Hi everyone. This is my first post. This is a great site with great information and great people. Anyway, I have a 2003 3500 srw 305/555. Probably due to the heavy salting of our local michigan roads in the winter my exhaust has partially rusted out and I have basically already sawzalled about half of the exhaust off already. I have the downpipe and about 3-4 feet of tube left. I want to replace my exhaust and I thought this might be a good time to install an exhaust brake while I'm at it. I was thinking about a 4" exhaust from Summit Racing and a pacbrake. I have basic wrenching skills (oil/ fuel filter changes, brakes) and am considering doing this project myself.

1. Anyone with experience with the Summit Racing exhaust? Is it a reasonable project for the average wrencher?

2. Pac brake seems to be well liked on this site. Where is the best place to buy a pacbrake? How is the install of the pacbrake? Is this something the average wrencher can accomplish in a day or so?

thanks

 

1. I can not speak for the Summit exhaust kit as I am not familiar with it. I can say that I replaced my entire exhaust on my 2002 Ford PSD with a 4" Banks exhaust kit. It was pretty easy. Infact I installed one on my Dads PSD as well. You should just take the rest of the exhaust off and replace the whole thing. I would recommend Banks based on quality and price, though others poo poo Banks products based on price. I feel some of their stuff is reasonably priced (exhaust) and the quality is nice.

2. As far as an exhaust brake is concerned I installed my Pacbrake PRXB by myself with not one problem. Very nice kit and the best place to get one is right here on this site, though it is not listed in the store's website call Lary Ellis at 304-952-6896 and he will hook you up. Super nice guy to deal with and shipping was fast. You might even ask Lary about an exhaust kit to go with your exhaust brake.

Good luck and welcome to the DTR

 

x2 The install of my PRxB went very smoothly. It took a couple hours. One thing I found that helps is using a floor jack to support the downpipe when tightening the aft V band clamp. If your installing a new exhaust at the same time, it maybe easier.

 

Thanks for the info an input. I think I will go for it and try this myself. I will give Larry a call too. I'll let you know how it all turns out.

 

For some reason I did not have to use ths floor jack but thanks to this site I had it ready. One quick note: make sure that you have a torque wrench that reads in inch pounds as the V band torque specs are something like 80 or 90 inch/lbs. and yes you can convert the inch pounds to foot pounds by dividing by 12. I think I used something like 8 or 9 ft/lbs. of torque.

 

Aluminized 4" summit no muffler or look at rip rook or here on DTR. look at a donaldson muffler or nelson muffler for 70-80 and retain the stock exhaust quietness for 1/2 the price of what a big dollar muffler costs.

Im in my whole 4" system less than $300 with a donaldson 51" muffler and a shiney bling bling tip

The pac brake can be installed easily, i bought a used one for $300 on here so mines fixed orface. i got two wire pig tails from cummins for $12. two selenoids from kragen, some wiring, an old air bag kit 12V compressor, a small tank from here for $20, 12V compressor switch from summit for $30 wired in the ground to a swithc and intothe computer basically the same as the scematic from pac brake and for less than $400 i have the brake the compressor, and an air line for my air bag switches for in cab filling.

FYI the brake took about 2 hours to install and wire.