deciding on a cat-back system...

min9861 · October 29, 2004

i have a 04 silverado with a 4.8, ext cab, and sb. i was looking at some cat-back systems for my truck and i just dont know which one to get. flowmasters, magnaflow, gibson, etc. i kinda like the gibson super truck exhaust. anyone have any past experience with gibson exhaust systems? any other companys that i have not mentioned that i should know about? for my taste i think flowmasters are too loud for my ears becuase i got sick of it becuase i have it on my camaro. something that wont be TOO loud or drone. im also looking at performance gains. thanks alot!

99Silver6.0 · October 29, 2004

i have a 04 silverado with a 4.8, ext cab, and sb. i was looking at some cat-back systems for my truck and i just dont know which one to get. flowmasters, magnaflow, gibson, etc. i kinda like the gibson super truck exhaust. anyone have any past experience with gibson exhaust systems? any other companys that i have not mentioned that i should know about? for my taste i think flowmasters are too loud for my ears becuase i got sick of it becuase i have it on my camaro. something that wont be TOO loud or drone. im also looking at performance gains. thanks alot!

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Youd be happy with Magnaflow!! Flows really arent the best choice.

min9861 · October 29, 2004

i was going to get gibsons because i can get them really cheap. how are the sound and gains on gibson catbacks?

catiaeng · October 29, 2004

A lot of disucssion is taking place in the Heavy Duty forum. Follow this link, Exhaust System. I have read about 200 post about exhaust and decided to go with a Magnaflow muffler with mandrel bend pipes. Still undecided about single or dual out.

Hope this helps!

BJ

fluxu8 · October 29, 2004

I've got a complete cat back for my 02 5.3 Sierra coming tomorrow....it's the 22" muffler with the stock side exit. I'll post some pics & maybe a soundclip of it when I put it on.

GF7PE · November 1, 2004

I had gibson on my 2000. Rusted out in 6 months. Not sure why, the salt air may have played a part

kirkRHughes · November 11, 2004

I wasn't looking for a lot of sound, just a little rumble. I decided to try Meineke. They had a muffler I'd never heard of, Vortex looked Ok, Sounds nice and mellow. I didn't want a straight out the rear exit since I put my dogs in the back some times. I also wanted a more stock look, so no big chrome tips so it came out to a little over $300 with tax (our here is 9.25%) . They have a $15 coupon on there web site.

catiaeng · November 11, 2004

I had mine done last week, and WOW what a difference in the truck. I had a magnaflow put on and the shop bent new tubes for me. The stainless tip will be in next week.

I suggest the Magnaflow, it has a nice sound, not loud unless you get your foot in it and really mellow at cruzin speeds. I have had about 10 people in this past week asking about my exhaust. My muffler shop put it on with parts and labor for $250. I don't know where you live, but check out a non-franchise shop, they know their stuff, and have less overhead to charge. The same muffler at a franchise shop was going to cost $200, just for the magnaflow, labor and other material would be on top of that.

BJ

Eagleman25 · January 1, 2005

i have a 04 silverado with a 4.8, ext cab, and sb. i was looking at some cat-back systems for my truck and i just dont know which one to get. flowmasters, magnaflow, gibson, etc. i kinda like the gibson super truck exhaust. anyone have any past experience with gibson exhaust systems? any other companys that i have not mentioned that i should know about? for my taste i think flowmasters are too loud for my ears becuase i got sick of it becuase i have it on my camaro. something that wont be TOO loud or drone. im also looking at performance gains. thanks alot!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Get some JBAs. From www.truckperformance.com. Nice deep tone and good power increase. Sounds great. They have both stainless and aluminum.

budhayes3 · January 9, 2005

I've had my Gibson shorties and cat-back (single in dual out back) on my truck for almost 4 years now, and I gotta say it's held up well. I did feel an increase right after installation...although I started driving it pretty hard then too. It wasn't until just the other day that I realized how good it actually sounds. You see, nobody drives my truck but me so I've never had a chance to hear it pull away. It's fairly quiet in the cab (I hear the K&N FIPK more than anything), and very quiet at idle. The most that I hear of it is with the sliding rear window open under load. Well, I asked my wife to hop in it and just go up the block so I could hear it...wow, it sounded pretty decent. Not obnoxious, but deep and throaty. I know that Gibson doesn't seem to be a favorite of most, but it's been working for me, so I guess that until it rusts out or falls off of my truck, I'll stick with it

twin88cam · January 11, 2005

try the flowmasters. i installed the cat back system with the 70 series muffler and the single 3 inch pipe on my 89 k1500. no sound at all in cab. good low tone rumble out the pipe on acceleration. good fit,easy install. got a good price from jeg's

fastdrvr23 · January 12, 2005

I had a Gibson Catback on my 03' Mazda B4000 with the 4.0L V6, and it was ok. I didn't notice any performance gains, and just a little sound in the truck, mainly just resonance at ~1500 RPMS. Outside of the truck it sounded ok, mellow, but almost tinny...

I have a Magnaflow now on my Silverado and love it! You could get off a lot cheaper if you just bought the muffler and brought it to a shop to get installed.

I spent less that $300 total for a dual out the back setup. www.bigexhaust.com is where I bought the muffler, got two stainless magnaflow tips off ebay, and the pipe and install from the muffler shop. It's held up great for a year, no rust or anything.

Good luck!