Are all Cat-backs created equally?

Daryl

Well-Known Member
SN95 Supporter
Joined
Apr 5, 2020
Messages
2,815
Reaction score
1,294
Location
SoCal
After being shown by the muffler mechanic the other day how my current pipes are hitting/rubbing in numerous places, I got to wondering: Are there significant differences in the routing of available cat-back (or muffler back) aftermarket exhaust systems? Maybe with my lowered suspension the one I have isn’t the best/correct choice?
 

Jakespeeds

Active Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2015
Messages
292
Reaction score
60
Location
Camarillo, California
Daryl,

Unless you are tuning for mid to high RPM power then nothing I have seen about street exhaust system testing would lead me to believe there is much of a difference. There are notable differences. But I believe buying from a major manufacturer with high customer satisfaction rating will give you everything you want. Where exactly is the interference problem? If its going over the rear-end I would look at just taking it to a good exhaust shop to have some small modifications made. There is one in El Rio I would recommend.

Jake
 
OP
OP
Daryl

Daryl

Well-Known Member
SN95 Supporter
Joined
Apr 5, 2020
Messages
2,815
Reaction score
1,294
Location
SoCal
I suspected that, Jake! I will talk to my muffler guy about massaging the existing pipes further to reduce/eliminate where it’s hitting, and those points being:
1. noticeable and a bit alarming passenger side front of axle housing;
2. a bit of scathing above that point on the bottom side of the floorboard; and
3. the gas tank shroud melt-through atrocity (which we just remedied)
 

joemomma

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2020
Messages
1,225
Reaction score
733
Most "big name" cat-backs are going to pretty much follow the factory path. Now with that said - I've seen big differences in the QUALITY of said aftermarket systems. You tend to read about more issues with the cheaper brands compared to the more expensive brands. Maybe the cheaper brand is a little off in a bend here or there, which leads to issues with fitment. A little off at the front can make it a bunch off at the other end. More often that not, it's the material quality where the difference shows.
 

ttocs

Post Whore
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
32,383
Reaction score
5,557
Location
Evansville Indiana
I have to agree that there is a difference in both materials used and the quality of manf between the systems. Cheaper systems use thinner/cheaper materials and they do not care about the quality of fit.
 

PinkieT

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Messages
2,471
Reaction score
938
Location
Cleveland
I have to agree that there is a difference in both materials used and the quality of manf between the systems. Cheaper systems use thinner/cheaper materials and they do not care about the quality of fit.
Yep. Just got the cheapest system American Muscle sells. Needed to be cut and welded in a few places in order to fit right. Rear hangers were wrong. Good thing I got an open box system and paid only a third of the regular price.
 
OP
OP
Daryl

Daryl

Well-Known Member
SN95 Supporter
Joined
Apr 5, 2020
Messages
2,815
Reaction score
1,294
Location
SoCal
Yeah….. think I’ll let the muffler shop guy dice-n-splice mine and “pass” on an aftermarket replacement. I entirely agree with others here that they’ll all have to follow the same path. and I don’t want old school turn-downs; TOO LOUD AND DRONING sound in the interior!
 

ttocs

Post Whore
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
32,383
Reaction score
5,557
Location
Evansville Indiana
between the fuel lines and the driveshaft and the space the mufflers physically take up there are not a lot of options as to how they can be ran.
 

RAU03MACH

Legend
Joined
Apr 23, 2019
Messages
6,716
Reaction score
6,508
Location
NEW MEXICO
I think no matter how the system gets done its going to cost you
If you buy materials do it on your own you still need a bender welder hangers
If you buy a kit , sill cost you
Take to a shop , you pay for shop supplies materials, welding
No matter how the job is done , it costs


Me ill buy a kit and install myself
 

Flade

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2018
Messages
188
Reaction score
56
Location
Niceville, FL
Regardless of the brand or even the quality, if it is not installed well you will have issues. You can’t just throw it in. It takes a bit of tweaking and occasionally a bend here and there to get it to fit as well as the factory exhaust.
 

TrickVert

Active Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
585
Reaction score
389
Location
Woodland Park, CO
I had a Dynomax cat back on my '87,and was impressed with it at the time. The standout on that was the fact that the polished stainless portion went all the way up and over the axel, where most others were only the straight section from there back. I only polished it up for car shows, and it wasn't really visible, but it was a nice touch.

The shop that installed it took their time and made sure it fit up well. The tips exited evenly and a bit tighter to the bumper cover than the OEM pipes. Looked perfect.
 

J_lope82

Active Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2021
Messages
957
Reaction score
774
Location
South Texas
Make sure your engine mounts are in good shape and the engine is not sitting low. If your engine sits low it changes how the exhaust fits and you will find out when you change the engine mounts. I know.
 
OP
OP
Daryl

Daryl

Well-Known Member
SN95 Supporter
Joined
Apr 5, 2020
Messages
2,815
Reaction score
1,294
Location
SoCal
Good call, but engine mounts are brand new with the recent engine rebuild.
 

joe65

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2020
Messages
1,478
Reaction score
1,444
I have to chime in because its usually the 1st thing i mess with on a Mustang. My absolute favorite is Bassani and its not because of sound which i do like a lot but the quality. i have a magnaflow cat back on my car now and i fought with it going on and never have with a bassani. So as of right now i have a magnaflow x with cats and a maganflow cat back minus the mufflers which i replaced with Borla and i just picked up some bassani 4" tips because the magnaflow tips suck ass. So, my vote is for Bassani if you can find it or borla. Awesome fit and finish.

right now my 4v with my setup sounds really good. I go drive the car now just to hear the exhaust note. the x pipe and the stingers, just what the Doctor ordered!!

had to add this. mine sound practically exactly like this.
 
Last edited:

96blak54

Moderator
Staff
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
9,977
Reaction score
2,806
Location
In the shop
Im screwed....i hacked a summit brand 4.6l mid H pipe to fit the wider 5.4l. Nothing about this fits where it should. The exhaust hangs much lower than stock and it bangs against the main subframe on the passenger side. No tailpipes, no muflers. Only an H and then into an X dumped.

Loud and and rowdy
 
OP
OP
Daryl

Daryl

Well-Known Member
SN95 Supporter
Joined
Apr 5, 2020
Messages
2,815
Reaction score
1,294
Location
SoCal
Im screwed....i hacked a summit brand 4.6l mid H pipe to fit the wider 5.4l. Nothing about this fits where it should. The exhaust hangs much lower than stock and it bangs against the main subframe on the passenger side. No tailpipes, no muflers. Only an H and then into an X dumped.

Loud and and rowdy
That’s “a do-over”! Sorry it didn’t pan out for you. You know you’ll never be happy with it, so I say scrap it and get a proper kit or have a muffler shop run it back from the X, over the axle and out the back as it should be. You’ll be 10x happier and you won’t have a Frankenstein set up for an exhaust.
 

OpalFrostGT

Active Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2021
Messages
276
Reaction score
199
Location
Whitney,TX
I didn't really like new cat back prices so I made my own.

Wound up spending more :)
White95
But, after all the effort and money you invested, how do you feel about the final product vs the systems you did not purchase?
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
77,435
Messages
1,502,106
Members
14,917
Latest member
virocanah

Members online

No members online now.
Top