I put the exhaust system on. Lot's of sawing and tightening and bending and locks of my long hair geting ripped off when they get caught under one of the wheels of my creeper....owch. But it's on and I do have a few bugs to work out like the relocation of my spair tire. I just have to push it over to the left a few inches. It sounded great and my truck has more power than previously. It's a beast like it should be! Now I need to get that Y-Pipe and another Dynomax exhaust clamp. I used those stainless steel exhaust clamps to hold the system together. Not those U-clamps but the ones that wrap around the pipe and bolt together. Hopefully they'll seal the leaks. About 60-70 percent of my exhaust system is now made of stainless steel. It'll outlast my truck by a long shot! Atleast it would if my truck didn't have the TLC like I give it. It will atleast outlast the truck of your average driver. As for the back pressure, I'm sure JBA and Bassani both calculated it when they designed their exhaust systems for my truck. They most likely know the line and how not to cross it. They're professionals right? What had me most impressed was when I came to a traffic light. I turned off my overdrive and once it turned green I didn't exactly floor it though I pushed about 70% of the throttle or more. The truck for a breif momment swayed back and forth almost as if it were going to fish tail on me. THAT is impressive! JBA all the way!

 

A comment on the backpressure thing is long overdue from me so her it is. The whole exhaust system isn't truelly 3" in diameter. The beginning of the Y-pipe is smaller than 3" and the part you slide on that has the catalytic converter welded onto it is 3" in diameter. So the beginning of the y-pipe is atleast 2 1/2". That should solve the lack of back pressure problem if there is one.

 

Your exhaust valves will not burn. Old wives tale.

The only way to truly see how it is affecting power output is on a dyno. From experience, being slightly below or above that fine line will result in only small changes in power, usually in torque moving up or down the powerband a few ft/lbs at a time, and high RPM output changing slightly. Not worth worrying about it too much, because it usually isnt enough to "feel".

Like Dalamatition said, its not truly a 3" exhaust anyway. Having no backpressure at all will move some low end torque up into the midrange, which isnt a bad thing really. It helps passing power, because thats usually where the engine is in the powerband on the highway. Is the different amount of low end noticeable? Sometimes, depends on the engine. If the engine is small or has little low end torque anyway, then it will be noticeable. Feeling a loss of 4-8 fl/lbs on the low end of an engine that puts out 280 lbs and above (meaning most V8s) is highly unlikely.

Thats my .02