i don't believe that's the case on my 2012. it appeared to be stainless from the ball/socket flange to the muffler and then aluminized steel from there back.

 

I believe that you're mistaken (looks can be deceiving). Check it with a magnet - if it's magnetic it's steel, otherwise it's stainless.

Previous 2009 STX and current 2012 FX4 tailpipes are stainless steel.

Excerpted from the 2012 F-150 sales brochure ...BTW ... All of the 2002 thru 2013 F-150 sales brochures indicate the same feature. *Don't have brochures prior to 2002.
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Cheap stainless like T409 SS will sometimes attract a magnet depending on how "dirty" it is. The magnet trick is also used to tell if a SS appliance is in fact SS and not painted pot-metal


My stock muffler is barely a year old and already has surface rust spots all over it. If it is SS it's cheap garbage. High-end companies like Borla use T304 which has much higher corrosion resistance than T409

 

T'is true.

Doesn't mean that the "cheap" can't be polished (as evidenced by the pic' provided). Heck-fire, even plain-o steel with take some shine when polished (which I've also done in the past on other vehicles).
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Would recommend the following .....

 

this picture shows a comparison of aluminized exhaust tubes (two on the left with rust) versus T409 on the right. All pieces were exposed to water. The magnet is stuck really well to that piece of T409.



i happen to have a set of borlas made with T304 on my car. the magnet is upside down and sticking (although pretty weak).



this is a picture of a Magnaflow (T409) welded to my stock tailpipe (2012 XLT). The magnet sticks very well to both pieces. I have spotty rust on that tailpipe.



I'm sure I could polish what appears to be an aluminized tailpipe and make it look better than it does.

 

Not gonna disagree on that, it's just an eyesore. I just can't wait till I get a better exhaust system. Like a Borla ATAK!

 

That is interesting as mine is 3 1/2 years old and looks almost new. It has also been sitting in the yard for 11 months. Was in a snow bank for 6 of those

 

And I live in sunny no-salt no-snow Florida too! Ah well. As long as it doesn't rust completely through I don't really care. I just wish for the price you pay for a truck they would use some better steel. It gives me another reason to upgrade exhaust systems!

 

I decided I am going to cut the tailpipe off at the muffler. Then put a short turndown on the muffler. Out of sight out of mind. I really do like the quiet of the factory muffler/resonator.