Even with all the reading I've done I can't decide which one to get.
Here's what I want: a few more ponies, deeper tone, added "cool" factor, better fuel mileage in that order and to stay under $500.
I don't tow anything and I'll probalby fill up every third time with Premium.
Should I do a cat-back MagnaFlow exhaust, Diablo, Superchip, air intake, or leveling kit?

 

DiabloPredator for sure the best bang for $$ and you can update your tuner via DSL or dialup and you can not do this with Superchip's tuner.
Exhaust Sounds cool and you wont get the power you will get from the tuner dito with Cold air intake

Just my 2 cents

 

Get the cheapest tuner you can find, E-bay or whatever, and just replace the stock muffler with a mag or other performance muffler. You could do both for about 550. Good luck, have fun.
Chris

 

Give your truck an Aditude. Give it some sound. Go with an exhaust.

 

Xcalibrator by Superchips Custom Tuning! I FINALLY was able to send in my fax for the order

 

Depends on the precise order of your preferences.

From past experience and from looking carefully at my truck, I'd start with an air intake. You don't gain much by way of "cool factor" but I think it's the best bang per buck for ponies, and gas mileage. It also increases exhaust noise a bit, but nothing like an aftermarket muffler.

Look carefully under your hood and you'll see that all the air going into your engine has to come through a tube that necks down to about 2" in diameter. This is unacceptable. Also, from past experience, intake mods have paid of best for the buck.

Regarding exhaust, your truck has two 2 1/2" cats going into a 2 1/2" collector. The joint in your exhaust before the muffler is in a 2 1/2" diameter pipe. To my mind, this rules out aftermarket 3" mandrel bent catback systems. No point in spending 400 smackers when you are still going to have a 2 1/2" system for all intents and purposes.

If you've got $500, you can do both an intake and muffler for under that. I went with a Volant intake because it is a enclosed system (quieter and cooler air) at around $280. I ordered an AeroTurbine 2525 for $192, but you can get an aftermarket flowthrough muffler for under $100.

I haven't tuned a truck, but I've chipped one and I had mixed results; more power, but more headaches. I may go with a tuner down the road but I'll do it with my eyes wide open. Be sure to read the sticky threads on the tuners before you go that route. You will see that some people have trouble with them and have to go through quite a bit of effort to make them work.

Enjoy.

 

This is kind of fun!! Anyway I voted for the Maganflow exhaust because it gives you the sound and some hp you want. But after researching it I think a high flow muffler would be the best bet (like Ravin, Hooker aerochamber, or Vforce). If you budgeted right you could get the intake, tuner, and highflow muffler all at once. Also you can modify the intake yourself to save more money for about $50 to $75.

 

Now that's my kind of thinking! Get them all done!

 

Please correct me if I am wrong. I thought Magnaflow Mufflers were "high flow mufflers"!?

Perhaps those that you suggested (Ravin, Hooker, Vforce) provide more flow than magnaflow?

 

Looking at the poll I'm surprised to see superchips beating diablo nearly 5:1....

 

Superchips has better name recognition and a lot more advertising.

 

You have to excuse my ignorance. I was under the impression Magnaflow was an entire exhaust system. It makes sense they can have just the muffler without the pipes and cat. As to which one has the most flow, I surely do not know!!!