mcbagpiper

Gents, as noted in the title I'm thinking about deleting the muffler on my '15 5.0. I've searched and read through multiple threads on this topic and still have a few questions for those who have done this or heard one in person. I like the sound of the stock system at 3/4 to full throttle, but I would like more volume/rumble at idle and slow cruising. I don't want any drone on the highway. On my previous truck (Tacoma) I tried a few different cat-backs and it sounded great around town but my wife hated the highway drone (1,500-2,000rpm).

From a price perspective I'm not looking at a cat-back system right now so I'm focusing on the stock muffler and/or the resonator to achieve the ideal trade-off between sound and noise. I don't want a really loud exhaust so doing both muffler and resonator isn't really an option.

Option 1: replace stock muffler with aftermarket - Based on what I've read/heard it sounds like anyone who's simply replaced the stock muffler with an aftermarket unit (Borla, MF, Flowmaster etc) didn't get much, if any, noticeable improvement in the sound except for up top or wide open throttle...which I think the stock one sounds fine.

Option 2: delete stock muffler and keep stock resonator - online videos seem pretty good and most feedback I've read through my searches have been positive. There have been some who say it's still reasonable (i.e. not too loud) and similar to a cat-back for a fraction of the price and others who say it's way too loud removed. I know sound/noise is very subjective but the key here is whether or not the exhaust is loud in the cab. I'm thinking the differences in opinion depend largely on how the exhaust is finished (i.e. dumped right after the resonator vs. carried to the stock exit point behind the rear tire). Has anyone deleted the muffler and continued the exhaust to the stock exit point? How is the sound in the cab? A little increase in the interior volume is fine...

Option 3: remove stock resonator keep stock muffler - given the purpose of the resonator (remove drone) this would be the least logical option, however I've read a few reviews saying this provided the modest increase in volume the owner was looking for when paired with the stock muffler. The benefit to this approach being you can swap in a resonator delete pipe without hacking up the stock system. Has anyone removed only the resonator on a '15, and what did it do to the volume and drone?


Thanks in advance!

NCLou

https://www.f150forum.com/f118/reson...uality-316756/

I had some of the same questions.

doctorschlachter

Delete or replace muffler but keep resonator. Otherwise you could run into some undesirable drone at certain speeds.

kawi.hooligan

i removed stock muffler n kept resonator. was quiet on idle. sounded like a reservation rocket under anything over 50 % throttle

immediately bought an exhaust kit

id say put an aftermarket muffler in stock mufflers place
that being said an aftermarket muffler ( a decent one) and shop time will cost u probably around 400 bucks.

03Fx4Black

I highly doubt $400 that's steep as hell. I was quoted at $450 for a full cat back exhaust. I paid $150 for a new muffler and labor...

kawi.hooligan

well i got charged 140 to chop off my muffler

then i was gonna have them put on a flow master muffler which woulda been 200 + another 140 shop rate

i paid 700 for a full cutback instead of getting a muffler put on the stock system
(also remember canada- our dollar sucks bag right now)

03Fx4Black

oh well Canada would be a bit diff $$

redranger04g

I removed my resonator, 3" all the way back to a flowmaster 40. Sounded mean around town, but drone was too loud on the freeway. Replaced 3" with 2.5" pipe back to resonator, then 3" from resonator back with a flowmaster 40. Deep sound, not too loud. Cost me about $250 to have it all done

mcbagpiper

Thanks for the replies. As noted above we tend to get screwed from a cost perspective in Canada, even when we purchase within our own borders. By the time I pay for the removal of the stock muffler, purchase of an aftermarket muffler and the install it's probably at least 1/2 the cost of an MBRP cat-back. At least the cat-back can be installed (and removed) at home without having to pay someone.


Kawi - when you say quiet on idle you mean there wasn't much of a noticeable difference at low speed? In other words wouldn't get me what I'm looking for...

kawi.hooligan

ya at low speed i could barely notice.

where u from i put a mbrp exhaust on my truck, i might be getting rid of it shortly n order the roush myself