Question about exhaust resonator

[Z3CHYD]

its funny, i noticed on the first gen b2's, they have resonators, but first gen rangers don't, just the cat and muffler. And a stock exhaust'd 1st gen ranger is pretty quiet....

 

[goodolboydws]

As someone else pointed out in less detail, the exhaust on a Bronco 2 is ALL under the passenger compartment, so any exhaust piping or muffler resonance present will be under that passenger area, while most of the Ranger's is behind the passenger compartment.
Mine's an '86 B2 and I can tell you from personal experience with HIGHWAY driving with and without the resonator, (and with and without aggressive mud and snow tires) that without a resonator in the stock position or within a couple feet of the main muffler, the exhaust drone definitely gets old in a hurry-and is almost guaranteed to give you a headache after a couple hours. But if you run mudders or very open tread tires you'll never hear it on the highway over the tires.

 

[gw33gp]

I installed Magnaflow muffers to replace the droning Flow Masters on my 69 Fairlane Cobra. It toned down the drone but did not get id of it. I think the combination of the big bore 428 CJ engine and the Fastback make the drone amplify. After 12 years of putting up with it I am considering resonators. I like the sound of the exhaust but the drone at around 2,000 rpm is uncomfortable. That is about 40 to 45 mph which is normal street speed.

 

[goodolboydws]

I installed Magnaflow muffers to replace the droning Flow Masters on my 69 Fairlane Cobra. It toned down the drone but did not get id of it. I think the combination of the big bore 428 CJ engine and the Fastback make the drone amplify. After 12 years of putting up with it I am considering resonators. I like the sound of the exhaust but the drone at around 2,000 rpm is uncomfortable. That is about 40 to 45 mph which is normal street speed.

Check out this thread in Vintage Mustang Forum :
New 428scj build - looking for feedback on flowmasters

There is exhaustive GOOD information about mufflers, drone, etc., etc.

 

[lvwill]

I've looked at both of my 90 b2s and haven't seen a resonator anywhere. Just a muffler. Where did they put it?

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Holy thread revival guys

 

[goodolboydws]

I've looked at both of my 90 b2s and haven't seen a resonator anywhere. Just a muffler. Where did they put it?

I don't know for SURE about the '90 B2, but I suspect FORD didn't drop the resonator from '87 on, as they kept some of the same engines through 1990. And the odds of you having a '90 with the original exhaust are slim, so don't necessarily take what you see on yours NOW as the original configuration.

To answer your question,
I've got factory manuals for 1986 and 1987, and in both they show the 2.3 AND 2.9L having a FACTORY RESONATOR, which was a round, flat ended, can-type maybe 4-5" in dia. x 12-14" long, while the closest to factory configuration NOW has a welded-in bullet style about 3.5-4" in diameter x maybe 10-12" long. BOTH the factory and the aftermarket ones are in the upward pointed leg of the exhaust pipe before it goes over the axle.

HOWEVER, many of the REPLACEMENT welded AND the clamp-together pipes for the 85/86 DON'T have the resonator (which is what mine lacks now and I've been regretting it ever since redoing the exhaust the last time). The ones with resonators are getting much harder to find, but they can sometimes be found or fabricated if not. The exhaust pipe description will usually have either a picture or will SAY there is or is not a resonator.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Everything exhaust related is highly subjective, with wide range of opinions . IF Your Ears want a resonator in conjunction with your particular muffler, on your vehicle , by all means put one in .

Generally speaking , resonators are free-er flowing than the muffler up stream from them , and would have minimal effect on overall flow capacity .

Yes, most resonators are similar in design to glasspacks .

********************

Searching my memory , I don't think I ever used a resonator on purpose, and never felt a lacking thereof . ( Including Big Block V-8, Small Block V-8, various V-6 , and straight 6 ) But then I prefer non- droning mufflers in the first place , so usually a non-issue .