I have a 98 Dodge Ram Pickup. It's got the stock exhaust, but I'd like to put on a new exhaust system to get more sound and more horsepower. I dont' know much about how the exhaust system works.
I'm a do it yourselfer, I replaced the plenum gasket in this truck, replace the AC system myself, and know I can handle the job, but what all needs to be done?
What kind of cost am I looking at?
I'm up for suggestions as to what sound to go with. I'm not so sure about cherry bombs, but want something deep and throaty.
does the sound come from the muffler, or the pipes?
Will it improve my MPG's?
Would I have to replace the pipes if I replace the muffler?
Do I have to change the exhaust manifolds? Will the bolts be hard to take out, will they sheer off if I'm not careful?
What tools do I need?

Never done anything like this before, so any info would be appreciated.

it all depends on how much you are willing to spend. the first thing i ever did to my '01 ram was cut out the stock muffler and put in a glasspack. had my local mechanic do it cause the stock muffler is tack welded in. cost me fifty bucks and i loved it. didn't notice any power or fuel mileage gains, but people were always commenting on how good it sounded. i just swapped my whole exhaust system and i like the way it sounds now too. long-tube headers with 1 5/8 primary tubes, 3" into and out of single high-flow cat, 3" into flowmaster 50 series muffler and dual 2.5" out the back. however this setup cost around 1200 bucks. my personal recommendation would be a good aftermarket cat-back system from flowmaster or gibson to start. they both make a good product to my knowledge. there are cheaper systems out there, but i am not familiar with them. a flowmaster cat-back system will run around 4-500 bucks and you can install it yourself with minimal swearing and bleeding.

Thanks for the tips. Right now I'm not lookin to spend more then a couple hundred bucks, so perhaps I'll look into having a glasspack put in. Any particular place you'd recommend I take it? Is Muffler Man any good?

i heard mufflerman will do ur exhuast for around $100 they will run dual pipes out the back

Dude, do not put a crappy glass pack on your truck. Buy a quality Muffer like Flow Master or Gibson and have a shop install it. It can be done for 200 or less. A cat back system would improve your performance and that just includes a new muffer and new pipes that go from 2 1/2" to 3". Look at some on-line shops like Truckperformance.com they have a ton of different set ups and you can do it yourself like I did.

I'll check it out, Thanks Turbo. You did your own system? I've heard there's a little bit of welding that needs done, and that it's better to have a shop do it. Is welding not really necessary?

I'll check it out, Thanks Turbo. You did your own system? I've heard there's a little bit of welding that needs done, and that it's better to have a shop do it. Is welding not really necessary?
No problem. Yes I did my own system. I did not have to do any welding. If you buy a kit it just bolts on from the rear of the Cat to the rear of the truck. Most systems use factory hangers as well. If you just replace the muffler then you will have to weld it on.