I have an 04.5 dodge 2500 and I want more sound. I don't want to much sound where it is annoying. I figure if I lose the cat it will equal more power than if I lose the muffler but I figure losing the muffler will give me more sound. Am I right about this or wrong?

 

The first thing I did to my truck when I got it was remove the muffler, but kept the cat. Sounded pretty good. Wasnt as loud as I wanted. But Im still running it 2 years later. It sounds good, louder than stock, but not as loud as a straight pipe turbo back does...

 

Don't touch the cat, all we need is more ammo for the feds to require smog checks on our diesels. Remove the muffler and dump it in front of the rear axel. Pull the turbo ring and add a BHAF. That should do it.

 

When I first bought my truck I ditched the muffler and left the cat. I really liked the sound, not too loud, not too quiet... But then I started working the motor a little more when towing and it was annoying loud and it droned while towing...

Now I have ditched the kat and have a Donaldson 40" under there.. I am super happy with it in all modes (thou I am adding a Megacab resonator to kill the high freq from the EB at idle)

 

My cat is blown out, and I have an MBRP straight thru muffler on it, and you'd think it was stock. I'm thinking next the muffler has to go, these diesels don't want to make sound. When I pull my 5er it has a little roar to it, but barely. I think if you get it just the way you want it, it will be to much when towing though. It's so easy with a gas truck to get it sounding right, just loose the mufflers, or turbo muffs. and they sound just right too me. I've heard some nice Fords around here though, sounds like their spooling up a JT-8 turbojet.

 

That's because of the variable vein turbos...we won't be able to get that sound. I've never ditched the cat on any of my dodges but took all the muffs off and it sounds good, no drone, but not real loud, this go around I too was thinking of straight piping it.....you could always add a muff later if it's too loud. The one thing i dread is drone.

 

I have the cat, but the muffler fell off a while ago. I like it. Make sure it's hung well and tight, and you won't have a drone.

 

Did I just say my truck is well hung? I meant make sure you use enough exhaust hangers, and that they are all carrying an equal load. Also, ensure that the clamps are tight in a natural resting position, not tweaking or holding the exhaust straight - that's the hangers' job.

 

I emptied my cat and ran stock exhaust for quite a while. Then I got a wild hair and took off the empty cat and added a short resonator to the stock (muffler and all) exhaust. Faster spool up, I noticed that right away. I wouldn't waste my time with emptying the stock cat, just take it off.

If you wanna run an empty cat, I'll trade you mine for your full stock one.

 

That was good right there...haha!!

 

I think that the air filter is the key to the big rig sound. I put 5" magnaflow on without the muffler and while it was louder than stock at idle it was nothing like I expected it to be. I did install the magnaflow muffler and I have a little drone when under load, but at cruising speed all is quiet. That is what the radio is for anyhow, to drown out the sounds.

 

If I take off the cat and put in a piece of pipe will there be a difference in the sound?

 

I still have the cat but ditched the muffler and love the sound. Being a Megacab I do have the resonator and that might be a big difference.

 

Yeah, little deeper and a little louder, not much though.

 

My muffler and Cat were gone the day after I bought my truck