6.2L Exhaust Recommendations
06-15-2012, 03:36 PM
#31
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thanks!
06-18-2012, 08:52 AM
#32
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Update:
I got my ARH Headers and installed them last friday, Here is my brief description of the headers and what the exhaust shop is working on today to wrap the system up.
ARH 1 7/8" Longtubes with Catted Y:
First thing I noticed was zero instructions in the box with the headers (guess I expected some) but quickly did not care as truckin had a spread about installing some kooks in this months issue so i quickly read that for some tips.
Second thing I noticed was as everyone has said and until you see for yourself with the ARH "You get what you pay for", are they worth the price tag? Well i'm not sure on price to produce them, but they are most definatly Grade fricken A when it comes to quality! Better than expected to be honest and if anyone has zero racing experience or experience around cars with high quality exhaust, these things are every bit as nice as most drag headers i've seen.
Third thing I noticed was that yes, the gaskets that come with the ARH are not the best, similar to ones I have seen leak before.
Forth thing I noticed was the primary collector with scavenger, HOT DAMN! I never thought I would get turned on by some bent pieces of pipe! (My non-motor head buddies thought I was a complete mental when I was sending picture mail calling these things head goddess').
5th thing I notice, stock cat back is an easy removal even with 1 guy and just a jack, stock y pipe, different story! I took it for a quick trip with the stock cat back removed and at idle I have heard numerous high school kids with piped 5.7 vortecs that were louder than this, except at WOT. Back to the stock Y pipe: I got the trans cross member out easily and had jack support under the trans, however the bolts on the mantifold to the y pipe were tight even after penetrating lube! First one came off with my small electric impact and the last 5 took a serious 1/2" torque wrench in which case I thought I cracked a socket a couple times when the nuts broke loose. Also the stock Y pipe is a heavy pig!
sixth thing I notice was the stock mantifolds and o2 sensors were easy removal and then what I dreaded was installing the headers. Well again ARH came through and I dropped the passenger side in from the top and had it down in place and tightened up in less than 10 minutes by myself (reused stock gasket and mantifold bolts). The driver side was a bit harder until I realized, well lets try bringing it up from the bottom and bam! Thing was in just as easy. By far the easiest header install I have ever done with out a doubt and they fit great!
seventh thing I noticed was the Y pipe on the ARH was quick and easy and no issues with it or fitment, almost like it came from GM performance or something.
Only concern I have is the steering shaft is aweful close to the driver side header so Im thinking of getting some heat wrap and wrapping it? Has anyone done something similar?
Overall from someone who seriously considered the following brands of headers:
Pacesetter, Calspeed, LLP, OBX and texas S&P, stainless works and kooks- not knocking any of these companies whatsoever! I am more than happy with the headers by ARH and went with them for american made, american steel, quality, customer service, fitment and others reviews. These headers fit like nothing I ever expected, they honestly fit as well as the stock system andI highly recommend them! They are worth the money which is a not chump change but you have no issues of getting an ORY or anything like that, no problems with them and in my opinion, if you have a $25-$45k truck, I don't think its a good choice to buy cheap exhaust (made this mistake on a old truck and it cost me dearly) and that was the main reason I went with the ARH over other brands. As my old man says "go big or go home" But seriously For any novice to pro, you would be very happy with these pipes they are exceptional. Boy does it sound mean when I drove it to the shop with open headers!
I got my ARH Headers and installed them last friday, Here is my brief description of the headers and what the exhaust shop is working on today to wrap the system up.
ARH 1 7/8" Longtubes with Catted Y:
First thing I noticed was zero instructions in the box with the headers (guess I expected some) but quickly did not care as truckin had a spread about installing some kooks in this months issue so i quickly read that for some tips.
Second thing I noticed was as everyone has said and until you see for yourself with the ARH "You get what you pay for", are they worth the price tag? Well i'm not sure on price to produce them, but they are most definatly Grade fricken A when it comes to quality! Better than expected to be honest and if anyone has zero racing experience or experience around cars with high quality exhaust, these things are every bit as nice as most drag headers i've seen.
Third thing I noticed was that yes, the gaskets that come with the ARH are not the best, similar to ones I have seen leak before.
Forth thing I noticed was the primary collector with scavenger, HOT DAMN! I never thought I would get turned on by some bent pieces of pipe! (My non-motor head buddies thought I was a complete mental when I was sending picture mail calling these things head goddess').
5th thing I notice, stock cat back is an easy removal even with 1 guy and just a jack, stock y pipe, different story! I took it for a quick trip with the stock cat back removed and at idle I have heard numerous high school kids with piped 5.7 vortecs that were louder than this, except at WOT. Back to the stock Y pipe: I got the trans cross member out easily and had jack support under the trans, however the bolts on the mantifold to the y pipe were tight even after penetrating lube! First one came off with my small electric impact and the last 5 took a serious 1/2" torque wrench in which case I thought I cracked a socket a couple times when the nuts broke loose. Also the stock Y pipe is a heavy pig!
sixth thing I notice was the stock mantifolds and o2 sensors were easy removal and then what I dreaded was installing the headers. Well again ARH came through and I dropped the passenger side in from the top and had it down in place and tightened up in less than 10 minutes by myself (reused stock gasket and mantifold bolts). The driver side was a bit harder until I realized, well lets try bringing it up from the bottom and bam! Thing was in just as easy. By far the easiest header install I have ever done with out a doubt and they fit great!
seventh thing I noticed was the Y pipe on the ARH was quick and easy and no issues with it or fitment, almost like it came from GM performance or something.
