Muffler recommendations

TKtrailboss88 · December 30, 2019

I have a 2019 trailboss with the 5.3. I’m a single father so doing a complete cat back exhaust system for 1,000+ isn’t in the cards. I was considering just doing a muffler and possibly deleting the resonators. Don’t want to do a “hack” job on the exhaust system but I miss the aggressive tone from my previous truck and looking to get that on this truck without breaking the bank but also not do a half ass job. Any thoughts or recommendations?

redhot1.4 · December 30, 2019

I have a 2019 trailboss with the 5.3. I’m a single father so doing a complete cat back exhaust system for 1,000+ isn’t in the cards. I was considering just doing a muffler and possibly deleting the resonators. Don’t want to do a “hack” job on the exhaust system but I miss the aggressive tone from my previous truck and looking to get that on this truck without breaking the bank but also not do a half ass job. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Check out carven r mufflers.. that's the way I'm heading.

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SquireSCA · December 30, 2019

Muffler delete and leave the resonators intact, is what I would suggest.

Andrew F · December 30, 2019

1 hour ago, TKtrailboss88 said:

I have a 2019 trailboss with the 5.3. I’m a single father so doing a complete cat back exhaust system for 1,000+ isn’t in the cards. I was considering just doing a muffler and possibly deleting the resonators. Don’t want to do a “hack” job on the exhaust system but I miss the aggressive tone from my previous truck and looking to get that on this truck without breaking the bank but also not do a half ass job. Any thoughts or recommendations?

I would also recommend a muffler and flapper delete. I took mine to a local shop and they did it for $200. Used premium parts and also sprayed the new straight pipe in a protective coating. The truck sounds great, I'm very happy with it.

SquireSCA · December 30, 2019

31 minutes ago, Andrew F said:

I would also recommend a muffler and flapper delete. I took mine to a local shop and they did it for $200. Used premium parts and also sprayed the new straight pipe in a protective coating. The truck sounds great, I'm very happy with it.

Yeah, you really can't beat the straight pipe when it comes to sound and cost. These trucks sound great with a simple muffler delete...

Other than the muffler and flapper, the stock exhaust is pretty open and efficient... Going to another brand of catback isn't going to improve power... Some have a different tone, and that is completely subjective, but overall the muffler/flapper delete sounds great, is dirt cheap, and performs on par with any $1000 catback system you could name...

You aren't going to get a noticeable increase in power unless you do more extensive exhaust mods, intake, tuning, etc... Bang for the buck, straight pipe wins every time IMHO.

loud_pipes · December 30, 2019

We have emissions testing in Ohio, complete with undercarriage inspection of the exhaust. I’m not sure if a muffler delete/straight pipe will pass. So I am looking at the Gibson cat back, which is about $500 (no labor, I’ll do the install). I’ve already opened my flapper and covered the resonator screens, which helped a little, but I still want more sound. Doing this to my 2020 GMC AT4.

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SquireSCA · December 30, 2019

9 minutes ago, loud_pipes said:

We have emissions testing in Ohio, complete with undercarriage inspection of the exhaust. I’m not sure if a muffler delete/straight pipe will pass. So I am looking at the Gibson cat back, which is about $500 (no labor, I’ll do the install). I’ve already opened my flapper and covered the resonator screens, which helped a little, but I still want more sound. Doing this to my 2020 GMC AT4.

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If you leave the CATs intact, it won't throw off emissions testing, unless they are doing a sound test as well?

I live in a county in GA that doesn't even do emissions testing, at all, so it's never been a concern for me... But if I moved or they started doing it, I won't have a problem passing because all I have changed is the sound, not my actual CO2 emissions...

loud_pipes · December 30, 2019

You’re right, is all post cat and sensors, but I worry about the visual inspection. That’s my main hesitation.

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SquireSCA · December 30, 2019

Take your stock muffler, cut it open on the TOP, where you can't see the welds when you put it back together.. open it up, yank out the guts, and weld your straight pipe inside the stock muffler. Weld it back up, and put it back on. From the outside it will look like the stock muffler, but in reality it will be straight piped with the muffler just being a "shell" covering up your straight pipe.

loud_pipes · December 30, 2019

That’s actually not a bad idea!

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SquireSCA · December 30, 2019

That way it looks completely stock to someone inspecting it, but you get a straight pipe sound for a lot less than a catback system...

SquireSCA · December 30, 2019

33 minutes ago, loud_pipes said:

That’s actually not a bad idea!

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TKtrailboss88 · December 30, 2019

I Live Massachusetts so we have state emission inspections on a yearly basis and now every shop is monitored by the state via body cams. My brother is a mechanic and he recommended the muffler delete but then I’d have to reinstall it just for the state inspection

SquireSCA · December 31, 2019

So they actually check to see if you have a muffler? It’s not just an emissions thing where they sniff the exhaust for hydrocarbons?

KARNUT · December 31, 2019

There’re really not that loud with just a muffler delete. I’m my younger days it would’ve been perfect. About the same as a performance muffler. With all the cats and resonator they muffle the sound progressively. To lessen restriction. The muffler is just a part of that. As far as inspection that depends on the state. No problem in Texas.

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