I'm sure some of you probably saw the thread posted by @dirtydeeds and their need for a Supercab Raptor for some R&D on an exhaust system for that platform. Well, I took them up on their offer and headed out to San Diego for the weekend.
Once I arrived at Dirty Deeds' Top secret development laboratory the work commenced. We hashed out the details of how it should look and where it should exit, etc. We both wanted to make sure it tucked up out of the way and looked good at the same time and I'd say that DD definitely pulled it off.
So what about this exhaust system right? Well before I came out they asked me what kind of sound I was going for and picked a muffler length to correspond to that. I wanted a really aggressive sound (coming from running straight pipes) but also said a reduction in drone would be pretty nice. I'd say they really nailed it on sound and drone reduction. I can definitely say it was a lot more pleasant on the 7 hour drive back home than it was on the way out with the straight pipes.
So to finish this off I'll break down how i feel the sound is at different stages of driving.
Cold Start: a LOT quieter than straight pipes (my neighbors probably love that) but still a nice throaty rumble when you fire it up.
Parked Revving: This is where this system kind of threw me for a loop, it sounds aggressive but it's not as loud as you'd think it would be. It's got a totally different sound to what you get when you're driving (maybe the resonator? I don't know. Still sounds nice though)
Acceleration: This is where the exhaust really shows its true colors, it's got that really deep rumble to it and is just slightly raspy. It sounds a lot like my straight pipes, just a tad quieter and more refined. It's an absolute blast to jump on the throttle and listen to it (might be why I got 9mpg on the way back to the hotel
)
Downshifting: I was glad that some of the characteristics of my straight pipes were still present here too. I loved the way it would burble and pop a bit as I downshifted manually. This system still does that, but just to a lesser degree. It still sounds great doing it, but like I mentioned before, just a little more refined.
Fit & Finish: I'm really happy with how it came out, it was designed so that the tip would be flush if you're looking straight down your bedside at it, which sounds kind of weird, but it looks perfectly at home there dumping out in front of the rear tire. I'm not a big fan of exhaust tips sticking out on my trucks, I prefer them dumped somewhere underneath, but I REALLY like the way this looks sitting back there behind the running board.
Power: I didn't do a before and after dyno run, and it's not in the cards either because I honestly just don't care enough (besides, my 5.4 makes like 10hp anyway right?
). That said I'd have to say there was a power increase from installing this. The truck just seemed to jump off the line a little better and pull a bit harder.
Overall I'd give this system a 10/10. The guys are Dirty Deeds are great to work with and will make sure you get exactly what you want out of this system. Thanks again to Kieth and Terry!
Here's a quick sound clip of a cold start and rev:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lJilXB6aM4
Once I arrived at Dirty Deeds' Top secret development laboratory the work commenced. We hashed out the details of how it should look and where it should exit, etc. We both wanted to make sure it tucked up out of the way and looked good at the same time and I'd say that DD definitely pulled it off.
So what about this exhaust system right? Well before I came out they asked me what kind of sound I was going for and picked a muffler length to correspond to that. I wanted a really aggressive sound (coming from running straight pipes) but also said a reduction in drone would be pretty nice. I'd say they really nailed it on sound and drone reduction. I can definitely say it was a lot more pleasant on the 7 hour drive back home than it was on the way out with the straight pipes.
So to finish this off I'll break down how i feel the sound is at different stages of driving.
Cold Start: a LOT quieter than straight pipes (my neighbors probably love that) but still a nice throaty rumble when you fire it up.
Parked Revving: This is where this system kind of threw me for a loop, it sounds aggressive but it's not as loud as you'd think it would be. It's got a totally different sound to what you get when you're driving (maybe the resonator? I don't know. Still sounds nice though)
Acceleration: This is where the exhaust really shows its true colors, it's got that really deep rumble to it and is just slightly raspy. It sounds a lot like my straight pipes, just a tad quieter and more refined. It's an absolute blast to jump on the throttle and listen to it (might be why I got 9mpg on the way back to the hotel
)Downshifting: I was glad that some of the characteristics of my straight pipes were still present here too. I loved the way it would burble and pop a bit as I downshifted manually. This system still does that, but just to a lesser degree. It still sounds great doing it, but like I mentioned before, just a little more refined.
Fit & Finish: I'm really happy with how it came out, it was designed so that the tip would be flush if you're looking straight down your bedside at it, which sounds kind of weird, but it looks perfectly at home there dumping out in front of the rear tire. I'm not a big fan of exhaust tips sticking out on my trucks, I prefer them dumped somewhere underneath, but I REALLY like the way this looks sitting back there behind the running board.
Power: I didn't do a before and after dyno run, and it's not in the cards either because I honestly just don't care enough (besides, my 5.4 makes like 10hp anyway right?
). That said I'd have to say there was a power increase from installing this. The truck just seemed to jump off the line a little better and pull a bit harder.Overall I'd give this system a 10/10. The guys are Dirty Deeds are great to work with and will make sure you get exactly what you want out of this system. Thanks again to Kieth and Terry!
Here's a quick sound clip of a cold start and rev:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lJilXB6aM4
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