Well, my long awaited Gibson Side Swept stainless arrived and is installed. This is the single 3" exit pipe behind the rear wheel. Here's my first impressions:
1) I got what I ordered...a quite system. Almost too quite.
It's a tease because the tone is killer, nice and deep, however I can only hear it at 1600-1800 rpms, then it drops out with the next gear shift.
2) I didn't notice any immediate increase in torque, acceleration or throttle response, maybe with time the computer will put the Superchip, air flow and exhaust together to make improvements.
( I did a computer re-set afterwards).
3) It goes on easy, but both the muffler-joint pipe and the angled turn-out pipe had to be trimmed with a sawsall. The giant clamps are ugg-lly, I had someone weld a bead between main pipe and the turn-out pipe and ditched the gaint clamp there.
4) The only thing shiney is the polished tip, the rest of the Stainless is a grey-brown burnished color. I polished up a couple feet of the exhaust pipe to blend better with the tip before I installed it. If you do this, I'll pass along what I learned, polish the last 1.5 ft of the main pipe and the first foot of the exit turn out pipe. (the second foot is trimmed and/or covered by the polished tip anyway.)
5) I think I'll like it in the long run, it's awful quite, but the tone is great.
Winder
5.4 2001 Flare-side ext. cab
leather, deep wedgewood blue
nerf bars, Superchip, modified air intake, Gibson catback

 

Hey Winder, I too ordered the Gibson Stainless catback and actually called them when I got it to complain about the colour of the pipes. Thought for the price I was getting a complete stainless system. I am happy with the sound just wish it sounded that way all the way through the RPM's. I also had the whole system welded on because it looks a lot cleaner and was worth the 100$ Anyway, my question as silly as it may sound is how do you polish the pipes?? I think mine would look better (dual out the rear) of the last 2 feet were polished. Any info would be great!

------------------
My Ride:
2000 Flareside EC/SB 4.6 4X2 (Harvest Gold)
Air Raid FIPK/w K&N filter
Gibson Split back duals/w tips
Power Aid throttle body spacer
Westin nerf bars (Black)
Lund vent shades, bug shield
V-Tech tail light covers (painted to match)
Tinted Windows
Factory street flares (painted to match)
(added and chg'd mudflaps)
Factory grill w/honeycomb insert
(swapped out plain chrome one)
Tow Package (III)

Future Mods:
Fabtech 3 1/2 lift with
Eagle 589's/tires to match


View my Ride: http://www.f150world.com/trippn/

 

Hey Trippn: So how does the Gibson dual sound? Can you ACTUALlY HEAR IT AT IDLE - 1000 RPMS (I can't hear the SS at all there.) Actually, the system is steel - I checked it with a magnet. Rather or not it is Stainless, I'm not sure but it ought to be as that's what Gibson advertised. Otherwise I would not of wasted my time polishing some of the pipes. What I did: I had two grey foam 2-sided sanding pads. 1 was coarse/medium the other was medium/fine. I started with coarse and sanded lenght-ways only (if you sand across the pipe, you'll never get the scratches out.) This got rid of most of the striations and the brown color. Them I went to medium and then the fine. At this point the pipes were a nice even silver but not the mirror finish like the polished tip. ThenI went to 0 steel wool. This put a slight mirror finish on them, but not near as good as the tip. I quit there after about 1 hr. of this labor. I think I could of kept going with 000 steel wool but I was beat and they looked OK now. I guess you'll have to concentrate on whatever parts of the surface you can get to since the system is already mounted. I am sure you can improve on the looks no matter what.
Winder

 

Thks for the tip Winder, if I have spare time I will give that a try because it really does look awful. As far as the sound, yes I can hear it at idle and it only gets better with the lower RPM's. It is just the sound I was looking for...not too loud and not to soft. I am sorry you are dissappointed, maybe give Gibson a call and see if they have a money back deal or maybe they will swap it out for the Super Truck which is very deep sounding. "Always remeber he who makes the most noise will get served first" (I know this works for me) Good luck with it, I know the feeling of dissapointment!

[This message has been edited by Trippn (edited 03-09-2001).]

 

Hey Widner, If you are disappointed with the sound of your Gibson swept side, then go get the muffler that you want (louder), cut out the Gibson and sell it to me. I can't use the whole system because my truck is a 1996. It would be real easy because I live just across the bridges in Baytown. Just trying to be helpful :> ) I'm not trying to be a smart**s, I'm serious. Just let me know if you don't get used to the quiet Gibson. Later, Martin

------------------
1996 F-150 5.0 w/Superchip, K&N air filter, Motorsport 9mm plug wires, LineX bed liner

 

sorry forgot this:

mwkellner@hotmail.com

------------------
1996 F-150 5.0 w/Superchip, K&N air filter, Motorsport 9mm plug wires, LineX bed liner

 

MWKellner: Hey thaks for the offer. I'm not too disappointed,
I just wish it was a tad louder. Besides, I have a feeling it is going to be louder once I start towing. But, I will keep you in mind if I do decide to swap it out....By the way, I used to have a '95 5.0L F-150. The best thing I ever did for it was a Ken Bell
ram air system. I don't know if they still make them ($200), but it was the best bang for the buck for my 5.0L. Thanks, Winder

 

I too, got the Gibson SS 2 weeks ago. It is very quiet, only a bit deeper. When I "step on it", it is only a slight bit louder, hardly noticeable. The reving engine drowns it out.

As I have posted in another post in aftermarket exhaust, I had a chance to do a good fuel mileage calculation without the Gibson, the only mod was a K&N filter. Then another calculation in almost the same conditions, this time with the Gibson, WMS power tube, Helix TB spacer, and my Superchip which I used to have in, but took out when gas prices for premium skyrocketed where I live. I just ran it this time with regular. Well, I got 1.2 mpg worse(!!) with all the mods, if that isn't a step backwards...

If any of you have any ideas what mod reduced my mileage, I'd love to hear it! I suspect one of three things: 1. Running the Superchip on regular. 2. The TB Spacer (which I read all the posts on this "paperweight", and then still got it! Duhh...). 3. Perhaps the authorized Gibson dealer and installer put my muffler on backwards. Do any of you guys know which way the baffles should look if I were to take it off and peek through the holes? I doubt this one, but I'd still like to check on their install. Any ideas/info would be apreciated, because I am quite upset to have spent all this money, and then keep having to pay more!! Thanks.

 

I have the gibson super truck and love the sound at idel. It really sounds good when the engine winds up. So easy to install too.

------------------
97F150 4X4 OFFROAD K&N CAI POWERAIDE TB SPACER, GIBBSON SUPER TRUCK CAT BACK

 

Thought I'd jump in. Mine has been on for about 10 months now, and it looks as bad as the remaining stock pipes!

I've done a few SS exhaust systems in my life, this one was by far the lowest grade of stainless, if it can be called that.

I'm very happy with the performance, however for over $400 I expect it to look much better at a year old. The clamps were not stainless either.

Planning on contacting Gibson. My Borla which is a year older is in much better shape overall.