Exhaust recommendations...been reading for weeks...on here.

[RangerRick13]

Hello all,

I've been reading for weeks on here and I have seen recommendations all over the place. I am going to do an exhaust and I am going to do an intake just for the pure health of the motor. After that I may have a tune done by ford seeing as I have the extended warranty and dont want to void anything. I'm not looking for noise but the best possible performance and quality. I am going to check but if a down pipe voids my warranty then that is out so it may be cat back.

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[outdoorphotog]

I have been researching exhausts, and i am about to pull the trigger on the Roush. It is quite a bit more expensive, but i think it sounds the best (through my laptop speakers). I liked the MBRP one too.. and is half the price... but i feel like its YOLO time.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

I had a lengthy discussion with the owner of a local muffler shop that specializes in performance exhaust and he told me that it didn't matter who makes it. Any of the straight through performance mufflers will be noticeably louder than stock. If you want a straight through muffler but want it quiet or close to stock then definitely will need to add a large resonator before the muffler. Otherwise there'll be a drone with it because of the tiny post resonator is not large enough to cancel it out. I put a 3" Borla ProXS on mine and he said it'd make noise on the freeway. At idle and light throttle it wasn't bad but heavy throttle and freeway speeds it indeed picked up a drone that my wife noticed and commented on. Dissatisfied with that and not wanting to add another resonator, he recommended the DynoMax Super Turbo 3". There are cheaper versions than this one being a full 3" all the way through. The cheaper versions are only 3" inlet/outlet and the internal piping is 2.5". Now keep in mind the downpipe to the muffler is 2.5" and then increases to 2.75" on the stock muffler outlet. So going full 3" like I did you make up some of the losses for the double turn the flow has to make inside the muffler compared to running one with 2.5" internals. While not having the same flow rates as a straight through or baffled muffler, it's significantly less restrictive than the stock one while being only slightly louder. The muffler is very well built and they have been around for decades. So there is no concern for quality provided the shop does a good job installing it.

And he was right. You can just hear the truck inside the house on a cold startup. Has a very nice and deep tone to it that you'd swear was coming from a much larger engine. Then falls silent as the engine drops to normal idle. Under normal city driving it is no louder than stock in the cab but you can hear the smooth deep exhaust note when accelerating under a freeway underpass. There is absolutely no raspy note to it all. Freeway speeds are nice and quiet with no hint of drone at all. If I had a GoPro I'd catch a video of it when driving.

Definitely worth looking into if you're looking for something better than stock, but very quiet.

Here is the best comparison video I could find for it.

 

[808matt]

My first choice was the Borla duel exit but I went with the flow master flowfx instead Since it was half the price. It had the growl I wanted but videos are very deceiving, it is quite louder than expected but I do also have the SPD dp installed also. The loudness doesn’t bother me but I’m sure it annoys my neighbors. they make a lot of noise so fuck them

 

[JaysOnTheEDGE]

The flow master looks like a good kit for the price for what your getting and you could always swap the muffler and still be cheaper than some of the other kits

 

[FULLSCALE]

I haven’t installed it yet but I went with the MBRP side exit. It was priced the best aside from the Flowmaster. I went with it because it’s not supposed to be overly loud, but the main reason was that it is made from 304 stainless which will last much longer than the 409 stainless that the Flowmaster and Magnaflow kits are made of. Also, it’s made right here in Ontario, Canada!

I really wanted a dual side exit but I just couldn’t justify the price tag!

 

[ranger]

The Mbrp exhaust in my opinion is quiet. I put it on my truck you can’t hear it at cruising speeds and regular driving. When you get on it you hear it a little bit but not loud at all.

 

[FL.ranger]

MBRP here, I like it. It’s not overly loud. Let’s be real, it’s a 4 cylinder truck. Let’s not highlight that. The MBRP is all you need and for the price, unbeatable imo.

 

[RangersLeadTheWay]

Just put on the AWE exhaust yesterday. Loving it so far - sounds great, no drone, and not obnoxious.

 

[Racket]

Exhaust systems aren't likely to void warranties.

All I can offer to this discussion is what went into my decision to go with the Magnaflow: stainless steel 3 inch over stock 2.5 diameter pipe - you can find that in lots of alternatives. I imagine changing the diameter is going to have an impact on sound down the pipe. It's a clean install and didn't break the bank. I got mine from HotExhausts delivered with a discount around $700 (black single outlet).