Only concern I have is the steering shaft is aweful close to the driver side header so Im thinking of getting some heat wrap and wrapping it? Has anyone done something similar?
Overall from someone who seriously considered the following brands of headers:
Pacesetter, Calspeed, LLP, OBX and texas S&P, stainless works and kooks- not knocking any of these companies whatsoever! I am more than happy with the headers by ARH and went with them for american made, american steel, quality, customer service, fitment and others reviews. These headers fit like nothing I ever expected, they honestly fit as well as the stock system andI highly recommend them! They are worth the money which is a not chump change but you have no issues of getting an ORY or anything like that, no problems with them and in my opinion, if you have a $25-$45k truck, I don't think its a good choice to buy cheap exhaust (made this mistake on a old truck and it cost me dearly) and that was the main reason I went with the ARH over other brands. As my old man says "go big or go home" But seriously For any novice to pro, you would be very happy with these pipes they are exceptional. Boy does it sound mean when I drove it to the shop with open headers!
06-18-2012, 09:01 AM
#33
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Update on Cat Back system:
Going 4" off of the ARH collector to a 4" magnaflow muffler (typically used on diesels), it is a 20" muffler (I will get the part number when I pick it up today (hopefully)). From the magnaflow it is a single 4 inch outlet mandrel over the axle and the shop is going to Y the 4 inch into dual 2.5" pipes and send it to my two 3.5" stainless black tips in the stock location (I wanted something high and tight for off road and something you dont see on every truck). Hoping they wrap it up today at the exhaust shop so i can get some premium in it and get a data log file for justin at BB to get it tuned ASAP. As for pipe I went with aluminzed steel for a few reasons: 1. price (cheaper) 2. Stainless was a 10 day wait to special order and i need the truck 3. I'm not too concerned with the aluminized rusting out before I get a new rig, stainless was prefered but I'm willing to comprimise.
Also want to note I have the full stock exhaust system that I plan to sell, so if anyone is interested, I have stock mantifolds, 3 catted Y pipe and full cat back system. Nothing has been cut up and it has all mounting hardware. I will include the 3.5" band clamp that came with the ARH headers to mate the cat back to the Y pipe (stock clamp I ran over when I pulled my car out of the garage). PM me if interested. I will throw the system up on the classifieds asap.
Going 4" off of the ARH collector to a 4" magnaflow muffler (typically used on diesels), it is a 20" muffler (I will get the part number when I pick it up today (hopefully)). From the magnaflow it is a single 4 inch outlet mandrel over the axle and the shop is going to Y the 4 inch into dual 2.5" pipes and send it to my two 3.5" stainless black tips in the stock location (I wanted something high and tight for off road and something you dont see on every truck). Hoping they wrap it up today at the exhaust shop so i can get some premium in it and get a data log file for justin at BB to get it tuned ASAP. As for pipe I went with aluminzed steel for a few reasons: 1. price (cheaper) 2. Stainless was a 10 day wait to special order and i need the truck 3. I'm not too concerned with the aluminized rusting out before I get a new rig, stainless was prefered but I'm willing to comprimise.
Also want to note I have the full stock exhaust system that I plan to sell, so if anyone is interested, I have stock mantifolds, 3 catted Y pipe and full cat back system. Nothing has been cut up and it has all mounting hardware. I will include the 3.5" band clamp that came with the ARH headers to mate the cat back to the Y pipe (stock clamp I ran over when I pulled my car out of the garage). PM me if interested. I will throw the system up on the classifieds asap.
06-18-2012, 08:49 PM
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Dual 3.5" tips installed.
Picked the truck up from the exhaust shop, the guys do a ton of exhaust work and they loved this thing. They really wanted to hear it under a load so i knew it was going to sound great. It has a loud rumble to it when you get on it but is very quiet at highway speed. It is exactly what I was hoping for and it seems to not have much exhaust drone at highway speed. I realized today how bad the truck needs the BB tune cause it falls on its face when it shifts now, it has a ton of hesitation in the shifting. So to correct this I drove around tonight and had some fun while i did a data logging on the Autocal and got the file sent off to justin at BB. Cant wait to get it back and get it installed. i will get pictures of the entire system. The shop painted it black with heat paint for me as well. All I can say is if anyone is looking for exhaust 4 inch is not out of the question with the L92, it has noticable power increase over stock with the ARH Long tubes and the 4 inch cat back. It is definatly louder than stock across the spectrum, low rpm through high RPM, city or highway. I don't mind the sound and I think its a bit louder than the Corsa's I have heard. I would say if you want an agressive sound but you do not want to be obnoxious or look like a high school kid with the pipes that "rapp" this is perfect and with a resonator or bullet it would quiet it down to a tad over stock I would think. I will get an idle clip with a few revs and maybe a driving clip up as soon as I can with my phone and get it into a format that the forum accepts. Stay Tuned!
