stainless bolt in exhaust system

[bbullsj]

i'm looking to put a full stainless steel exhaust system on my truck. It is a 97 K1500 extended cab short box with the v8 automatic trans. I'm looking for a cat back starting at the main flange behind the cats. I have found a couple quality systems but they all include mufflers. Right now I just have 2 cats but no muffler and I never get pulled over for it being too loud. It has been liek that for 10 years now. I have put 2 new steel systems in it and am tied of it and want a stainless that will last significantly longer. Any ideas for a cat back stainless system that dooesn't include a muffler? How expensive would it be to just have a shop do it? All i need is the piping, have it mandrel bent and then hangers. I can clamp the tips on.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by bbullsj

i'm looking to put a full stainless steel exhaust system on my truck. It is a 97 K1500 extended cab short box with the v8 automatic trans. I'm looking for a cat back starting at the main flange behind the cats. I have found a couple quality systems but they all include mufflers. Right now I just have 2 cats but no muffler and I never get pulled over for it being too loud. It has been liek that for 10 years now. I have put 2 new steel systems in it and am tied of it and want a stainless that will last significantly longer. Any ideas for a cat back stainless system that dooesn't include a muffler? How expensive would it be to just have a shop do it? All i need is the piping, have it mandrel bent and then hangers. I can clamp the tips on.

out here we have these type shops that do this work. they bend ss exhaust pipes for fit. problem is you must tell them to install these so they can be removed when work is required. they like to just weld them into one solid piece. also the bolts/hangers should be ss..
my SS OEM 2000 exhaust is still working , I find that hard to believe , with how GM made so many quality failures on these trucks.

[Schurkey]

There was a ready-bent, inexpensive "universal" tailpipe in mandrel-bent Stainless from one of the major-brand companies. It was said to be suitable for GM and Ram pickups. This was a 3" pipe that exited behind the RR tire.

I went looking for the part number but I can't find it any more. Summit's records don't go back far enough to show my order.

It might have been Magnaflow 15035. At any rate, Magnaflow offers a limited range of stainless pipes, at reasonable cost.



Good luck getting mandrel-bent exhaust pipe at a local exhaust shop. Every shop I'm aware of uses crush-bent tubing.

[Schurkey]

Oh, yeah. I knew I forgot something...

If you have a catalyst but no mufflers, OF COURSE that truck is TOO LOUD. The possible exception is if there's some restriction in the exhaust such as a plugged catalyst or damaged pipe. I suspect that's unlikely in your case since you say it's been that way for ten years.

Relying on the lack of law enforcement efforts as evidence that your truck isn't too loud is foolish. There's levels of "too loud", and around here no-one gets a ticket unless they've gone beyond "irritatingly loud", past "hatefully loud" and are somewhere into "belligerently loud".

You might consider installing proper mufflers, and having your hearing checked.

[bbullsj]

Thanks for the input. I think i might buy a full kit to try to avoid rusting of welded seams but install an ss pipe where the muffler should go in the kit. I have true dual exhaust pipes so a one side kit will not work for my truck, nor does it give it the look I'm after.

Every vehicle I own is "loud" and I prefer it that way. I enjoy hearing the engines rpm's and shift points whether it be an automatic or manual. Too loud is a matter of someones opinion. It used to have mufflers on it but I didn't like the sounds so I had them removed by the shop that instelled them when I first got the exhaust redone. I enjoy the way it sounds without mufflers so I want to keep it that way. I may just have to live with a few welded seams rotting out every couple of years.

[ASJT3]

Originally Posted by bbullsj

Thanks for the input. I think i might buy a full kit to try to avoid rusting of welded seams but install an ss pipe where the muffler should go in the kit. I have true dual exhaust pipes so a one side kit will not work for my truck, nor does it give it the look I'm after.

Every vehicle I own is "loud" and I prefer it that way. I enjoy hearing the engines rpm's and shift points whether it be an automatic or manual. Too loud is a matter of someones opinion. It used to have mufflers on it but I didn't like the sounds so I had them removed by the shop that instelled them when I first got the exhaust redone. I enjoy the way it sounds without mufflers so I want to keep it that way. I may just have to live with a few welded seams rotting out every couple of years.

Just to throw my 2 cents in, I bought my used '93 K1500 without a tailpipe. Exhaust had rusted off at the cat. It was loud inside the cab (after long trips I felt like I had been to a rock concert), but not terribly noticeable ten feet away from the vehicle.

However, my '99 Suburban with a dual-exhaust setup (including mufflers) was extremely loud outside, you could definitely hear it coming down a block away! It was some knock-off flowmaster setup, no leaks, just pretty damned throaty and loud.