Purchasing Exhaust...
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: Tempe AZ
Purchasing Exhaust...
When purchasing exhaust we have so many options its insane. My question is, if i have LG headers with the connector pipes and xpipe, do i need an axle back exhaust or do i need soemthing else? hate to say it but most of the cars ive had in the past came as.. here is the exhaust, here is the header and thats it! haha
also any of you have experience with exhausts to stay away from? i dont mind if its a bit loud, but i would really like it to not drone too much on the highway.
thanks in advance
also any of you have experience with exhausts to stay away from? i dont mind if its a bit loud, but i would really like it to not drone too much on the highway.
thanks in advance
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 802
Likes: 6
From: Oro Valley AZ
the "best advice" is hard here. You get what you pay for! If the axle back is the same diameter, no change is necessary unless you want to get freer flow mufflers. If the diameter is smaller, consider axle back as well.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Having been in so many cars with aftermarket exhausts I can tell you two things: None make any real power (most make zero HP) and they all drone at 1600 rpms except the NPP and Z06 exhausts from GM which can be switched for open and closed for when you need to hear yourself think. These two exhausts are the only ones I have seen to make any power under 500rwhp and they make about 5HP at 425 and 9 or 10 at 500rwhp.
Keep in mind that cam swaps and other such airflow mods make you car much louder so an exhaust now may push it over the line later forcing you to find another system to quiet it down at cruise.
My advice is do the exahust last, dont do it, or use a NPP/Z06 exhaust to switch it out. You will regret ignoring this.
If you can, go for a ride in a car with the exhaust you want.
Keep in mind that cam swaps and other such airflow mods make you car much louder so an exhaust now may push it over the line later forcing you to find another system to quiet it down at cruise.
My advice is do the exahust last, dont do it, or use a NPP/Z06 exhaust to switch it out. You will regret ignoring this.
If you can, go for a ride in a car with the exhaust you want.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,002
Likes: 1,687
From: Southeast TX
When purchasing exhaust we have so many options its insane. My question is, if i have LG headers with the connector pipes and xpipe, do i need an axle back exhaust or do i need soemthing else? hate to say it but most of the cars ive had in the past came as.. here is the exhaust, here is the header and thats it! haha
also any of you have experience with exhausts to stay away from? i dont mind if its a bit loud, but i would really like it to not drone too much on the highway.
thanks in advance
also any of you have experience with exhausts to stay away from? i dont mind if its a bit loud, but i would really like it to not drone too much on the highway.
thanks in advance
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: Tempe AZ
Having been in so many cars with aftermarket exhausts I can tell you two things: None make any real power (most make zero HP) and they all drone at 1600 rpms except the NPP and Z06 exhausts from GM which can be switched for open and closed for when you need to hear yourself think. These two exhausts are the only ones I have seen to make any power under 500rwhp and they make about 5HP at 425 and 9 or 10 at 500rwhp.
Keep in mind that cam swaps and other such airflow mods make you car much louder so an exhaust now may push it over the line later forcing you to find another system to quiet it down at cruise.
My advice is do the exahust last, dont do it, or use a NPP/Z06 exhaust to switch it out. You will regret ignoring this.
If you can, go for a ride in a car with the exhaust you want.
Keep in mind that cam swaps and other such airflow mods make you car much louder so an exhaust now may push it over the line later forcing you to find another system to quiet it down at cruise.
My advice is do the exahust last, dont do it, or use a NPP/Z06 exhaust to switch it out. You will regret ignoring this.
If you can, go for a ride in a car with the exhaust you want.
Stay away from any exhaust that doesn't include npp or z06 mufflers. Loud muffs get old quick. The more you mod, the louder they get. LG headers, with their mid pipes, will bolt directly to any stock vette exhaust. Your stock mufflers with the LG headers and mid pipes make a pretty good exhaust setup. It won't cost you much hp unless you're f/i and are well over 500hp. No drone, but too quiet for some folks. Next step up are the NPP mufflers. That's what I'm running and couldn't be happier. Whisper quiet with the potential to get bullet loud at the push of a button. You can find the npp's used for way less than the cost of a premium cat back.
i forgot to mention, this vette is getting my GTO heart transplanted... so she will have a fully built 416ci LS3 so yea she will get damn loud.
oh yea, so the npp in a box is all i need to get that z06 exhaust working correct?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
thanks gents, looks like im going z06 exhaust
i forgot to mention, this vette is getting my GTO heart transplanted... so she will have a fully built 416ci LS3 so yea she will get damn loud.
oh yea, so the npp in a box is all i need to get that z06 exhaust working correct?
i forgot to mention, this vette is getting my GTO heart transplanted... so she will have a fully built 416ci LS3 so yea she will get damn loud.
oh yea, so the npp in a box is all i need to get that z06 exhaust working correct?
Make sure you get the one that your header's pipes will mate up to. The Z06 mufflers are a 3" inlet so you need the 3" pipes from your header company....this is essentially the Z06 header system. If you have the 2 1/2" pipes already, then youre going to have to replace those for the 3" or use the NPP exhuast which costs more.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: Tempe AZ
Yes.
Make sure you get the one that your header's pipes will mate up to. The Z06 mufflers are a 3" inlet so you need the 3" pipes from your header company....this is essentially the Z06 header system. If you have the 2 1/2" pipes already, then youre going to have to replace those for the 3" or use the NPP exhuast which costs more.
Make sure you get the one that your header's pipes will mate up to. The Z06 mufflers are a 3" inlet so you need the 3" pipes from your header company....this is essentially the Z06 header system. If you have the 2 1/2" pipes already, then youre going to have to replace those for the 3" or use the NPP exhuast which costs more.
thanks for the advice 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,002
Likes: 1,687
From: Southeast TX
I think there's an upgraded controller that retains your last flap setting. My NPP in a box is loud to start with. It takes vacuum after start up to close the flaps and quiet things down. Might not matter to you, but I wish mine would stay in the quiet mode after an engine shut down. I leave the house well before sunrise on occasion. Open NPP's, on startup, wake up every dog in the neighborhood.
.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer