Anyone that has had a stock 6.2 then started playing with exhaust. What are the do's and dont's? From the factory these trucks have a huge friggin muffler and a resonator as well. I've never had stock exhaust on my trucks but have always been partial to magnaflow products. Sound and tone are subjective but heres what I'm after. No drone, mellow tone at cruising speed with minimum cab noise, healthy howl at WOT. My 6.0 was nasty after just changing the muffler out and I had to go back and put a 3" resonator in the tailpipe to calm her down. That also could have been the fault of the cam I put in it as well but I did all the mods at the same time.

 

My 2 cents is don't even think of messing with the exhaust, unless you're talking headers. The stock muffler flows really well and the resonator is a direct flow through (no restriction). Someone on here had posted some photos a while back of the stock 6.2 3.5" muffler and resonator cut open and they appear to have little restriction. Unfortunately, by the time I saw that, I had bought a POS Flowmaster muffler and killed my power!
If you want to do an upgrade to the exhaust, put some ARH 1 7/8's on it, and, if you want loud and can do it legally, go with the ORY. That's plently loud with the factory muffler.
If you want to, you can add a cutout in the factory pipe but you would probably only need that if you are going to run Nitrous or forced induction IMHO.

 

Been there, done that.

https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...01#post4376801

If you want a performance sound and not too much noise, cat back
If you remove the resonator, the stock muffler sounds buzzy like a flowmaster.
If you do headers and catback, very loud.
Headers only, would work good and sound good.

I started with lts, cats and 3.5 m/flow. added a 3.5 resonator... still too loud.
went to 3" cat back, too loud, added 3" resonator, about right.

 

Sounds like a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it. I'm not doing headers just wanted a tad over stock noise level. Wish I understood why all of the LS bastards drone so bad and need double mufflers etc to shut them up and a SBC or BBC hardly every do it. I'm doin a drop and tune on this truck and thats it for powertrain mods.

 

I installed ARH 1 3/4 with cats and kept the stock exhaust. It sounds very similar to a Corvette Z06. No drone, quiet on the highway and almost too loud pulling away from a stop and getting up to speed. If you get on it, it is loud as hell. I am very pleased with the sound and have no intention of changing it. Good luck!

 

If you want some sound for little expense, this 3.5 stainless will fit,weld in.

http://www.hottexhaust.com/search_re...btnSearch.y=10

 

I've debated a set of the ARH headers without looking around how much are they running for a set. What does the *** dyno say after installation on your trucks. Bit further down the road a blower is the plan and save money from doing this that etc.

 

I've been looking at that muffler and have heard nothing but good things about Magnaflow. However, that has a center outlet and the stock muffler is offset (inlet and outlet). Is it possible to get that muffler to work without bending the tailpipe??

 

That is the first one I put on mine.

 

How's it sound^?