So, I recently bought a 2001 Z71 with the 5.3 V8. I'm in college right now so I'm looking for a cheap, but good sounding exhaust system. To save money I was thinking of just running a muffler and turndowns after the cat. My question is: which muffler setup do you guys think would be best for this? Also, will there be a bunch of cab-drone if I don't run pipes out the sides or back? I drive a good 3.5 hours to home and back to school, so cab drone at about 70 would be very annoying.

Also, I love the way the stock intake sounds and was hoping to get a similar sound out the exhaust side. Its refined, yet powerful sounding, and not very "hillbilly, cutoff exhaust-ish." ;)

Thanks and I can't wait to hear your opinions.

I know it might not be super cheap, but I really prefer Magnaflow for Gasser kits. I have one on my 07 Suburban and it is nice and peaceful, except when you're on it, then it's a nice rumble. We have a few other kits available at good price points, let me know if I can help.

Chad

Hmmm, yeah I keep hearing magnaflows are nice. What are your thoughts on turndowns? Would there be much cab drone? Thats my biggest concern.

Also, what's the idle sound like? I dig a nice rumbly idle. :D

Anyone else?

Tomorrow I'm just going to try and take the whole exhaust off from cat-back and see how it drones. That'd certainly be the cheapest, but defintiely very sketchy.

on the last gasser i owner i just had a flowmaster 40 muffler replace the stock one and added a chrome tip. didnt change out the stock pipe at all...just muffler. on a gasser you will see very little hp difference with a full exhaust kit so you might as well go cheaper. the setup i had looked good and sounded good. think i had the whole thing done for like $100. had a nice throaty idle to it and not much drone when cruising. sounded mean when you got on it. pick the muffler in accordance with how loud you want it.

Cool. I actually just removed the cat-back today and will probably leave it like that haha. But I'll keep your advice in mind. Thanks!

I never planned on getting more horsepower from it, I just wanted it to sound a bit better.

right on. there are lots of cheap options for gasser exhaust. you can cut the whole thing off behind a flowmaster or something and have it hidden up underneath. pretty clean look.

I got dual Flowmaster SS 40 series with no tails. I got em right at the cab/bed transition. You WILL have drone but I dont mind it as everything Ive ever had has had them and theres nothing like a BB rumble. Hell it even puts my baby to sleep when shes in there :D

Hah, well if its less drone than running no exhaust, I'll be happy. I'll probably just run no exhaust for a while to keep costs down, and eventually upgrade to some 40 Series or Magnaflows. We'll see. Thanks for all the advice!

I have done a true dual setup that my muffler guy does for me. I cut the pipe right where it comes together and go true duals to two Dynomax Super Turbos. I also put an H pipe between them as far forward as I can. These pipes sit right beside one another, so the H is about 2.5inches long if that. Then I criss cross the tailpipes to equal both banks of cylinders out and I have a balanced system with a nice mellow rumble and no cab noise. He charges me about 225 bucks to do all the pipe bending and materials. I have to buy the pipes, but it is far cheaper than a cat back and should flow better. Not sure if that is budget enough for you. I have done it on 5.3s and 8.1s and they sound nice.
I like the sound of the Magnaflows really well,but they are spendy and have more cab noise than I like.

I had a 2000 5.3 and I just cut the pipe after the cat put on a y pipe and ran duals out the back with 3inch rolled tips no muff and it sounded really nice. Then I got a 04 6.0 2500 put on a single outlet magnaflow and it sounded ok also neather where annoying I drove the 2000 to florida and back 1500 miles one way never bothered me.