hey guys I just recently bought my 2005 4x4 f150 regular cab, and I was curious what's the cheapest way to make my truck sound good, I was thinking about electric exhaust cutouts, but its a little expensive I was looking for something around the 100 - 200 range? I live in houston, for anyone that knows anything by me, if anyone knows anyways, please help?

well actually I'd rather have it be LOUD, then good, and cutouts are illegal by me =\

For the old "loud and cheap" exhaust I would crawl under and cut out your stock muffler. Then either put in a piece of pipe to bridge the distance or a Dynomax bullet or even a 14" Maganaflow, depending on how loud you really want it.

For that amount, I'd buy a Dynomax Bullet and have a shop install it for you. The muffler is only about $40 and most shops will cut out your stock and weld it up for about $40-50. It's up to you whether you want it dumped or exiting out the back/side. (bear in mind, tips are expensive) You're in Houston, so you Have to have Some kind of muffler. (I'm south of you in Texas City)

Absolute cheapest way for loud, run open Y, but goodbye performance and healthy engine

Sounds like you need to swap your muffler for a loud one. The Dynomax Bullet would be a great choice, 2nd best Flowmaster 10 series, 3rd just straight pipe it. I know little about Houston but if you have emissions then straight pipe is not an option.

ok so I'm a newb at this, if get a dynomax bullet or flow master, they cut off my stock exhaust?, and then I have to buy a new exhaust tip?, or something since I have some emissions crap in texas?

You can keep your tips and everything. You can do a straight muffler swap. You might need a little extra pipe because the stock mufflers are a little longer than most aftermarket mufflers.

Not quite. Its just chopping the stock muffler out, welding the custom one in, and adding pipe to mate it to the tailpipe. You can request a new bent tailpipe thats 2.5", and have a tip added if you wish. A tip will help it sound a little better. It will pass emissons no problem.

You will keep your stock exhaust. They will just swap out the stock muffler and add in a length of pipe and the muffler of your choice as the stock muffler is very long and very restrictive. You then can cut the tailpipe off after the muffler and dump it at the rear end or have it angled out to the passenger side or just leave it alone and have it exit where it does from the factory.

Wow! I was a little slow typing that and now you have 3 of the same answer.

Yep I got you by just 1 minute, but I'm bored, dont have work until 3, and i'm a fast typer Either way, the same answer multiple times is a great re-assuring feeling.

you know those older camaros how they have the dual exhaust that stop right under the drivers seat, are those possible, or loud?, I'm assumeing expensive though if it is possible

If your talking about side exit on both sides before rear tires, not on a truck, fuel tank takes up the driver side space.

Dumped under the truck? Very possible wherever you want it at, but not healthy for your health, or underbody as if not cleaned enough, dumped exhausts can tend to corrode some underbodies. And it will be real loud inside.

i see so, if i go to like all out off road which is like down the street from my house, and i brought them a dynomax bullet, they could probaly install it for me, or i guess id have to look at something they have.?

Most shops will weld something in for you regardless of where you bought it. It's business, and a lot of muffler shops aren't booming with business everyday.

I just put on a SI/DO Cherry Bomb extreme with Magnaflow tips on my truck. They sound wonderful. They don't pop and crackle at all and they have a deep mellow tone, are pretty loud at idle and when I step on it but after I hit OD they are almost impossible to hear. They slash out the sides I'll get you a clip here pretty quick but I the price breakdown is below

Magnaflow Tips - $125
Cherrybomb Extreme Muffler- $66
Welding and bending pipe- $100