So far I've read a lot of threads that dance around this and my coureostiy has finally gotten the best of me...

My question: Does anyone think/know if exiting the muffler pipe in front of the rear tire causes the muffler sounds to be greater w/deeper rumbles?? Also does this therefore shorter pipe do anything for your hp??

A lot of people have also brought up the famous "green stuff" being caused by this placement of the pipe in front of the rear tire. What kind of time frame are we talking about here? And do you think it makes a difference what part of the country your in?? I'm on the coast of NC and put a LOT of extra effort into that rear wheel and it still looks great. After 3 years it is just now starting to show a wee bit of "something" on that center cap.

So you all lets hear some of those expert opinions on that tail pipe placement.

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97F150 XLT SC 4x4 Flairside 4.6 V8 5sp Dk Toreador Red, 3.55LS
ARE tonneau cover, p255/70rx16 tires (came w/235), Superchip
Pioneer CD w/4 Polk Speakers & Clarion APA5240amp, skid plates
bed liner, side window deflectors, reese hitch, K&N air filter
40s-2chamber Flowmaster, Bosch +4 spark plugs, rustproofing

 

I would believe with it in front of the rear wheel {between the rear and front} it would have greater rumble because it has the shorter distance of pipe for the sound to exit.The longer the pipe, the more the sound will fade. Or if you have big exit pipes, it might have a rumble if in behind the rear wheel. Anyone is welcome to correct me if I'm wrong though.

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1999 Ford F150 XLT 4x2, Cloth Seats, Amazon green, 16" All season tires, Soft Tonneau Cover, CD Player, 4.6 liter Triton V8, 3:55 ls, towing package, 4 speed auto, K&N Airfilter, soon Superchip and K&N GEN II.

Fast46Triton

The Terminator!

 

Oh and as for your Horsepower, with the shorter pipe, you might get an extra 3 or 4 and thats it. If that.

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1999 Ford F150 XLT 4x2, Cloth Seats, Amazon green, 16" All season tires, Soft Tonneau Cover, CD Player, 4.6 liter Triton V8, 3:55 ls, towing package, 4 speed auto, K&N Airfilter, soon Superchip and K&N GEN II.

Fast46Triton

The Terminator!

 

As far as this "green" stuff goes, does it come of, and is it appearing on the "billet" XLT wheels or the "chrome" XL wheels, or both?

Thanks,
Chris

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Ford F-150 XL
Black/Grey 2-tone
Standard Cab/Long Bed w/Bedliner
Auto 3.55 gears
V6 (yeah, I know it's no v-8, but at least it's a FORD, right?)
Pioneer p-7000 Head Unit, (2) 12" Pioneer Subs, 800w Pioneer Amp, Pioneer 6x8's

 

Everyone-
I don't get it. I keep seeing all this information about the exhaust exit causing problems with the wheel and center cap. My '97 has the exhaust exit in FRONT of the rear wheel and I can't find any evidence of a problem no matter how hard I look. When I installed the flowmaster muffler, I kept the exit in front of the wheel because it is more protected in that location. On the truck I had before, the tailpipe was behind the wheel. Everytime I backed that truck up in our parking lot, I had to be careful or I could bang the pipe against the wheel block. With the pipe in front of the wheel, that issue is gone. I've got over 29,000 miles at this point and my wheels don't seem to be suffering. How did I get so lucky?

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Black '97, SC with 4.6, 3.55 gears, automatic, 2-4 Belltech drop kit, SnugTop fiberglass lid, 3 chamber Flowmaster muffler, billet bumper grill, fog lights, American Racing 17x8 wheels with 275-60 Goodyear Eagle GT II tires.

 

MR Wizard: I didn't see any signs of anything on my rear wheel untill after about 42k!! I've got over 44k now and it's still only a faint something on the wheel-cap only. It almost looks like I've scrubbed the cap too much!!! This is the only signs of "green" that I've seen.

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97F150 XLT SC 4x4 Flairside 4.6 V8 5sp Dk Toreador Red, 3.55LS
ARE tonneau cover, p255/70rx16 tires (came w/235), Superchip
Pioneer CD w/4 Polk Speakers & Clarion APA5240amp, skid plates
bed liner, side window deflectors, reese hitch, K&N air filter
40s-2chamber Flowmaster, Bosch +4 spark plugs, rustproofing
Better Built Stainless nerf bars

 

I have 43K on mine also, no signs of discoloration on the wheel. My new exhaust will go back to that location.

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TRC, 97 SC, 4.6 O.R. 5 sp.