Hey ya'll, new to the site. Bought my 2012 FX4 about 4 months ago and am finally going to get going with some mods. First up a new exhaust. The stock exhaust has a nice tone, but I want something louder and more aggressive. I'm not looking for something obnoxious or to wake up the whole neighborhood, but I want to hear the V8. I want a high-quality product, I am willing to pay for what I get. What are ya'lls suggestions??

 

Borla xr1

 

Not sure I wanna build a race exhaust, looking more for a legit kit around $1,000. I've looked at these so far, but not quite sure what to think...


Borla - http://www.borla.com/products/produc...rod_sku=140415

Roush - http://www.roushperformance.com/part...3-5L-2011.html

Solo - http://solo-performance.com/ford-f15...exhaust-system

 

If I am not mistaken, custom bent > kits. Also many on here seem to be quite happy with the XR1's. There is also the Pro XS is also popular. An XR1/Pro XS and custom tubing @ a shop would probably be cheaper than a kit also. For me at least that is the case. Granted I have a dronemaster, but, I only paid $325 for the tubing, muffler, and tips installed. It would have been a bit more for a Borla. Magnaflow Magnapacks are also quite popular with users on here. Kits are OK if you prefer to just do everything yourself.

 

Kits are typically best materials , fitment, don't hack up factory piping and mandrel bent. Xr1 are not race exhausts necessarily. Just loud mufflers designed for many applications. With how far in loudness companies have come I'll gladly pay 550 for a kit like the roush or 1000 for the Borla. I am so picky about weld quality now I'm not touching any more custom setups unless its done a a high end shop. You get what you pay for.

 

A good shop will weld high quality flanges so you can have the ability to take the exhaust off.

 

Custom bent isn't always "better" than kits. Many of the kits out there come with stainless, mandrel bent pipes. This maximizes corrosion resistance and exhaust flow. Many of the exhaust shops out there utilize a crush-bend system and aluminized pipe. These don't flow as well and aren't as resistant to corrosion.

The plus to having a shop fabricate the piping is that they utilize welded joints, and the price is typically much less than a full stainless kit with mandrel bent pipes.

 

Most of the kits I have seen are designed to start @ the flange in front of the resonator. When my exhaust was installed, since that flange was so rusty and would have had to been cut off, the guy just cut the resonator off and then removed the rest and put in all new pipe below that point. The guy that did mine has been working on my exhaust for like 15yrs, so I trust his work. My only mistake was telling him to install a Flowmaster 40. A kit is going to generally remove all the factory piping below that flange anyway so I don't see how it matters much either way how it is removed.

 

It allows you to go back to stock or change catbacks. I'm planning on getting trained in welding so I can do it all myself.

 

Ok ok ok...I am not gonna put the exhaust on myself, have neither the knowledge or experience. I really like the sound of the solo performance SISO 4". Any thoughts on it?? Will it be too loud for my semi annual 1,000 mile trip? I really love its deep rumble.

http://solo-performance.com/ford-f15...exhaust-system

 

A 4" exhaust is pretty big IMO. I think you'll lose low-end torque.

Comparing price and quality of custom vs. kits really depends on where you live and what level of service you can get. Where I'm at its expensive and the quality is not very good for custom work. Kits are much much better for me.

I have the Corsa db SI/SO kit on my truck and I love it. Sounds good, fits good and overall quality is good... absolutely no drone. The only other kit I've considered is the Roush, but that looks like a pretty loud setup.

 

I wouldn't go over a 3" single. Might want to read the exhaust guide. Lots of good info in there.

 

Hey Texas, I would not go over 3" intermediate piping or muffler. Keep the 4" and larger for the diesels. I have a 3" midpipe and 3" SISO Magnapack and it's excellent. I put aftermarket Y pipes before and after the midpipe and muffler. I haven't noticed any power loss and the sound is amazing. People think I have longtubes on my truck it sounds so good. Highway cruising is just fine, you know it's there but not obnoxious. The idle provides better music than the radio usually does

 

Out of your list hat would be my choice too, it sounds great.

 

I think I'll have another Magnapack system going very shortly. Not because I think it sounds leaps and bounds better than Borla. Mostly because this isn't going to cost me anything.

Stay tuned!