MBBFord - Agreed, 2.5" pipes are as big as I would go to keep the bottom end (torque)and use 3"-4" tips to give a growl instead of a "tuner" whine. An X pipe is better than an H, which is better than none at all. Keep us posted on progress.

 

Get your glasspacks nice and hot on a short road trip and as soon as you get home spray them off with the hose...I hear that makes the packing inside break up and makes them louder.

 

Wow thats an intersting fact

 

JBradley500 - Sounds good BUT what does that do to the metal casing of the 'paks' ? I'm thinking what happens to the temper of the metal and how soon do they "krinkle" ?

 

I just put dual glasspacks on my 04 F150. Left the pipes stock at 2.5" except where the glasspacks are, which I changed to 3". Its not too loud, but I want to to be!!! Would it be better to cut out the mufflers and run straight pipes, cut out the cats (I've got 2), or leave it with the glasspacks? Thanks

 

i think the new trucks cats take 70% of the sound away and i'd recommend for legal reasons to not take them off and just put pipe in place of the mufflers.

 

whats funny is that a harley davidson can be loud enough to hear it from a mile away yet you can get pulled over for your truck being only half as loud.

 

Check you local laws first! "Cut[ting] out the cats" in some states can get you fined, arrested or cause you to lose your truck. Here in Boulder, you can lose your house if you don't keep the grass cut!

 

Yeah, what's up with that?

I 've got headers w/2 1/2 dual pipes running into Flowmaster 40s on my 390. No pipes from the mufflers. The barn shakes and stuff falls off the shelves when I start it. Cool at first but I think I'm going to have to run it out the back before I start driving it. That much noise get's old fast.

 

i have a 1970 f-250 with 390 automatic headers and a mix of 2 1/2 and 2 1/4 no mufflers and its sorta loud when i get on it but goin down the road its pretty quiet til i get over 3,000 rpm

 

Ok guys, for those of you with glasspacks and want them louder(assuming you don't have cats, in which case you should NOT try this) rev up the motor to around 3 grand and cut the ignition, while the motor is dying pump the gas a couple times then flip the ignition back on. All that raw gas will cook the 'glass in the packs.

For the poor guy that originally asked about his straight pipes. It reall is all a matter of preference....and where you live. With a 302 I do not think you'll have any problems running them. I do suggest you put a good sized tip on them(like others have said) to give it a lower rumble at idle. Otherwise you'll get more of a growl.

For me personally I live in the country and this is my exhaust setups:

67- 390\manifolds\2 1-4" duals(no 'x') with Vortec mufflers and a 12"x3 1-2" tip. (there is VERY little in cab noise, but out back it is the best sound I have ever heard- kindof a 50's sound, but better.
73- 302\manifolds\ 2" pipe with old 14" glasspacks. Very 50's sounding, I wish it was louder\deeper at idle, sounds good at higher rpm.
87 Jeep Wagoneer, 360(amc)\manifolds\y pipe and about a foot of 2 1-2 pipe. I absolutely love the sound of this thing. It is LOUD, but it is VERY deep, and you hear all that popping on decelleration. I love it, almost as much as the 390.

OK, I'm done rambling. Hope some of this was useful:-)

 

put 2.25" stick straight pipes, Thrush turbo muffs and turndowns dumping ahead of the axle on my 70' 302. Sounds REALLY good at idle thru about 2500rpm, then they kinda quiet down. Makes it nice on the freeway, good tone but not too loud.

 

and thats not bad for your truck somehow?

 

sounds bad but.....

anyways i had a 460 with long tube headers and about 3 feet of pipe with a X over, it was LOUD like no other, had it for about 2 months and will never do it again it was so loud, in the cab you couldnt talk to the person next to you at all.

 

im kinda surprised nobody said cut out. get some cable or electric cut outs and you can have both.