 17, 2018

I am assuming they deleted the flapper. I did not even know it had one at the time, so I never asked. I would crawl under but for two things: its cold and i'm lazy. Also I'm a cripple. Can still do it, but not fun.