What would you buy?

I have a 1999 5.4L, extended cab, std bed, 4WD F150

I have an exhaust leak that seems to be coming from my manifold - sounds like a great time to replace the manifolds with headers, and while i'm down there, go ahead and do a cat back as well.

I know next to squat about exhaust systems

I know that the parts need to cost $1k or less, prefereably less.

I've read that some systems cause loss of torque - I tow, that would be BAD. So, no duals it sounds like.

From what I've learned, magnaflow makes a kick *** cat back kit. Not sure the cost.

Headers, it seems, have a wild variation in price, from $225 - $800 where I've looked. Edelbrock, BBK, and Hedman seem to be the most reasonable from a brand name/price perspective - not sure about the quality of any of their units.

So what do you guys think? I need advice on brands, coating options, installation tips/tricks (or should I just have someone with experience do it, and how much should i expect that to cost?). Also sources with good prices and service?

 

If I was going all out, I would get some long tube stainless ceramacoated headers, ditch the factory cats and run two highflows, and then do a true dual 2 1/2" stainless exhaust with two Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, along with an X pipe. Stainless 3 1/2" - 4" tips straight out the back.
I would have somebody install it, because I like to have my exhaust welded. And I tow all the time with my dual Flowmasters, no real loss of low end here.

 

http://www.secureperformanceorder.co...ord_truck.html

my buddy just put this on his 99. SEXY

 

hey socal858 did your buddy notice any hp gains they say they are getting up to 30rwhp thanks shawn

 

If he is towing, then long tubes arent wanted, He would want shorties, to help give him the extra low rpm punch that shorties offer.

Long tubes are gonna shift his torque curve higher into the rpms, and ohc motors already have a hard enough time makin low end grunt, give these motors all they can as far as help


Shorties, 2.25 true dual exhaut, xpipe and a 40 series flowmaster, I would never look back on that set up

 

interesting when i went from jba shorties on my 01 ram 360 to longtube hookers tq under 3500 the shorties away!
where did you get this info from??????????

 

the long tubes blew the shorties away under 3500 rpms in the tq dept.

 

other way around . .

 

no dyno yet, but heres an install article my buddy wrote for my other buddy who got the dynatech

http://www.truckblog.com/story-671-h...exhaust_system

 

like i said my numbers went up with log tubes-they were 1 5/8 just as were the shorties