When it came to noise, I wanted some return on my investment but experience reminded me an overly-loud exhaust creates a certain fatigue. Borlas are loud. I think the Ford performance version might be manufactured by Borla under contract? The Magnaflow is throaty and somewhat assertive. We all realise no one is going to mistake the Ranger for a Raptor.

The anti-drone feature of a good exhaust system seems really important and keep in mind with the fake audio enhancement of the stock exhaust it's a real engineering consideration.

As for styling, if you want the 'bling' of dual pipes or multiple outlets you'd have to be okay with the extra weight. It will add noise too.

I'd take issue with thinking that aftermarket intakes are going to improve the 'health' of your motor - it does not seem that they provide better filtration than the stock configuration and the performance increases - when graphed out - any flow increases aren't worth the potential extra wear. I think top-quality air filters like WIX are going to be a better investment.

I installed an oil catch can in part to keep my intake system 'clean' and for the 'health' of my motor.

I totally agree that the stock Ford exhaust on the Ranger is a blemish to the styling of the truck.

304 vs. 409 Stainless Steel: https://help.summitracing.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3932/~/what-is-the-difference-between-304-and-409-stainless-steel?

 

[RangerRick13]

I had a lengthy discussion with the owner of a local muffler shop that specializes in performance exhaust and he told me that it didn't matter who makes it. Any of the straight through performance mufflers will be noticeably louder than stock. If you want a straight through muffler but want it quiet or close to stock then definitely will need to add a large resonator before the muffler. Otherwise there'll be a drone with it because of the tiny post resonator is not large enough to cancel it out. I put a 3" Borla ProXS on mine and he said it'd make noise on the freeway. At idle and light throttle it wasn't bad but heavy throttle and freeway speeds it indeed picked up a drone that my wife noticed and commented on. Dissatisfied with that and not wanting to add another resonator, he recommended the DynoMax Super Turbo 3". There are cheaper versions than this one being a full 3" all the way through. The cheaper versions are only 3" inlet/outlet and the internal piping is 2.5". Now keep in mind the downpipe to the muffler is 2.5" and then increases to 2.75" on the stock muffler outlet. So going full 3" like I did you make up some of the losses for the double turn the flow has to make inside the muffler compared to running one with 2.5" internals. While not having the same flow rates as a straight through or baffled muffler, it's significantly less restrictive than the stock one while being only slightly louder. The muffler is very well built and they have been around for decades. So there is no concern for quality provided the shop does a good job installing it.

And he was right. You can just hear the truck inside the house on a cold startup. Has a very nice and deep tone to it that you'd swear was coming from a much larger engine. Then falls silent as the engine drops to normal idle. Under normal city driving it is no louder than stock in the cab but you can hear the smooth deep exhaust note when accelerating under a freeway underpass. There is absolutely no raspy note to it all. Freeway speeds are nice and quiet with no hint of drone at all. If I had a GoPro I'd catch a video of it when driving.

Definitely worth looking into if you're looking for something better than stock, but very quiet.

Here is the best comparison video I could find for it.

I kinda dig the mag straight flo

 

[HenryMac]

I totally agree that the stock Ford exhaust on the Ranger is a blemish to the styling of the truck.

One man's blemish is another man's savings.

It's great that Ford kept it simple. That keeps costs down so the masses don't have to pay for something that simply isn't needed.

But for those Ranger owners that do think it's an issue, they can chose to spend more of their money on any of the multiple aftermarket options or perhaps even make something of their own.

Just like the "Tailgate Damper" or the "Extending Bed Step". They aren't needed either.

 

[Ranger 4 Play]

I second the AWE exhaust. Makes me smile when i step on it, but cruising on the highway i barely know its there

 

[pull string get cookies]

One man's blemish is another man's savings.

It's great that Ford kept it simple. That keeps costs down so the masses don't have to pay for something that simply isn't needed.

But for those Ranger owners that do think it's an issue, they can chose to spend more of their money on any of the multiple aftermarket options or perhaps even make something of their own.

Just like the "Tailgate Damper" or the "Extending Bed Step". They aren't needed either.

Good points. For me, the damper was a must; wife and 9 yo son made it a necessity, along w/ running boards. Height is a factor here. One great thing about this truck is the robust aftermarket and Ford accessories that should satisfy most peoples wants and needs. Regards

 

[MannyS]

I have been researching exhausts, and i am about to pull the trigger on the Roush. It is quite a bit more expensive, but i think it sounds the best (through my laptop speakers). I liked the MBRP one too.. and is half the price... but i feel like its YOLO time.

Can you post a video when installed?

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