true duals or not?
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,448
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From: Texas in the heart
There are thousands of very knowledgeable technicians out there that can fix just about anything.
But they don't know anything about what makes horsepower or torque, or the effects of a different exhaust, injectors, tuners, etc. If it's not in the book, they can't help you.
And most, don't want to have anything to do with an automobile after working hours. You bust knuckles all day, and the last thing most want to do is bust more knuckles.
You can always tell who the hot rodders are at the dealership. They are the first to ask about what you have done, where did you buy it, how much it cost, etc. And always willing to share their experiences with having to re flash an ecm because of a bad tuner, or maybe the brakes that are shot on a fairly new truck that was lifted with big tires.
So some great techs out there, but only a few that are really in to modifying a vehicle for more performance and understand why we just can't leave ours alone.
Just my .02.
But they don't know anything about what makes horsepower or torque, or the effects of a different exhaust, injectors, tuners, etc. If it's not in the book, they can't help you.
And most, don't want to have anything to do with an automobile after working hours. You bust knuckles all day, and the last thing most want to do is bust more knuckles.
You can always tell who the hot rodders are at the dealership. They are the first to ask about what you have done, where did you buy it, how much it cost, etc. And always willing to share their experiences with having to re flash an ecm because of a bad tuner, or maybe the brakes that are shot on a fairly new truck that was lifted with big tires.
So some great techs out there, but only a few that are really in to modifying a vehicle for more performance and understand why we just can't leave ours alone.
Just my .02.
Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
help
No, that does not make him stupid. You can't judge someone by something they don't know. Like I am ignorant in rocket science terms, that doesn't make me a dummy.
That kit is not worth it. I wouldn't pay more than $300 for that kit. If you can find it some where for a much lower price, then you won't have any problems. It won't be true duals, so it won't sound as good, but it's all stainless steel. Performance Peddler has it listed for like $422 with the "clubgp" code, but it's still way more than I would pay for just a cat-back.
You're going to have to broaden your search area to find a shop that is willing to put everything together for a good price. That pretty much means no franchised stores (Midas, Meineke). I had to go 2 counties over to find a shop that would supply all the pipe, bend them up, and weld them up for $150.
That kit is not worth it. I wouldn't pay more than $300 for that kit. If you can find it some where for a much lower price, then you won't have any problems. It won't be true duals, so it won't sound as good, but it's all stainless steel. Performance Peddler has it listed for like $422 with the "clubgp" code, but it's still way more than I would pay for just a cat-back.
You're going to have to broaden your search area to find a shop that is willing to put everything together for a good price. That pretty much means no franchised stores (Midas, Meineke). I had to go 2 counties over to find a shop that would supply all the pipe, bend them up, and weld them up for $150.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,778
Likes: 10
From: Douglasville GA
So you don't want true duals like your title suggests. Buy the muffler and tips you want and have a shop supply, bend and weld the pipes. It will be much cheaper than a $600 cat-back, but you need to look for Mom n' Pop shops to do the job.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
From: Mansfield, TX
I got quoted 200 bucks to pipe up a true dual setup. That is piping up maggie cats, x pipe, and dual bullets so roughly 220 for cats, x pipe, and mufflers then 200 to pipe it. That's a lil over 400 total in a true dual setup. It can be done just do a lil searching. I am buying what pieces I can afford every payday then ill go get it piped up. Try looking
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
From: Holt, MO
There are no true dual bolt on setups that I know of, unless you go from the manifold all the way back, and even then, I am not sure there are.
The guy that told you not to do it, wasn't as dumb as everyone says. Most exhaust that is put on, is bigger than it needs to be. Also, I have never seen a dyno sheet that shows a huge improvement over stock. Especially at the rpm we drive these things. You might gain 7 hp at 4500 rpms, but how often are you there. There is a reason that the dyno sheets don't go down to 2000rpm or lower, and that is because the HP and TQ numbers are lower than stock and don't pass it until you get to upper rpm range. You don't need a large pipe to exhaust an engine at 2000 to 2500 rpm.
So if you are going to do exhaust work, do it for the nice rumble it gives to these V-8s and enjoy it. But don't expect much if any gains in mpg or performance, especially down low.
A tune will do more for your mpg and power than intake or exhaust mods.
I have put true duals on 6 different pickups, all with H pipes and equal length piping, and I thought I was really increasing the performance. The reality was that I gained very little if anything except sound. My last two trucks I have had, I have done nothing to, and they run great. I miss the rumble and sound of a well tuned exhaust however, so you never know I might do it again.
What I would like to know is what size pipe is optimum for these engines to run in the rpm range of daily use. I have an idea that even 2.25 is a little big, unless you have a cam change and other serious mods. My thought is that 2 inch with an X pipe would still give you good sound and keep the velocity of the exhaust gas moving quickly and keep the scavenging effect working.
I have put hundreds of thousands of miles on these trucks with duals, and I wish I had the time to chassis dyno these different set ups to see what the optimum pipe diameter would be.
The guy that told you not to do it, wasn't as dumb as everyone says. Most exhaust that is put on, is bigger than it needs to be. Also, I have never seen a dyno sheet that shows a huge improvement over stock. Especially at the rpm we drive these things. You might gain 7 hp at 4500 rpms, but how often are you there. There is a reason that the dyno sheets don't go down to 2000rpm or lower, and that is because the HP and TQ numbers are lower than stock and don't pass it until you get to upper rpm range. You don't need a large pipe to exhaust an engine at 2000 to 2500 rpm.
So if you are going to do exhaust work, do it for the nice rumble it gives to these V-8s and enjoy it. But don't expect much if any gains in mpg or performance, especially down low.
A tune will do more for your mpg and power than intake or exhaust mods.
I have put true duals on 6 different pickups, all with H pipes and equal length piping, and I thought I was really increasing the performance. The reality was that I gained very little if anything except sound. My last two trucks I have had, I have done nothing to, and they run great. I miss the rumble and sound of a well tuned exhaust however, so you never know I might do it again.
What I would like to know is what size pipe is optimum for these engines to run in the rpm range of daily use. I have an idea that even 2.25 is a little big, unless you have a cam change and other serious mods. My thought is that 2 inch with an X pipe would still give you good sound and keep the velocity of the exhaust gas moving quickly and keep the scavenging effect working.
I have put hundreds of thousands of miles on these trucks with duals, and I wish I had the time to chassis dyno these different set ups to see what the optimum pipe diameter would be.