What exhaust is best for me!

[02 ranger]

My 2002 ford ranger 4.0l sohc is pretty quiet and i want to fix that. I was gonna start lookin at a flowmaster but my friends have them and i their pretty loud inside the cab. I want something i can notice but i dont wanna get tired of it. Also i would want to do it cat back. So i would possible do 2.5 inch from the cat back into the muffler and dump it before the axle. Also would i tell any performance difference? Also what muffler do you recommend.
Thanks, Abel

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

I know a thing or two about this particular engine and exhaust systems. After going though 3 different pipe setups and 5 or 6 mufflers, I can honestly say that the Super 44 Flowmaster gave me the best results that I was after. Followed closely in second place is the Flowmaster Super 40. I wanted deep tone, good volume, and exterior presence w/ minimal interior resonance.


If you think your friends are annoying, you will learn to HATE having a 'dumped' flowmaster. Especially the 44 or 40....any 40 series muffer really(but the original 40....that was super super tame on my truck). Dumped exhaust is a turndown behind the muffler or simply nothing after the muffler. The soundwaves bounce around everywehre and interior resonance is a big annoyance. Your best bet is to have a tailpipe going all the way back. This will not only make the truck louder from the outside, but will also make it very very livable and quiet on the inside. After having multiple muffs dumped for several years, I won't be doing it again after having tailpipes finally rehung under the truck. Something to also think about is that it is a quiet and tame engine at idle or under little load.....a 50series or lessor than can be considered 'badass' do sound good, but they aren't loud at all. And even then, the super 44 isn't loud. It's no carb'd small block.

Back to the tailpipe idea.... below is a pic of what you could do with a single pipe. It's my current setup(cut stock flange replaced with 2.5 3-bolt then 2.5" into a 3" in/dual 2.5" out Super44 and 2.25" tailpipes dumped at the spare carrier). I had no actual location for an outside exit like stock or aftermarket offerings due to the shackle and hitch. So I dumped it and i'm very very pleased with the results.

Good luck with whatever you choose and feel free to ask more questions.

 

[02 ranger]

I know a thing or two about this particular engine and exhaust systems. After going though 3 different pipe setups and 5 or 6 mufflers, I can honestly say that the Super 44 Flowmaster gave me the best results that I was after. Followed closely in second place is the Flowmaster Super 40. I wanted deep tone, good volume, and exterior presence w/ minimal interior resonance.


If you think your friends are annoying, you will learn to HATE having a 'dumped' flowmaster. Especially the 44 or 40....any 40 series muffer really(but the original 40....that was super super tame on my truck). Dumped exhaust is a turndown behind the muffler or simply nothing after the muffler. The soundwaves bounce around everywehre and interior resonance is a big annoyance. Your best bet is to have a tailpipe going all the way back. This will not only make the truck louder from the outside, but will also make it very very livable and quiet on the inside. After having multiple muffs dumped for several years, I won't be doing it again after having tailpipes finally rehung under the truck. Something to also think about is that it is a quiet and tame engine at idle or under little load.....a 50series or lessor than can be considered 'badass' do sound good, but they aren't loud at all. And even then, the super 44 isn't loud. It's no carb'd small block.

Back to the tailpipe idea.... below is a pic of what you could do with a single pipe. It's my current setup(cut stock flange replaced with 2.5 3-bolt then 2.5" into a 3" in/dual 2.5" out Super44 and 2.25" tailpipes dumped at the spare carrier). I had no actual location for an outside exit like stock or aftermarket offerings due to the shackle and hitch. So I dumped it and i'm very very pleased with the results.

Good luck with whatever you choose and feel free to ask more questions.

Thanks man that was very useful information but what i really want to know if i do all new bigger piping from the cat back into the flowmaster and and exits were the stock pipe did will i see an increase in power and fuel efficiency? What is the stock pipe size because i might do a 2.5" setup because i have heard this is the best size.
Thanks, Abel

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Thanks man that was very useful information but what i really want to know if i do all new bigger piping from the cat back into the flowmaster and and exits were the stock pipe did will i see an increase in power and fuel efficiency? What is the stock pipe size because i might do a 2.5" setup because i have heard this is the best size.
Thanks, Abel

Probably not a lot of increase at all. You may gain 1 or 2 HP max and the fuel most likely will go down cause you romp on it to hear the exhaust.

Your stock pipe should be around 2" piping and the end of the exhaust will flair out to around 2.5".

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

^^Yeah.... You won't lose power or lose efficientcy, but you probably won't gain much(if any) at all. My setup was going to be 2.5 in/dual 2.0 tailpipes out, but the shop convinced me in the 2.25 tailpipes as bigger piping tends to promote deeper tone, plus the tubing wall is thicker.


As far as pipe sizes, stock on your truck is 2" and stock on I believe 04+ is 2.25". For single exhaust, go 2.5" or 2.25". A 3.5" tip with an angle cut looks really really good on these trucks. Muffler options are far more plentiful in the 2.5" size. And muffler choice should be Offset in/Center out. Almost any muffler shop will tell you that's what Rangers and almost every vehicle out there "requires". lol. I also suggest not calling exhaust shops for quotes, instead you should bring print-outs of setups you like and seen on here or Ranger-Forums and getting quotes in person. Plus, getting it all custom hung also means it'll be exactly like you want it, and 110% of the time, it's alot cheaper than buying a 'cat-back' in a box.

You can also eliminate small things like the stock ball flange.... stock is 2.5" right behind the last cat, then the flange, then it steps down to 2". Most shops end up cutting the stock tailpipe after the flange, and welding on the bigger tubing to the 2". Replacing that joint with a 3-bolt flange like in my setup will provide better flow and eliminate a 'choke' spot.

 

[02 ranger]

Probably not a lot of increase at all. You may gain 1 or 2 HP max and the fuel most likely will go down cause you romp on it to hear the exhaust.

Your stock pipe should be around 2" piping and the end of the exhaust will flair out to around 2.5".

So what size of piping do you recommend? I was thinking of doing maybe a 2.5" all the way and if i get a 1 in/2 out i could do 2.25" out each. But i might just keep it 2.5" in and 1 2.5" out. Also is would i have to get an adapter to put the bigger pipe onto the ball flange or what will i have to do to get it on? Thanks

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

I'm not gonna step on his toes as I'm sure he'll answer your question, but I've got some thoughts...


Your budget and what you want will determine dual out or single out.... Generally, at least in my area, single cat-backs are about $150 to bend and hang excluding muffler or tips. Dual is about $100 more. Of course it all depends on where you go and who you know. Muffler shops prices vary HUGELY. What I posted pics of from the cat back ran be about $175 excluding muffler. I was quoted as high as $450 for what you see pictured. Shop around.

If single, go 2.5" or 2.25" all the way back. If dual tailpipes, go 2.5" in/dual 2.0" or 2.25" out.


The stock flange.... Goes 2.5" behind the cat, then the flange, then it steps down to 2"....

I had my shop ditch the stock flange and replace it with a 2.5" 3-bolt flange to eliminate that stupid step down then step up....

Any exhaust shop should be able to handle that with ease. All it takes are 2 flanges and a gasket. No adaptor or anything. Plus, you SHOULD have it removable just like stock just in case you gotta drop the trans or replace cats or whatever.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I would ahve just said that as well.

I think 2.5" is a good size (about the biggest you want to go though.) Run 2.5" to the muffler (make sure its good pipe though so it will hold heat well and help the exhaust stay warm until it escapes the tailpipe.) And then go with 2.5" or 2.25" pipe after the muffler. If you go dual then I would recommend 2.25 - 2" for the back.

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

Nicely put, '84. Also note: Exhaust shops can expand the size of piping that meet the muffler. Similar to my 3" in muffler but using 2.5" pipe.......and 2.5" out muffler and 2.25" tailpipe.

 

[02 ranger]

thanks guys for the awesome responses

But i am going to be installing the pipes my self because i am in high school and taking an ag class which requires to do something hands on outside of school.... so what better than to put an exhaust on my ranger! We have all types of machinery including about 6 stick welders, 2 plasma cutters, access to unlimited supplies of welding electrodes and pretty much anything needed for an exhaust install plus some extras. Me and about 4 friends are gonna do this on my truck for an easy grade. I was recently searching ebay and found a borla that caught my attention. I might go with this and some 2.5" pipes but i cant decide with aluminum or stainless steel. Since the borla is stainless steel could i weld aluminum pipes to it? I am new to welding but my ag teachers are professional welders so they will be doing that. This is the link to the borla. Also what would this muffler sound like?
Thanks, Abel
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Borl...rQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_1086wt_941

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Nope you can't weld aluminum and steel together. really for that matter welding on stainless steel defeats the purpose because the weld isn't stainless steel and will rust really fast.

Trust me, either go to a shop and have it done or get a professional premade exhaust. I have tried many times to make my exhausts leak proof and be able to hold up to any strain and it never works (I have experience welding and exhausts are no fun.) I would do something like a bumper or a light bar or something along those lines if you want a good first project because you can always throw on the old bumper or whatever and still have a drivable truck at the end of the day.

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

The cost to have it done for you the way you want it versus the pain in the arse of doing it yourself with pre-bent joints and straight lengths of pipe = HAVE SOMEONE DO IT FOR YOU!!! lol. I know how rewarding it is to do something yourself, but something like this, its cheap enough to go ahead and get it done by a professional so it's done right. The only things I've not done myself on my truck is reading a code(I now I have a code reader), the gear setups(though I pulled and dropped off axles at shop) and my exhaust system hanging/bending/welding.


FYI: Borla is really really tame on these trucks, though the tone and note is pleasant, it just isn't loud enough for me. It's comparable to how the new mustangs sound from the factory compared to the old ones.



Good luck with whatever you do end up doing... and don't forget...POST PICS!!!

 

[02 ranger]

The cost to have it done for you the way you want it versus the pain in the arse of doing it yourself with pre-bent joints and straight lengths of pipe = HAVE SOMEONE DO IT FOR YOU!!! lol. I know how rewarding it is to do something yourself, but something like this, its cheap enough to go ahead and get it done by a professional so it's done right. The only things I've not done myself on my truck is reading a code(I now I have a code reader), the gear setups(though I pulled and dropped off axles at shop) and my exhaust system hanging/bending/welding.


FYI: Borla is really really tame on these trucks, though the tone and note is pleasant, it just isn't loud enough for me. It's comparable to how the new mustangs sound from the factory compared to the old ones.



Good luck with whatever you do end up doing... and don't forget...POST PICS!!!

Oh i will! I cant wait for my next pay check to start pickin out the goods. Thanks everyone for the awesome support and tips!
Thanks, Abel

 

[98RedRanger]

I just used stock piping and swapped a flowmaster 40 muffler onto the piping for $95. Looks stock, sounds mean, and is cheap. Perfectly fine for me. I do have the 3.Slow for future reference.