Article Advise

submitted: Jul 15th 2008 | by: JasonLancaster | Total views: 1 | Word Count: 688 | |

Truck owners love how powerful their vehicles are. Trucks need lots of power because they're designed to haul and tow heavy loads without difficulty. However, many truck manufacturers use fairly quiet exhaust systems on their vehicles, despite their powerful engines. If you want your truck to sound as powerful as you know it is, or if you're aiming to reduce the constrictions on the exhaust, then consider adding to or altering your truck's exhaust system.

Luckily for you, the factory exhaust system on your truck is efficient, and can be easily improved with just a few modifications. The exhaust manifold is the first component of the exhaust system. It directs exhaust from each cylinder together into one or two main exhaust pipes. These are usually fairly efficient and don't need to be replaced. If you decide to change them though, find a good set of headers with ceramic coating and factory mounting points for sensors. Usually though, the factory exhaust manifold will be perfectly fine for your needs.

After the manifold, exhaust travels through the catalytic converters. These are already very efficient and legally required to be on your truck, so you're much better off leaving these alone. The only time you'd do really do anything with the factory catalytic converter is if you were adding an extremely powerful upgrade to your engine, such as a turbo- or supercharger.

As they leave the catalytic converters, exhaust gases will cool down a bit and enter the muffler. The factory mufflers usually aren't too restrictive, and replacing them won't make a huge difference in the amount of hp or torque you get. The average change is about 3-5 hp and 5-10 ft-lbs of torque. After market mufflers, however, will make a dramatic change and are definitely worth the money. Your truck will sound much better! After the mufflers, exhaust exits the truck via the tailpipe. You can add tailpipe tips to this part, but it'll be purely for decoration purposes, and won't affect the exhaust system in any way.

Obviously, the most logical thing to do if you want to make a change to your exhaust system is to exchange the factory muffler for an after market one. It'll produce the biggest, most noticeable results. Consider this when looking at after market mufflers:

First, will you be happy hearing the exhaust ALL the time? If you're not too sure you'll want the background noise to include exhaust drone every time you drive anywhere, try to choose a muffler that's not described as loud. Your local muffler shop and the Internet are useful tools for choosing a muffler that suits your needs. Some muffler manufacturers will even have sound clips on their websites now to help you create that perfect roar.

Second, do you want your muffler to be just loud enough for passersby to hear, or do you want a loud that will make people stop and stare? If you're looking for that extra attention, you'll want a muffler with words like "racing" or "glasspack" in the description. Otherwise, these mufflers may be too loud for your tastes.

Another important choice when considering a new muffler is single or dual exhaust. Remember, most factory exhaust systems are pretty good. If your truck came from the factory with a single exhaust, it will work just fine and give good performance with a single after market exhaust system. Dual exhaust systems cost more money, but they look and sound better than single exhaust systems. If you decide to go with a dual exhaust, make sure that your installer works around your trailer hitch and/or leaves room for one in case you want to add it on later.

The last thing to consider is exhaust system material. You should make this decision based on where you live. Drivers who live near saltwater will want to invest in stainless steel. It may be more expensive, but it'll hold up again saltwater corrosion for much longer than galvanized or aluminum steel. If you don't live near a saltwater environment, stainless steel will be a needless expense. If rust ever gets into your system, it will take years for you to feel the effects.

About the Author

Author Jason Lancaster, a car business veteran, created AccurateAutoAdvice.com. You'll find accurate car buying tips and car advice.

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