So, I put the 5" exhaust on the truck before reading too much about it. I cant take the drone anymore on the freeway. I was thinking about one of these.
FTE Resonator / Muffler 5" x 30" Aluminized - Resonators / Mufflers

I could only put it directly in front of the muffler. Anybody have any experience with one? Not a whole lot to find by searching. I found a lot on GMC and Dodge forums.

Or should I pull the 5" off the downpipe and put a 4" on? The resonator is obviously cheaper.

Side note, anybody run a flowmaster hushpower?

 

I do not have a FTE resonator. I do have an aeroturbine with the resonator. I have a stock 3.5 inch exhaust pipe. I first eliminated the muffler. Put in a big truck muffler. Too much drone. Threw away and put in straight pipe. Inlaws complained too much (have to drive by their house to get to mine). Installed aeroturbine and drove me out of the cab while towing. Ok I will settle for the big truck muffler bought another, threw the first away. Drone. Well put the aeroturbine in front of the BTF. Still running this. Made a difference, especially at certain rpms. 1600 to 2000,2050 very good. 2100 LOUD. I am going to put a flex pipe in front of the aeroturbine in the future. If that fails I am going to wrap the aeroturbine and Big truck muffler with exhaust wrap. In all honesty I would have liked to have tried the FTE. The more you can smooth the exhaust out the better in my opinion. However that is with stock exhaust. There are others with better opinions than what I can provide.

 

I have a Magnaflow stainless system with the 3.5 inch down pipe (for better low end) to 4" back with their muffler. Can't remember the name of this particular set-up but it s on their web site. Sounds great, no drone and quiet in the cab, only need to turn the radio up to about 1/4 volume, and I am about half deaf at that! Maybe a few more $$ but well worth it in my book.

 

All backpressure (turbo drive pressure) should be in the turbo, and getting exhaust out of the turbo should be effortless. A smaller downpipe could not offer any possible gains, other than to your wallet at downpipe purchase time.

Define your drone - there are two sources:

• There is a drone from the nose that comes from the air intake, with certain intake filters. It has a drone-ish sound, but it does not "resonate" (make things vibrate at the same frequency as the drone).
• There is the exhaust drone from under the cab - this one resonates. This is the obnoxious cab noise that splits worlds within your head.

I have tinkered with muffler delete, and that made heads turn from blocks away. The cab noise was unbearable, and I was embarrassed to drive it that way. I now have a 4" turbo-back exhaust with a Flo-Pro muffler.

I have the Diamond Eye Quiet Tone resonator (installed after the downpipe) and it knocked the exhaust drone flat. It also put a muzzle on the EBPV jet noise, and moved it a little as well. I can here some of the hiss at the resonator - but the overall sound is much quieter. Unfortunately, it toned down my exhaust whistle as well... but the Drone-B-Gone and Rocket Relief features are worth it.

My air intake is a separate issue, but it's not obnoxious.

 

Its not the intake drone. It is coming from under the cab. I looked up the diamond eye and I couldnt find their resonator in a 5".

I love the turbo whistle but if that is what it costs to get rid of the drone Im ok with that.

 

I'm looking at something. I have grown weary of the drone. My debate is between the 17" and the 30".

 

I have 5in as well.
I would stay away from the Flow Master. They are designed for gassers and may have 5" inlet and outlets, their core may not have the flow you want.
I have decided to go with a Walker BTM. See if I can find the part no. again.
I think this is it.

 

Do you still have the stock exhaust? If so, why not just put it back on and be done? Save your money.

 

What exactly is the difference between a diesel muffler and a gas muffler? As far as I can tell they are pretty dang similar.


That sounds pretty dang good!

I dont have the stock exhaust anymore. Tossed it when I put the new one on.

 

Good spot to plop down the other common size part numbers:

4 inch in/out Walker 21471
3.5 inch in/out (oem size) 21470

There are longer and shorter body lengths which will have different part numbers.

 

Many gasser mufflers might have a 5" inlet or outlet but the core size can be necked down to 2 1/2". Many of the cheaper units are built that way.

 

Flowmaster isnt exactly a cheap muffler. I know most of their mufflers are baffled but they are a proven design. I'm going to pull the trigger on the FTE resonator today.

 

bleeds blue...could you document the installation....with pics?

 

^^^ I'm with Dan V. I'd love to know if you kill the drone, but somehow still get the whistle from the exhaust. Location of the resonator in relation to the muffler is supposed to play a big role. Pics with locations of both would be great.

 

Will do for sure. Holy *****, shipping was $30 for the cheapest option! I should have it installed by next week. Have to get the new tranny in this week as well.