Off the shelf exhaust?

[killthewabbit]

Have any of you guys used an off the shelf exhaust kit? I'm currently running a seriously leaky 2.25" compression-bent true dual system on my 78 stepside that was fabbed up a long time ago by a local muffler shop that has since gone out of business. When I moved to my current city, I got some catalytic converters welded in, and emissions people haven't given me any flak about it.

Since my current system's pretty rusted out and leaky, I thought maybe I'd shop around for something newer and better. I bought a 2.5" Flowmaster American Thunder series exhaust kit a couple years ago for my Chevelle, and I love how easy it was to install and I really love how it sounds. I know 73-87chevytrucks.com has that X-pipe system, and LMC has those two systems on their site, but has anyone bought and installed those? I'm not opposed to a single to duals system that only uses one cat, but then I'd need a Y-pipe to join just after the headers, and I've never seen one of those out there either.

If any of you folks have links, pics, an experience and/or recommendation, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[beaterC10]

I have used the 2.25" dia kits made by Hooker and Dynomax several times in both header and manifold applications. I liked the Dynomax kit better, it had aluminumized pipe, the Hooker did not. The manifold kits fit the pre 80 trucks better than the 81-87, due to the slight difference in angle and length of the manifold exits. The header kits fit better, than the manifold kits.

All of the kits are made to fit a long bed and require cutting two pipes to fit a short bed. You should mock the pipes up to determine how much to really cut, since none of the instructions are accurate in this regards.

These are the only exhausts I have used in the last 10-15 years, since I am too cheap to spring for cats, and I have not found a place to hang pipe without cats. They normally take a long Saturday afternoon to get installed. Lots-o-fun laying on your back under a truck.

[killthewabbit]

Originally Posted by beaterC10

I have used the 2.25" dia kits made by Hooker and Dynomax several times in both header and manifold applications. I liked the Dynomax kit better, it had aluminumized pipe, the Hooker did not. The manifold kits fit the pre 80 trucks better than the 81-87, due to the slight difference in angle and length of the manifold exits. The header kits fit better, than the manifold kits.

All of the kits are made to fit a long bed and require cutting two pipes to fit a short bed. You should mock the pipes up to determine how much to really cut, since none of the instructions are accurate in this regards.

These are the only exhausts I have used in the last 10-15 years, since I am too cheap to spring for cats, and I have not found a place to hang pipe without cats. They normally take a long Saturday afternoon to get installed. Lots-o-fun laying on your back under a truck.

Thanks!

You wouldn't happen to have a link to that bad boy, would ya? I'm not having much luck finding it on the Dynomax site so far.

[killthewabbit]

Wait, I think I found it...

Is this it?

[Captkaos]

Swervin Ervin used our (73-87chevytrucks.com) X system on his truck.

[killthewabbit]

Originally Posted by Captkaos

Swervin Ervin used our (73-87chevytrucks.com) X system on his truck.

That was after he became emissions exempt, right? Will catalytic converters fit on your system? By that I mean is there enough room in the forward part of the system to have some welded in? I like the X-pipe idea a lot, but I want to make sure it will fit. Plus I thought it was expensive until I started pricing out the Hooker kit BeaterC10 posted and some flowmasters. Since yours comes with mufflers it's not bad at all.

[Captkaos]

Swervin (along with number of other customers) have ran these with Cats, I think Swervin has changed since then..

The X goes to the back of the trans, so there is plenty of room for Cats. We can supply you with those also. They generally run around $60.

Keep in mind the system is designed for use with Headers so if you have manifold, you have to make some down tubes as we don't have those.

[killthewabbit]

I'm running headers. Cheapie ones, but they are headers. Are the cats slip ons? Also, the picture on your site doesn't show it, but does the kit include flanges, clamps, and whatnot?

Also, could you PM or AIM me a price for all of the above shipped to 37130?

[Captkaos]

Cats are weld-on.

Kit come with everything listed here:

[kevinr1970]

The whole kit is weld together isn't it? Meaning that none of the pipes are expanded to slip-fit?
Does it include the bends to go over the rear axle?

