Gibson Super Truck Exhaust

Just recieved and installed the gibson super truck exhaust for my truck yesterday. I absolutely love it. It is loud and above that the tone of the sound is great, sounds really mean. I also made it up 5 floors of my parking garage at work without setting off a single alarm, which is a good thing in my opinion. At idle and low throttle it's medium volume, but when you step on it, it screams. Also looks awesone with the 2 rectangular tips just under the bed in front of the back tire. I'll post a pic or 2 later tonight. As always the parts fit was great, it used 2 of the three factory hanger locations and bolted right up. The only thing that is clamped is the muffler-to-adapter pipe, everything else came in the box welded together. The hardest part was getting the old exhasut off, and that wasn't hard.

Performance-wise, theres a definite improvement. From a stop or around corners the rear wheels definitely break traction much easier, there is a good amount if increased low end and the truck pulls harder all the way to redline.

I'm happy!

Congrats on the purchase and install.

I was also very impressed that the factory exhaust is not only fully stainless, but has true dual catalytic converters on the y pipes, and the large (probably 2.25") y pipes are mandrel bent from what I can see and join together in a huge 4" collector. I was going to do a K&N next but I think I am going to go with a set of shorty headers instead, since the rest of the exhaust could really benefit from them, unlike conventional Y-pipe setups where the pipes are smaller and only dump into a single cat and you would have to replace all that to see a real benefit from the headers. Too many decisions! Too many run-on sentences too! :)

Sounds great. What size engine do you have? I definitely want to add this to my 2000 5.3. I saw it on a Tahoe last summer and it looked great. I'm looking for a deep rumble at idle and get a little louder when I stomp the go pedal, but not to sound too much like an old farm truck, lol. Where and how much?

I put a set of shorty headers on my truck and noticed a slight improvement. Before that I installed a K&N FIPK and also removed the screen from the MAF and noticed a huge improvement. In order to get more air out of the engine you need to get more air in first.

Nucleus:

I have the 5.3 as well. This exhaust is not loud at all at idle inside the truck, but standing outside the truck it sounds mean as hell. Has a big block sound, very very deep. Stop on it and it sounds like nastruck. Real performance sound to it. Does not sound like a big exhaust leak like some other systems. I got it from Summit Racing, total with shipping was $309. Ordered it tuesday and ot was on my front porch Thursday.

Sonny:

Makes sense, the K&N is definitely on the list, and from what you say I'll probably end up getting it first, wouldn't hurt to wait for soem warmer weather so start a header job. K&N will be quicker to do and might be a better improvement at this time.

Great thread. Did you have to cut the old exhaust any?

Yes, it's either drop the axle or cut the old exhaust immediately after the muffler. No other way to get it down. As far as the install though, the entire stock system unbolts from a flange, and the gibson bolts up to the flange. There are no cuts on the actual install. The only cut is the one I mentioned to get the old pipe out from under the truck.

When you cut the old pipe after the muffler, do you mean towards the front of the truck?

No toward the back of the truck, just after the muffler. Like I said if you wanted to keep your stock exhaust in one piece for some reason you could drop the passenger side of the axle (U-bolts and shock) and remove the tire, and the exhaust will come out in one piece.

is that gibson stainless exaust for that cheap ($309)

No it's aluminzed. Limited lifetime warranty but I'm not sure of the details.

I've been looking at adding this system to my 4.8. Let me ask a stupid question....was this the swept side exhaust (one single pipe exiting the right side) or the extreme split (one pipe exiting each rear side)? Judging by the price I'm guessing it is the swept side. How would ya rate the loudness? Any resonance on the highway? Thanks for your help!

Red,

It's neither. I was going to go with the xtreme system (was $364 shipped) but I saw it installed and I didn't like it that much. The pipes under the truck were too visible for me.

This is the system that has two rectangular tips that exit on the passenger side in front of the rear tire. I've taken some pics tonight but it's dark out. When I get the truck cleaned up I'll take a better one to update my sig with.

Take a look:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/huminski/s10/st1.JPG

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/huminski/s10/st2.JPG

Steve,

Looks great (although I thought my truck was dirty! :lol: )

Thanks for the pics. I will probably order the same system. What I like best is the power increase you mentioned. I've bolted on exhaust systems to other vehicles and actually lost performance while gaining lots of annoying sound.

Are you getting alot of resonance noise in the cab while highway driving? Thanks again!

Sorry, forgot to answer that. It's not bad at all, highway driving you know it's there but it's not annoying at all. Now my father bought the same system in 1999 to install on his 1998 Ram 1500 with the 5.2 (318), and it was much louder in the cab in that truck. I'm not sure if they changed something along the years or not but on my 04 chevy it does not reverberate through your head ike it did on his truck. We both noticed that immediately when we test drove it. So to answer your question, no, there is no excessive resonance.

Steve,

Thanks for the info. The exhaust look almost reminds me of the Lightning I had...with it coming out the passenger side. Does the Gibson mesh well with the lines of the truck?

I think it looks good. If it ever gets above freezing and the snow melts I'll get it cleaned up and get a better picture.

i have an 03' 5.3 shortbed, standard cab, and i just put a granatelli MAF sensor, Brute Force Cold Air Intake kit, Edelbrock smog-legal headers, dual 3" high flow cats, dual two chamber Flow Masters with 3 " pipe, and Hypertech PowerProgrammer, and WOW, let me tell you, it's pretty quick. i raced and 00' SS camaro and hung with him, i have the bruise on my arm to prove it (my girlfriend was with me...ouch). i was very happy with everything, kind of pricey, but well worth it

hey does the exhaust give a throaty gurgleing sound or does it give that annoying import fart sound. and how much difference could you feel power wise. did it help off the line at all?

Definitely not a fart can. Very deep rumble at idle, and it's all V-8 sound all the way through the RPM range. It is a Nascar-inspired (nastruck) system and it looks and sounds like it.

I can definitely feel a power increase, as I mentioned earlier in the post the rear wheels break traction much easier now, for a few days after I installed it I was chirping the tires everywhere being used to the old throttle response.

Also, my gas mileage definitely improved. I haven't filled up yet to get a number, but generally I hit about 110-120 miles when I go to 3/4 full, then 200-220 when I get 1/2 full. On this tank, I hit 145 at 3/4 and am at 180 and still have a way to go to get to 1/2 tank. You need less throttle to keep it moving on the highway, just barely touching the pedal and I'm cruising along at 65.

I'm convinced!! I'm going to order it next week. It will be interesting to try something other than flowmaster or Magnaflows anyways. :smile:

very sleeper, looks great, thanks for the tips.

It might look sleeper, but it don't sound sleeper! Especially if you're in the left lane at a light, whoever is sitting in the right lane gets the full effect pointed right at them. :)

LOL,post them pics when the snow melts.