Supposedly new on the market, Ravin' mufflers supposedly outperform 40 series Flowmasters and Dynomax. Their website is: http://www.goravin.com/goravin.html

The info from their pamphlet (94 Mustang test car)

OEM muffler 208.6 cfm
40 series Flowmaster 290.8 cfm
Super Turbo Dynomax 295.8 cfm

Z-33 series Ravin' (loudest) 375.3 cfm

 

I have them on my Lightning. I had flowmasters on before the Ravin's. I was looking for a sound improvement, not performance. I do like the tone much better than the flow's. They are not loud until you mash the go pedal.

Mike

 

FASTRNU,

Which series do you have? 33,55, or 77. They are trying to talk me into the 77 which are the quietist.

 

I have the 33's. My brother put a 55 on his 5.4 reg cab. His sounds good when he gets on it, but mine will turn people's heads when I mash it.

Mike

 

Do you believe the flow data? I think I am going to get a single 55 to replace the stock muffler. You have dual 33's? They are loud. The guy at the muffler shop had dual 33's on his torino.

 

Yes I have dual Ravin's on my Lightning. I do not think they are that loud. The blower still drowns them out. I actually put the passenger side window down when driving just so I can enjoy them.

Mike

 

You might want to check out the magnaflow 12468. It's a dual in and dual out. I picked it up for 80 bucks. It has a nice deep rumble at idle, sounds bitching at 2000rpm, and when I raced a buddy of mine lastnight he said it sounded like a Winston cup car at WOT .

 

I have the dual Z-33 setup on my 00. Most people's opinion is that from the factory the L's are way too quiet; and I was no different. At first I tried straight pipes, but I do all highway driving and the droning at speed was too unbearable ("what? what? I can't hear you, I've been physically abused in the ear"...exactly). Then I had remembered reading some other peoples posts a while back when I had my Lariat about these "ravin" mufflers, and looked into them a bit myself.

My first piece of advice if you do decide to go with them is to NOT use the part numbers in one of Kobiashi's earlier posts when he got his. I did this, and the numbers he listed (which, in his defense he said he wasn't sure about, they were just the ones listed on his receipt) were for the wrong inlet/outlet configuration- but the Midas (the distributors for the mufflers) dealer I went to didn't feel like being cooperative, so I was stuck with them.

Which is my second piece of advice. Kobiashi said that the the Midas dealer out near him was very comprehensive, cooperative, and willing to work with him. The one near me "seemed" that way initially (from the outside looking in I guess), but after all I've been through with them, I would NOT go back to one. If you want the Ravin mufflers, BUY them through a Midas shop, BUT have them installed at a competent custom muffler shop.

If I remember correctly, you need two different muffler configurations. The correct one that Kobiashi listed was offset inlet / offset outlet. The other (incorrect) one SHOULD BE center INLET, offset outlet...this is where the problem was. The one I received from ordering his part number was a center OUTLET, offset INLET. Since you're going to have to have some bending done regardless, you could get these to work like I eventually had to, but like me, you won't have as much ground clearance as you should.

Overall though, I'd have to say I'm "pretty" happy with the sound; not very, just pretty. The magnaflow 12568 (quieter than the 4) that I heard was too quiet for me, and didn't have the right tone I was looking for...but then again, only the $1500 bassani setup does, and that is more than just a little out of my prive range ("ten dollars for a lap dance?! how bout I give you 5 bucks...and I'll close one eye?!"- Chris Rock, Living Color).

The nicest thing about the ravin setup, imo, is that it is very manageable (when you want it to be) most of the time (highway etc)...which I didn't realize until after my straight pipe experience is VERY important), but at WOT there is no mistaking it; it's is L-O-U-D. I'd say it sounds best at constant rpm driving (lower speeds around town), but gets a little "raspy" under roll on acceleration (sort of an "underwater" muffled sound if that makes sense).

What I would recommend to EVERYONE though, regardless of what brand of exhaust you're thinking about, is to make sure you actually hear the exhaust you want to get in person on someone else's L instead of just taking other peoples (written) "word" on it and plunging in yourself. As has been said before, people have differing opinions about what sounds "good", and between my straight pipe mistake which many people love, and dual ravin "improvement" (not the solution), I'm in the hole almost $500 (which might not break the bank for most of you...but do you know how much money $500 is after doing the "college student conversion / equivalent"?! jk). Anyways, I hope this helps; later...

 

I agree with MXRacer on just about everything except the Midas installation. There are good dealers and bad, just like service shops. I had no problem with my install. They would not even drive my truck except to put it on the rack. I had these guys tear off the stock system and put on Flowmasters and then tear them off and put on the Ravins. I think the reason I trusted these guys was partly because of the vehicles they drove. I checked out the parking lot before I went in. There was an old Chevelle and a brand new convertible Camaro SS out back. I am sure there are some Midas shops that aren't worth a crap, but I found a good one near me. They said they would do any work I wanted done,even install a pulley,driveshaft,etc. Just find someone you trust to work on your truck no matter what you decide to do.

Mike

 

How much will 2 of 'em cost you? They look (sound) promising.

 

Well, I went to the shop and they were very cooperative. I wanted to replace the stock muffler and leave everything as close to stock. They spent 2 hrs trying things out with me and letting me hear them. The only series with a dual in/out was the Z-77 (quietist). I tried that and also two Z-55 single in/out side by side. I went with the 77 and believe me, it is NOT quiet by any means, just a good, low, throaty roar at WOT. Around town, people know its there, but not obnoxious. I am very satisfied with the sound and service that I received at my Midas and the best part is I can go back to the stock system in about 15 min.

 

DUCK01- I paid about $220 for the dual Ravins installed.

 

Thanks! I might have to take a trip down to Midas tomorrow.

 

Mine was $160 installed, but then again the Z-77 series are $30 more for the muffler. The 33's are only $99 a pop compared to $129 for the 77

 

I'm not going to go dig around for my receipt, but I'm pretty sure that I got bent over for about $325 for the total install of two Z-33's...maybe that's why I'm so bitter. After looking at the deal fully installed while it was on a lift the other day, I have a feeling that they didn't use the right diameter pipe. It looks like its one size (1/4", 1/8" ?) too small. I'm actually contemplating bringing it to another shop to get their opinion on if it is the wrong size too, and if so, have them fix it and try to get the Midas shop to pay for (some of) it. I have an feeling that that may be part of the reason it has that "raspy / underwater" sound I was trying to describe. In summary, I guess FASTRNU had the best advice in checking out what the guys that work there drive. I'd go back and check out my local dealer now...but I know that I'd just end up kicking myself in the *** the whole way home. Good mufflers, bad install. later...