[Captkaos]

The whole kit is mandrel bend and it slip-fit, and comes with all the clamps and hangers and mufflers. Welding isn't required, but I would recommend it. All piping shown below come with it, so yes the tailpipes are included.

[grinch4om]

now that is pretty captkaos!

[JMac11]

4x4 Compatible?

[kevinr1970]

Captkaos - on your site it says "it must be routed below the tranny crossmember". Will this cause clearance issues on a lower than stock truck? Seems that even on a stock height truck it would be pretty low?


I was looking at the Hooker kit for my 2wd K5 but with my existing headers (Hooker Comp) their kit out of the box won't work for me. The collectors are only about 4-6" in front of the tranny cross member. The current exhaust has a bend immediately off the header pipe to get over the cross member.
In their kit it runs back what looks like 8-10" before it bends. I could maybe take the pipe they give you and cut it down to short enough to fit then have it re-expanded locally but that would add about $25 to the money spent. You have to cut the pipe down after the first bend, before the mufflers to fit a short bed or Blazer anyways so I think I could make up for shortening the first section by cutting down the second section less than recommended?
Another option is it looks like the 4x4 kit does bend immediately after the header pipe. But on the passenger side it has some weird bends to clear the transfer case. I THINK that wouldn't matter on a 2wd as it would just bend up over the cross-member and come down farther back?

[Captkaos]

Originally Posted by JMac11

4x4 Compatible?

Sorry, but it is 4x2 only.

Originally Posted by kevinr1970

Captkaos - on your site it says "it must be routed below the tranny crossmember". Will this cause clearance issues on a lower than stock truck? Seems that even on a stock height truck it would be pretty low?

Well, being an x-pipe system I don't know how you can route it over the crossmember without having the X cross. The transmission and driveshaft are in the way. I haven't tried it, so I can't say it is impossible. The same theory goes with a H setup...

[kevinr1970]

Didn't realize it was 4x4 only.
*edit - on your website it says "fits 4x2 LWB and SWB". I take this to mean 2-wheel drive?

Does the company supplying you offer a kit without the X or H pipe. I would still like to buy an exhaust kit for my Blazer that is high quality (mandrel bent, aluminized pipe).

[blink32]

Originally Posted by Captkaos

Sorry, but it is 4x4 only.

Did you mean 4x2 only?

Killthewabbit, I've installed the LMC "performance" exhaust twice on two different 73-87's. Both times I chose the stock exit kits and both times I chose the turbo mufflers over glasspacks. I had problems both times.

The first time was on an 85 Chevy C10 Silverado step side. My inexperience and the instructions not mentioning anything about it means I didn't compensate for the hot air exhaust choke deal mounted to the end of the pax? side manifold. So the system never lined up, blah blah, had the pipe shortened in the end. But otherwise all the rest of the system fit without issue IIRC. The turbo mufflers had a nice tone and at idle/low speed was enough to set off car alarms because I ditched the catalytic converter. The actual brand on the exhaust kit was HeartThrob.

The second time around was more recently, exact same kit, I don't remember if it was still the HeartThrob or not. This time installation on a 76 Silverado K10. Removed the hot air choke, pipes went up without issue off the mani's. From there on out there one side was just a bit too long and it threw off the entire rest of the alignment of the system. Never got the rear piece that bends up and over the rear axle to line up. I ended up just putting some turn downs on after the mufflers. Sound was weak compared to the previous "turbo" mufflers also.

I personally wouldn't recommend the setup for a 4wd atleast. Might still work well on a 2wd.

[killthewabbit]

Thanks, blink32. I was thinking that LMC kit may have been a little cheesy.

[bigblock73]

Chris goofed, they are indeed for 2WD only.

[Captkaos]

Yeah, I guess I was in a hurry. They are 2WD (4x2) ONLY. I fixed the original post. Sorry about that.

The supplier only has the X-pipe system. I can get the tails only though.

[JMac11]

DDang, seems like No X would be an easy sell........ Like the kit and the price. Have a 72 Blazer and an 84 K10

[Captkaos]

It probably would, but last time I requested it they weren't interested in putting a kit together. They specialize in X-pipe systems.