The other day I was driving to the local auto store and a cop pulled me over and gave me a warning for loud exhaust... I've ran this exhaust for 2 years so far and never got anything but i figure I'd rather fix it then get a citation so...


I was wondering what you guys would recommend for quieting my exhaust here is the info:

I have a 93 5.0 4x4 w/ shortie headers no cats and 40 series flowmasters that has stainless tips on them. it's all stailess steel with 2.5" pipe... I love the deep toned exhasuts but i have 45 degree bends comeing out of the rear.

I was wondering if high flow cats and new mufflers would quiet it down some, but I'd love to have a deep tone. My buddie has a magnaflow cat back system and i like the sound of that not sure what mufflers though.

Any thoughts would be great fellas! Sorry the post is so long! =D

brian

 

You probably don't even need different mufflers. Just add the cats and see where that gets you. Should quiet it down noticably.

 

Before I'd put any money into this, I'd look and see what exactly what are the noise limitations within your state. The cop would have to actually measure the sound coming out before he could give you a ticket. If he thought it was too loud, maybe he's just too sensitive or he is harrassing you. I would think that with properly functioning mufflers, even with no cats, you should not be exceeding any sound limitations. Sometimes cops have nothing better to do than harrass people. (Sorry if there are any cops out here, but you know it's true.)

 

I agree. Adding cats to my truck made it noticebly quieter, and legal too. I just used some universal cats from the auto store made by Walker.

 

The stock muffler finally packed it in on my 99 Explorer so I got a stainless cat back system from a local shop, they used a Magnaflow 2 into 1 and went to a 2.25 tailpipe. It had a nice sound up on the hoist until I drove it under load I couldn't hear the stereo, so back to the shop. The cure was a resonator.
The truck has a nice mellow sound now and the cops don't give me any grief.
Hope this helps.

 

Actually, in a lot of situations, it is subjective. I don't know how it would stand up if someone appealed the cop's decision and it went to supreme courts on state or national levels, but the precedent has been set and spreading over the past few years that cops can basically harass anyone who has a modified exhaust system. You're really lucky he didn't give you any crap about not having cats. That's a federal offense.

Big picture, I can't imagine anyone ever getting pulled over for exhaust unless
a) you live in a smog-**** area
b) you are young or a minority and they just assume you're up to no good
c) they suspect you're operating under the influence

 

I agree that the initial stop would be entirely subjective. My point was that the most that the cop can do is harrass you because his feeling that the thing was too loud would not stand up without an objective measurement and (most) police budgets simply don't have enough funding for measuring devices. This is not to say that being harrassed is not a small thing. It is, and most of the time that's all the stop is about. The same is true when it comes to window tinting. A lot of states have percentages of light blockage on the books, but these laws are not enforced because only a few jurisdictions have the light measuring devices required. But, your stated reasons for getting pulled over are right on the money. It is especially disturbing that reason b) is quite popular with law enforcement.

 

A few friends of mine are training to become police officers and mike2112 ur right, most of the time it is just because they are bored and why not harrass someone. But comparing this to window tint is wrong. Most cops around my house can test tint in the field and have the equipment to do so because of the complaints of the residents. Noise is just another one of those things that people are complaining about and sometimes rightfully so. I love the sound of a bigblock v8 and hate the sound of an import with a cheap tip from Wal-mart. All i'm trying to say is ur right, it all depends on where u live and why not make ur truck legal so if someone does harrass u they can't really hit u with a ticket for not having cats. (God forbid you get stopped by DEC). Besides, there really is no power advantage to ditching the cats unless they are cheap or plugged.

Just my $.02
Mike

 

You forgot the most likely one... ITS TOO LOUD.

I swear, the guy is doing the right thing by asking how to make his truck legal, and I see some people crying harrasment. If he truly wanted to harass him he would have got a ticket.

 

I wish that cop was around here......have several that ride the local roads that are so loud I can't talk to a friend while outside........I think it's somewhat rude to be that loud in public.......but I really can't complain......cause I was the same way many years ago until I learned better........

 

haha!! Thanks guys for you responses... I think i'm gonna just keep on givin er until something else happends, I'll keep ya posted!

 

Bad idea dude...

Put a cat in it, find the cop who pulled you over, and let him see it...


Then take it off, and replace it with a "test pipe" (used to test if the cat's are clogged), so then you can say (if you get pulled over again) that you were testing to see if your cheap cat got clogged.

A universil cat is around $50, and your getting robbed if you spend more then $100


Like it or not, he's in the position of power... You're lucky he didnt throw the book at you, and make you pay the maximum fine for each offence... Too loud, tampering with emmissions equpment (federal), disterbing the peace... bla bla bla, just find him and let him see your "progress"

~Nate

 

He made it sound like he had a nice exhaust, stainless steel, good muffler, ect. Some are louder than others, but if the exhaust is in good shape, with a mufler on it, it can't be too loud.

 

That was my point in my first post on this topic. His set-up should not be "too loud," legally speaking. The absence of a cat won't make an otherwise legit muffler system suddenly "too loud." I've got essentialy the same set-up on my truck and there ain't no way that it's "too loud." Sounds to me like nothin' but harrassment from the man.

 

take off the stainless tips it will quiet down a little and sound much better!! (imho)

just my 2 cents!!