Quieter Mufflers???

[ChrisC74]

Ok guys – while I like the sound, volume, etc… from my dual glass pack mufflers and I would also like to research what you guys are using for an exhaust system on the quieter side. I live in a neighborhood and want to drive the bronco more – earlier in the day, etc… I do not really want to shake the neighbors out of their beds while my truck is warming up and departing the hood.

Can I get some feedback from those of you that are running a quiet muffler so I can make a more educated decision on the switch?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Heus33]

Here's what I came up with on my old Blue Bronco - 2 into 1 with a Walker Quiet Flow muffler from napa.

http://www.classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168161

 

[ChrisC74]

Thanks!! So what are you going to do on your new truck???

 

[Dan's73]

When I go to a "super single" I'll likely run Heus' suggested muffler. For now I've got dual 2.25" running through pretty much stock can-type mufflers. I went with the stock-type mufflers after running typical "turbo" mufflers in there for a few months. It's not too bad and definitely much quieter than glasspacks.

 

[SteveL]

I'm running stainless borlas on my 72. Nice low rumble like a mustang. Got flowmasters on the wifes 66. They sound great but way loud and attract police out here.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

My exhaust shop used what he called an RV muffler. Just a long round can , nice rumble when you are cruising , can get loud under heavy throttle.
I'll probably go with a newer truck muffler next time , just a tad bit of rumble but nowhere near loud. Mufflers for Chebby trucks are mentioned on a few threads here , can be had from Napa.

 

[Broncobowsher]

When I got some neighbors I cared about and wanted to be civilized when leaving for work at the crack of dawn I did this to my stroker V8 ranger project. The results were great!

I found a stock replacment muffler that fit the space. It was from a V8 application so it would flow OK. In my case it was a V8 Durango or Dakota (I forgot which). Since I had a source of compressed air I added a solenoid (search MAC replacment for ARB solenoids) and a cheap eBay wastegate. The result was a normally quiet and respectable driver. But when the inner teenager got into me I could power the solenoid and open a bypass around the muffler. Didn't block the flow through the muffler, just opened another route around it. And that other route made it sound Sooooo good. I sold it before hooking up the on-off-auto(based on throttle position) switch. But I will admit I had the most fun with that of any auto related street toy besides driving around our V8 Frontier shop truck on the street (had to use 4WD to launch off the line or it would just boil the tires). The exhaust was way easier and cheaper too.

Here is a photo of it in the proof of concept pre-tested setup. Not shown is the air source and solenoid. I will be doing this again on some future project.

 

[matts70]

I'm a fan of turbo mufflers. Cheap, sound good, and not too loud.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163243

 

[Stroppe-Envy-77]

I'm probably going to go with a Flowmaster called the "Big Block 70." From what I gather on their website, it's just a tad louder than a stock-type muffler, though it's kind of long.

I did a post on here awhile back asking if anyone with a Bronco has tried one, but got no respsonse.

 

[ChrisC74]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I will circle back with a post and sound bite of what I end up with. I love the bypass idea, I have a buddy who did something similar on his boat.

Chris

 

[Broncobowsher]

I'm probably going to go with a Flowmaster called the "Big Block 70." From what I gather on their website, it's just a tad louder than a stock-type muffler, though it's kind of long.

I did a post on here awhile back asking if anyone with a Bronco has tried one, but got no respsonse.

I must have missed it. I ran a 70-series for years. It still has a rumble to it. I could still set off a few car alarms if parked right next to them. But it was fairly civilized. It is more then a step louder then stock, I would say 2 or 3 steps. But my steps are fairly small. It has a chambered sound, high frequency really quieted down, but the low frequency stuff is still there. Parked next to a block wall on a fast idle (cold sart) I had a hard time walking betweent he wall and the truck as the reverberations would make it difficult to breath.

Now a lot of exhaust note is also releated to the engine AND the routing. I did mine under the passenger seat turned out in front of the rear tire. Also running 11:1 compression. So I would expect your results to vary. From all the exhaust I have played with since then I think I could have cured a fair bit of that rumble with an over the axle, behind the rear wheel routing after the muffler.

 

[Stroppe-Envy-77]

When I got some neighbors I cared about and wanted to be civilized when leaving for work at the crack of dawn I did this to my stroker V8 ranger project. The results were great!

I found a stock replacment muffler that fit the space. It was from a V8 application so it would flow OK. In my case it was a V8 Durango or Dakota (I forgot which).

One of the possibilities I was thinking of was a stock muffler (I actually found the Walker part number) from the 2001-03 Durango R/T, which specifically had a "low-restriction" exhaust. I remember driving one of those when they were new, and it did sound pretty throaty.

Could that have been the one you used, or was it from the conventional Durango/Dakota? When it's engaged, is it louder than a stock Bronco muffler?

 

[Broncobowsher]

One of the possibilities I was thinking of was a stock muffler (I actually found the Walker part number) from the 2001-03 Durango R/T, which specifically had a "low-restriction" exhaust. I remember driving one of those when they were new, and it did sound pretty throaty.

Could that have been the one you used, or was it from the conventional Durango/Dakota? When it's engaged, is it louder than a stock Bronco muffler?

Not the R/T, just the standard 5.2 V8.

Standard default (valve closed) it was stockish quiet. Kinda hard to tell as the engine had a huge cam in it but you could hear the valvetrain over the exhaust for reference. I would call it comparable to a stock muffler, after all that is pretty much what it is. When opened, it had a wonderful straight pipe/small glasspack crackle to it. Best of all, NO DRONE. None! I don't know how I pulled that off especially with the 3½" sewer pipe I was running for exhaust. It droned with every other muffler option I tried. To be honest I wasn't really worried about high flow during idle or cruise, just something fairly quiet. I figured the wastegate would be sufficient for the added flow at higher power levels.

Funny thing is, I built all that for about the price of one of the mid-priced performance mufflers.

 

[Stroppe-Envy-77]

Not the R/T, just the standard 5.2 V8.

Now I just need to figure out which would sound better on a stock manifold single exhuast system -- the Durango R/T muffler or the Flowmaster 70.

 

[Broncobowsher]

That would be a personal choice. But the Walker repalcment muffler is likely to be a lot less money. I have had my best pricing on this stuff from Roackauto.com