LTs+true duals, more rebuilds. Experience exchange

[badvik]

I saw a lot of posts with the problems around the loudness of LTs or true duals. Let's summarize or exchange the experience in this thread.
I start with mine.

I had SW LT's and SW exhaust complete with Turbo mufflers. The pipes are 3". First couple of monthes were great, but then the noise became too annoying. There was no drone, just it was too noisy, especially at the highway and continuous driving.
A couple of months ago I've replaced original SW mufflers (small 13" pieces of pipes with the metal around them) with 2x18" Magnaflow (also 3" - 3") mufflers. First weeks were awesome - LTs with true large pipes were bringing great and deap pulsating sound and combined with 18" mufflers, instead of 13", made it as quite as stock up to 1500 rpms, and after there was REAL sound. It seemed to be louder then it was with SW mufflers, and more pleasant too. But.... now, after two months or so, things have changed. They are loud even up to 1500 rpms - just light pull the gas fills the cabin with bad sound vibrations, and I've become the baddest 2000 drone I've ever had (before SW LT's I had 1x18" Magna, then Flowmaster, then switched to LTs+true dual) and sh*t, at full throttle they are loud as all devils are roaring at the hell. I asked a friend to drive the truck and heard it aside - damn it is stunning. I also feel I have problems with torque at 1900-2200 rpms (or just feel like that)

Now, I don't know what to do. Should I buy new 2x22" Maggies, or just cut everything out. Another variant is to cut mufflers out and put the resonators just before the ends...

 

[N1ck]

Cheapest solution is probably adding a pair of resonators, the longest you can get.

I'm planning on getting LT's at somepoint this summer, I will more than likely out my factory muffler back on to reduce the noise.

 

[MyOhFive]

I've read from several people now that LT's with anything more than the stock muffler gets too be too much. Before the dollar tanked I was planning ARH LTs and I was going to leave my factory muffler alone.. IF i wanted more sound I would put on the 24" maggy.

The one thing people often forget is exhaust systems DO actually break-in and get louder.. even my stock ram has more rumble to it now with 9k kms on it that when it was new.

When I built my last truck it had pacesetter catted LTs and a full custom 3" system with a SI/DO flow master 40HD... first 5k with it it was very pleasant, nice rumble at cruise and a roar at WOT... after 5K on the system it unleashed the ******* beast. That thing sounded straight piped everywhere i went lol. I didn't care because it made that cam sound AWESOME.. but i'll never let this truck get that loud lol.

 

[Two Dog]

Maybe a Hushpower muffler?

http://www.summitracing.com/int/sea...U&sortby=BestKeywordMatch&sortorder=Ascending

 

[badvik]

it seems we need to find the general solution for such problems - the large mufflers (if yes - then chambered or pipeline inside), normall mufflers but then some resonators just at the end etc.

I've written to Magna and Flowmaster, will share then their thoughts.

p.s. have never heard abour dBX / PRO series from flow. The mostly vids are for small displacement cars and trucks. But thanks for the info, will learn more about them as they seems to be the high flow mufflers.

 

[Tat2hemi]

Badvik, arh LT cat y-pipe to 3" exhaust cutout to the 22" magnaflow with 2 1/2" dual tail pipes finished off with 2 1/2" inlet 18" long 5" round tips is my setup now. After spending much money I'm totally satisfied now. Before I had the 18" small body magnaflow before headers and it was good but after the headers too loud and then I put on a spintech pro series muffler on and I was like what the hell was I thinking way too loud, next 22" Maggie and it has been the perfect sound for me, even as the Maggie broken in. Just my experience .

 

[badvik]

Tat2hemi, but you have a single 22" Mag, am I right? Haven't quite good understand what do you have at the end, sorry, my poor english ))

p.s.found a great reading about mufflers and its types:
Understanding Muffler Design and Sound Absorption Strategies - Street Legal TV

From the all I have read up to now, if not to consider the larger "cans", the only variants I see are Flowmaster PRO or CB Elite. The power loses must be lower with PRO, I think?

 

[Talon_66]

I've got SW LT headers, no cats running into a dual in (3")/ dual out (2.5") Magnaflow crossflow muffler and I don't find my system loud at all.
In fact I wouldn't mind it a little louder. In utilizing the factory resonators/tips.

I've been debating on going to a Spintech muffler

Another option would be sound dampening the rear wall of your truck to cut down on noise.

 

[badvik]

Talon_66, any drone at 2000 rpm? What is the size of cross-muffler?

Do you mean the sound isolation of the cabin? It can reduce the sound level, but won't reduce vibrations and drone.
I have complete 3" SW exhaust pipes, it means high-flow cats and no end resonators. Nothing but the pipes. So 2 18" perforated pipes (I mean MF) cannot hold the noise. But this drone at 2000 rpm and a feel of contra-pressure are poor.
p.s. MDS is off.

 

[Talon_66]

Badvik

No drone. I have a 22" muffler. The part # is in my signature. Sound dampening/deadening your rear wall would help

 

[powderbrad]

Loud = good.

ARH lts and 14 mufflex here. 10000kms with the sounds fine.

 

[Tat2hemi]

Yes I have one muffler.