I want to put a custom exhaust on my 06 5.4 F150. Here's the part that is hard for me though...i honestly know absolutely nothing about exhaust!!! I never even thought about doing a custom exhaust until i got this truck. I've been reading and searching all of these exhaust threads and trying to wrap my head around it all before i made post, but here goes.

Basically i just want a nice deep clean rumble/growl etc (if that makes sense), something that will sound good when i start it up and at idle, and even better when i take off. I want the truck to sound sort of loud, but not enough to bother people when i come home from work at night. As it is now i can't really here much, and it's just one pipe coming out the right side behind the tire. I definetly dont want to lose any performance/power or anything, and gaining would surely be a plus. I like the idea of having dual tips, one coming out behind each tire, or both straight out the back. I want one of those looks, just not exactly sure which one yet. As far as money wise i'm not looking to spend loads of money, but willing to spend what i need to acheive the above.

I know a lot of you guys have boat loads of knowledge in this stuff, so i appreciate any and all suggestions and comments. And if i'm lucky i might even learn something in the process.:o

Thanks guys.

 

You will want a Magnaflow 14" si/do muffler. Heres a sound clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2znb-s0w80o

Very calm and mellow and deep sounding.

 

That's how I started out with my exhaust. First just replaced the original stock muffler with a 14" Magnaflow. It sounded MUCH better, quiet in the cab, but you could tell it was much more throaty and deep. It kept getting louder for about 6000 miles (breaking in) and eventually I wanted it to be even louder, which is when I went to the True Duals X-piped with High Flow Cats. (Sound clip in my sig)

As for the dual out, you can do one of a few things, 14" SI/DO, 14" SI/SO and put a Y on the SI, or run duals through one muffler (acting as your Y pipe) DI/DO.

The straight up muffler swap would be your cheapest route, cost me $125 including gratuity just to swap the mufflers out. When I did my current setup, I bought all the parts from performancepeddlar.com (low prices and free shipping) traded my old cats for part of the labor (about $200 worth) and paid cash for the labor balance.

 

duals Y piped running into 1 muffler isn't healthy for the engine, the pressure will make it sound weird and pop a bit too much. Single outlet with a Y pipe behind it wont sound as good as a dual outlet muffler either, si/do is the best way to run that setup and perform great.

 

Ok, so it looks like i'll probably be getting the Magnaflow 14" SI/DO. What else would be recommeded to buy along with that, as in pipes and tips, kind, size etc? I like the tips to be bigger than the dinky little thing i have on now.
I think i'm leaning more towards the tips exiting behind each rear tire.

Would there be any performance loss with this set up? Would i need to go somewhere and get it tuned or something afterwards?

And one more question, i was looking at the Roush Off Road as well, would that be a good option to consider too, or should i just do the 14" Magnaflow SI/DO?

Thanks Guys.

 

Here's what it looks like now (if it helps any).

 

You can buy a kit that has all of it already put together all you will need to do is take the old one off and put the new one on. It is the easiest way if you are going to do it yourself. If you are paying someone you can just take them the muffler and tips and have them up them on for you and they will custom bend pipes as needed.

Another option for an exhaust system is Roush Off Road Exhaust. There are plenty of members that love this exhaust. I like the fact that at start-up and take off its load then it gets quite so no cab drone. And all of my neighbors really like it as well and don't think it is to loud. If you want a sound clip I have one just click my sig and it will take you to the video of it.

 

Great choice. I vote against buying the cat-back kit, buy the muffler and tips for half the price of a cat-back, go to the exhaust shop and tell them how to install it and walk out with atleast $150 more in for pocket.

Get nice stainless tips ofcoarse. Figure out what kind you like and what size. You will need 2.5" inlet tips, outlet whatever you want, 3.5 - 4" looks best side swept on these trucks. I prefer a rolled edge, and 4" looks perfect, with an 18" length body, looks best for side swept in my personal opinion. Browse some nice tips on Summit. Click the options to help narrow your search. I love my Magnaflow 4x18 tips.

 

Darren,

I love the way that looks on your truck, looks awesome! And thanks for the help.
May i ask why you vote against the Roush Off Road (just curious)?

05 sprcrw,

I dont plan on doing it myself, i'll be looking for a good shop to install it. Your exhuast sounds really good!


Thanks to everyone who's posting suggestions and helping my exhaust ignorant a$$ out!

 

Ok, first I had a typo, mean to say Y pipe on the SO, my bad.

Second, not sure what you mean about not healthy for the engine...our trucks come stock Y piped into one muffler. Maybe you meant it needs that travel from the y pipe under the passenger floorboard to run to the muffler?

Thirdly, x2 on the dual outlet sounding better than single Y'd.

I was just giving options

 

im pretty sure other people will agree with me, to go against a already put together its alot cheaper to buy a muffler and tips (if you want tips) and get a shop to do it,

and if you like growl check my exhaust out

 

Sounds good!!!
But whats up with the crackle/popping?

 

Ok, well i think i am going to listen to you guys and save myself some money and just buy the muffler and tips. I'm going to get the 14" Magnaflow SI/DO, What tips should i get, should i go Magnaflow on those too?

 

way to go on the magnaflow!

a lot of times the shop will have tips already, and they're a lot cheaper than buyin some magnaflows or whatever. im not sure about the quality of the shop's vs. magnaflows, though. as long as the tips are stainless, you should be fine. ohh, and i would recommend going with the longest tips available so that you dont see the rusted pipe, just the shiny tip.

thats the nature of flowmasters. dont get me wrong, i love that sound, and especially f150fella's, but i chose magnaflows because they are better for your torque.

 

I like Magnaflows line of tips.

Thank you. I'm not against the Roush off-road, i'm just against buying the $570 Magnaflow cat-back exhaust while for a low fractrion of the cost, you can buy the muffler, tips, and have the shop install it much cheaper, much less than $400.


Ah ok. Yeah too much travel will make it lag performance. Where the OEM Y pipe is, the pressure is strong enough to flow and hit the muffler at the right pressure.