Aftermarket muffler without going to 4"

My truck is a 2005 with an egr delete, will have a cat delete also. I do not want a muffler delete, I also don't care to go with 4" exhaust. I have found exhaust kits and muffler deletes for a 6.0, but I think what I want is a 3.5" in/3.5" out muffler. I just hate the look of this giant stock muffler, I'm not looking to make it super loud but more turbo noise is fine. Has anyone done this to their truck or would like to recommend a decent cheap muffler? Thanks

After piece mealing it all together you can get a 4 inch for cheaper believe it or not. Plus look at the pipe after the muffler. Their isn't that much straight pipe left to clamp to.

Now people have done the deletes on the stock piping, so it is doable.

You can call some exhaust shops, I'm sure they make them.

Why do you not want a 4" if you don't mind me asking?

He probably wants to retain the factory look and fitment (and save money)

if you want turbo sound, get something from Donaldson or Nelson. The Donaldson website has all of the flow ratings and physical dimensions for their mufflers on their website.

Once you find the one you like, search for the part number on Ryderfleet.com for the best price, etc.

hth

Thanks for replies! I know exhaust is mostly about personal preference so it's hard for me to open an exhaust thread lol. The truck will be a lowered 2wd rcsb and I want the exterior to appear as normal, stockish as I can. Im thinking keep the stock tail pipe, stock position or some sort of turndown under the truck.
I generally like an aftermarket-but-quiet exhaust on a gas car or truck but I like the unique 6.0 noise. I figure there's no use trying to quiet this thing down, but don't want it too crazy loud either.

If you're after something that gives the factory look, then I would suggest a 4" down pipe back with your flavor of muffler and or resonator combo without a tip on it. I put a straight pipe version on my ECSB, modified the hangers and got tucked up nice and tight. Tighter and more factory than the stock exhaust was. If you don't know what you're looking for when you walk past you would have no clue.


-KCCO-

1BD9D7 said:

Thanks for replies! I know exhaust is mostly about personal preference so it's hard for me to open an exhaust thread lol. The truck will be a lowered 2wd rcsb and I want the exterior to appear as normal, stockish as I can. Im thinking keep the stock tail pipe, stock position or some sort of turndown under the truck.
I generally like an aftermarket-but-quiet exhaust on a gas car or truck but I like the unique 6.0 noise. I figure there's no use trying to quiet this thing down, but don't want it too crazy loud either.

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I like your style. I like an OEM look, myself. All of my 6.4's and my 6.0 run the factory tailpipe.

A muffler that I HIGHLY recommend would be a Donaldson M085171. It's designed for 4" pipe, but you could use a 4"-3.5" reducer on the tail end (the inlet can be welded up with no negative impact on flow, but you'd want to taper the rear to optimize)

It's a high flow muffler. They don't have a 3.5" muffler that flows more than half the CFM of this thing. It doesn't have any packing in it like most aftermarket performance mufflers, so the sound won't change over time, and it won't eat up the sound of the turbocharger. And, it's a very effective muffler, so it'll turn down the volume on the 6.0 bark.

You should be able to get it from Ryderfleet.com for around $100 shipped or so.

shmoozer said:

If you're after something that gives the factory look, then I would suggest a 4" down pipe back with your flavor of muffler and or resonator combo without a tip on it. I put a straight pipe version on my ECSB, modified the hangers and got tucked up nice and tight. Tighter and more factory than the stock exhaust was. If you don't know what you're looking for when you walk past you would have no clue.


-KCCO-

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What kit did you use? My biggest complaint about most aftermarket systems for these trucks is that the tailpipe exits at a 45* angle vs. the factory tailpipe that is pert near 90* to the body.

I just searched for the donaldson muffler and it would be a good fit plus a good price. On the forums (mostly cummins sites is where I found it) they report a mpg loss - is that likely to be an issue?

I'm somewhat in the same boat as what Forrest said. If my truck had the full stock exhaust, I would have a higher flowing muffler put on, and leave the rest of the stock exhaust, to be different, and not have some big ass tip coming out the back, looking like a duramax. When I bought the truck, it was factory exhaust, straight piped, with a 6" tip on it. I had a bhddy of mine who has a exhaust shop throw a stock 7.3 muffler on it, and we cut and trimmed the tailpipe to exit closer to the back tire, and sucked it up to the body, but I still despise it. FloPro has an exit which comes out in the factory location, but it's like an 80 degree exit..just a touch angled back, but hardly noticeable, I have thought about running that, with either a 4" to 5" single wall straight edge pencil eraser type tip, or getting a piece of 5" 90 degree chrome/stainless elbow and tucking it up nice and tight, and using that for the tip. That way from behind all you see is that clean, shiny section of exhaust. It'd look like stainless 5" exhaust, and then running a resonator on the truck to tone it down. I just hate big tips, real loud exhaust, or axle dumps, and the thought of getting soot all under my truck, or blowing up dust and road gunk and getting it caked under there.

My factory exhaust was actually at a 45 and I liked it that way.

I bought a 26" aeromuffler for my truck and I love the way it sounds not to loud just a nice throaty sound.

rentstdi said:

My factory exhaust was actually at a 45 and I liked it that way.

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not on your 6.0 it wasn't

David1089 said:

I bought a 26" aeromuffler for my truck and I love the way it sounds not to loud just a nice throaty sound.

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while effective, way overpriced... and the XL series has a packed style resonator section on it that reduces the sound of the turbocharger.

to the OP, you shouldn't see any reduction in fuel mileage with the 40" Donaldson unless it's from excessive application of the right pedal

I know for a fact that when I did the exhaust on my '06 that my fuel mileage went down and has stayed down! I put an '03 turbo on it and straight piped the factory system. But I drive it differently now because I love the sound of the thing. I'm definitely harder on the pedal than I was before.

Been thinking on this for a while, god knows why but I have. Your goals are fairly stock looking to something different but not obvious.

2wd lowered is what we are working with.

As I am another 2wd guy I can respect what you want to do. I like the stock look also and wanted to do the not so obvious when I changed mine. I run a 4in afe system with a muffler. btu after sooting the wife's car several times and having to clean that off wanted a solution. What I did was cut off the tail pipe and dumped over the axle. I ended up using the tip because I needed the length to clear the spare. The sound is nice and don't really have a drone or anything like that. the cab is quiet. It gives the truck a nice clean look. The other option I was going to do is the same thing that Rich (unbroken) did to his black Ford. I think it was 3 or 3.5 inch duals and tuck it up the rear quarters like the old dodge muscle cars did back in the day. He has taken down the pics but is was d@mn cool looking and got rave reviews. If you search Unbroken you will find out very quickly the he stuff is clean and done to the highest quality. just my thoughts for your solution.

Thanks for that post, I'm not sure I want to dump over the axle but it would certainly be a clean and unsuspecting look, plus would not have to worry about tip orientation after changing the muffler. Good to hear a positive review and I will probably consider that option. I am new here but I have already seen that Unbrokens stuff is damn clean

Have you looked into the walker btm (big truck muffler)?

If you only want a muffler for 3.5 inch pipe . Order a 4 inch muffler and take it to your local shop I'm sure they could shrink the ends to fit. Just an idea though.

I just ordered the donaldson 40" muffler, hoping to get rid of my cat and also use the factory tailpipe but I will see how it goes. I think I will like the muffler

1BD9D7 said:

I just ordered the donaldson 40" muffler, hoping to get rid of my cat and also use the factory tailpipe but I will see how it goes. I think I will like the muffler

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Good Luck man! keep us updated on how it comes out