I posted this over at RPS, but thought I might stick it here as well. Perhaps someone that was in my shoes a few weeks ago would appreciate it.

After many weeks of searching the archives, talking to people with magnaflows, gibsons and flowmasters, trying to find out if a pre-fab catback system would fit my edge, I finally pulled the trigger and had a custom bent system installed.

I went with the following:

Magnaflow #14258 muffler (2.5 in/2.25 dual out)
3 inch slash cut stainless tips

I had a local shop do the install (all parts and labor) for $279. There are very few exhaust shops left in my area that will do "custom" installs. And prices were widely varied (from what I paid up to $500). I figure I came out alright in the end.

I was unable to get SS pipe, or mandrel bends, however I cannot complain about the quality of the work. I am not too worried about the pipe not lasting because this shop did the exhaust work on my last ranger and I had the pipes on it for 5 years and they were still good (I did hit them with some high temp paint to help prevent surface rust).

I probably could have saved a few bucks if I would have ordered the muffler and tips myself, but I thought I would throw some business towards a local company. I don't know if I would have bought the stainless steel muffler if I would have ordered it myself (since I don't have SS pipe), but it sure is pretty (after I get those dang finger prints off of it).

Anyhow, I really like the sound, I didn't figure a little v6 could sound that good. It's not boomy/hollow sounding like my buddy's flowmasters are, just a nice deep tone that it not extremly noticable at cruising speed on the highway. But when you stomp on it, you cannot miss it.

Anyway, here are a few pics.

Standard split rear:




Undercarriage:

 

holy hell the clearness on the driver side is lovely there. other then that it looks really good. that would be a reason why i have no spare tire under the truck

 

i was thinking the same thing... will it hit if you flex on the passenger side?

other then that it looks really good, id love to get duals but kinda short on cash

 

jeez thats some clean undercarriage... nice exhaust too ;o) thats next on my list.

 

im thinkin the same thing, dang that is clean.
how does it look that good and you live in IL? do you drive it in the winter?
exhaust looks good too.

 

yeah, it is a bit tight on the driver side. There is more clearance than the angle of the shot shows, so it should clear. I don't do any serious off roading, so I am not worried about flex. On my old 98 Ranger I had even less clearance near the tire and the shocks, and it never hit, or melted the tire.

The exhaust is rock solid as well, I don't think it is going anywhere.

 

Yea, I live in the salt belt (So. Illinios). This truck is really clean underneath because it only has 4500 miles on it and probably wasn't drive much last winter. I bought it used with about 1800 miles on it, and from what I understand it was a repo (the person didn't make a single payment on it). It set in "lock up" whever it came from from November of last year until spring when I bought it.

My vehicles normally look good underneath anyhow because I take the time to spray out the undercarriage from time to time (more in the winter).

I also have hit the exhaust with some silver hi temp paint, so the non SS pipes shouldn't rust too bad. My last ranger was painted with black hi temp paint, and I had the exhaust on it for over 5 years with the only rust being on the muffler.

 

Oh, and for all of the "nay-sayers" who say that the factory exhaust cannot come off in one piece, here is the proof it can. Just remove the spare tire and do a bit of creative twisting.

 

looks awesome!!

 

nice setup!

 

looks awsome dude and how far south are u in illionis

 

nice...

 

nice! I love magnaflows.

I'm gonna get mags once i get my bike..

Shop here in town said they'll do duals for me for 100 bucks (labor)

 

Looks good

 

i got a spare tire and plenty of clearance, the muffler guy did a great job on mine.........yours looks awesome, so shiny...

 

haha! i have that same thing sitting in my attic of my garage!

 

Yup. I stood there for about 30 minutes wondering where in the world to put that thing. Then it hit me, hide it under the house in the crawl space (with plastic Wal-Mart bags stuffed in each end to keep little critters from making a house in it).

 

u need to take the cats off and run striaght pipe... :D haha it would prolly sound nasty :P uhhh it sound mean right now??? im wonderin what i needs to throw under my truck