Was putting new shocks on my truck last week and noticed that the part of the exhaust that goes over the axle has a huge dent in it. Is this something Dodge did from the factory? It has to be over an inch deep and 3-4 inches long. Lots of room between the bed and the exhaust so I have a hard time believing it could have hit something. The exhaust is all stock, still has the Pentastar on the muffler. Time for a Stan's 4 inch I guess.

Also, how much difference does straight piping a truck make? Truck is pretty loud as it is, does it make that much difference?

 

Mine has a stock size straight pipe. It isn't that loud.

Edwin

 

tallzag
Yep it's stock. This is one of the first things ya gotta get rid of to make hp. Don't know why they did it that way but they did.

 

My factory pipe had the same thing.
Knowing that yours is the same makes me feel a lot better about my trucks overall condition.
I saw that and the image of previous owners jumping rail road crossings and having that back end slam down so hard that it somehow crushed the pipe ran through my head.

if you want a cheap strait pipe fix, look at the "Exhaust Video" in my signature to see how mine worked out.
Everything from the muffler back is gone and replaced with a 90* exiting to the side right behind the cab.

With my 3" strait pipe, it really isnt as loud as you think. And as for the side pipe causing resonating in the cab, I notice very very little change. The only time its kinda loud is when my passenger window is down.

 

All my pickups, save one (had a Banks exhaust on it) have had that crunch in the tailpipe. My last 2 trucks have gotten a 4" tailpipe made by your truly. I took 2-45s and a 90 and made them similar in style to the 2nd Gen pipes. I used the OEM pipe as a template for where to make my angles and how far to offset, etc, etc. Tack weld in place, do a test fit, make changes if needed, then weld all the way around. I need to get another 45 to finish my tailpipe and make it exit the side where the stock pipe did, but it is a drastic improvement over stock.

Daniel

 

My stock tailpipe was SMASHED when I first looked at it. Looked like it had gotten in between the bumpstop a few too many times. Definately get rid of that restriction. That goes for the muffler too. I believe they cut down to 2.5" inside.