Hello,
I have a 1997 F-150, supercab. Color is white, with tan interior. It has the off-road package, as well as a cd changer, all power. I added a pace edwards bed cover, which I like alot. I mostly use my truck for driving around, but also I carry my scuba diving gear in it, and move firewood. I occassionaly tow a jet ski. The truck has approx. 26,000 miles on it and I have installed the K & N air filter. I get about 15 1/2mpg in town and about 19 1/2 mpg on the highway
I have added Dee Zee's Black Guardian Running Boards to the truck, and on the drivers side, I have added the Guardian Box board. I want to put the box board on the passenger's side, but the truck has the old style exhaust, which has the tailpipe portion before the rear, passenger side tire.

My question is, will I have any problems if I cut the tail pipe portion off just behind the muffler, have a muffler shop bend a new pipe, and clamp it on the muffler, having it come out behind the rear tire, as the 98's and up do? Will I lose any power or get any problems?
Thanks for any advice.
Dave


[This message has been edited by divedeep (edited 07-24-2000).]

 

First things first - Welcome to the F150online Message Boards!!

No, you won't have any problems moving the exhaust exit to behind the wheel. In fact, Ford had issued a Technical Service Bulletin instructing the service departments to order the necessary parts and relocate the tail-pipe behind the wheel. This was to accomodate those people complaining of exhaust fumes as well as corrosion forming on the wheels and caps from the exhaust condensing on the metal.

You won't lose any power by making this change. Hey - how 'bout having the muffler shop cut off the muffler and install a nice Flowmaster or Dynomax while they are under there. You can even have them install duals out the rear, or one out each side behind the wheels.... Oops - sometimes I just seem to go into overdrive a weee bit to easily...

Tom in Tacoma

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1998 F150 XLT S/C 4.6L Auto, 3.55LS, 4X2, Moonlight Blue, all the factory bells & whistles except for leather seats.

• Lund Deflector
• Lund Premier Tonneau Cover
• K&N Filter
• Body-color painted Throttle Cover
• Blue wire-looms
• Pentaliner S/R
• Window tint
• Ford side-steps
• Infiniti component speakers - front
• Polk Audio speakers - back
• Superchip (OH YEAH!!)
• Flowmaster 50 Series 'Delta-Flow' w/ 3" pipe
• Clear turn signal lenses

Tom in Tacoma

(Washington not Toyota)
Go check out http://communities.msn.com/SS97FordsPics for the second best website for F150's

 

Divedeep,

I had a flowmaster Delta 40 3" in and duel
2-1/2 out installed last week .. exiting in the stock location behind the passenger rear tire. I had them angle out a bit and put on stainless steel slant tips .. I mean .. I love it. That is not offered from cat back companies that I could find. Cost me $250 with the tips. As far as sound .. it was louder then I thought .. but you know .. these 150's are sooo damn quiet .. it was quite a difference ... I would rate the standard muffler a 3 on a 1-10 scale .. and the delta-flow 40 a 6 or 7.

Hope this helps

Russ

................ o&^o Share the Road

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1971 F-250 Camper Special Alaskan Camper
1998 F-150 Lariat S/C 4x4 5.4L Line-x Flow Master 40
2000 Explorer XLT Mach Audio SOHC

 

Well, I'mn gonna disagree a little bit. Having a shop ram bend the tubing will seriously reduce the flow of the exhaust. Your best bet would to either have Ford replace it under the TSB or buy a cat-back with mandrel bent pipes.

 

Russ,

Did the shop mount the new muffler in the factory location or did you have them move it farther back under the bed? I just got my FM 40 Delta Flow a few days ago and I'm trying to figure out where the best location is to reduce the resonance in the cab. Some say to have it mounted under the bed close to the axle but I don't know the exact place. I don't want the shop drilling unnecessary holes in the rail or into the bed. The instructions that came with it say to use a heat shield if it's not going to placed in the fact. location.

Shelby

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'97 F-150 XLT S/C, 4.6L, Blk/w chrm trim, SB, 2WD, Md. gray int., sliding glass window, power drivers seat, CD changer, Deflecta-Shield sidesteps, window deflectors, rear sun shade, rear side window covers, hood air deflector, slotted (paint to match) tail light covers, Snug Lid tonneau cover, chrome brush/grille gaurd, Class III towing package, fact. wheels/tires, and K&N filter.

Future mods: WMS Velocity Tube, FM Delta Flow 40 cat-back system, and Superchip

 

Hi Shelby GT (I hope you have one .. lucky guy of girl)

As you know now .. the Delta 40 have a body length of only 13 inches .. and is 19 overall. This is much shorter than your stock muffler. The muffler guy that did mine just lined the front of the Delta with the bed gap and went fom there. My 5.4L has 2 shields above the old muffler .. and the Delta lines up with the rear one... They left the front sheild in place .. Sense there is gap between them, I am going to have them move it back against the rear sheild if they can. As far as drilling unnecessary holes in the frame.... these guy do all their fastening with the welder ..

Hope this all helps ..

Russ

 

Russ,

I appreciate the info. I forgot the flowmaster is smaller (shorter). My 4.6 also has what looks like two heat shields. If I too have the shop align it under the rear shield, it will be farther away from the cab gap and more under the bed. I was also looking at the factor muffler and hanger. It looks like it can be turned 180 degrees which would allow you to move the FM farther back yet and use the factory hanger. Maybe even move the heat shield too.

As far as having a Shelby GT...I wish....my dream car is a '69 500/KR. But for now I have a '65 coupe.

Colin

[This message has been edited by ShelbyGT (edited 07-27-2000).]