Chevy fan

Has anyone tried to install a borla cat back on an 04 1500 crew cab silverado/sierra with the 5.3 and the 68.5" bed? I called Borla and they said that they hadn't tested the truck yet, but I can't see why their split side exit system (part 14825) for the extended cab 5.3 silverado wouldn't fit. Afterall, they have the same wheelbase and distance from front bumper to rear axle.

Additionally, what other bolt on systems (I'm not interested in custom set ups) are people running on 04/05 5.3 liter crew cabs, and how do you like them? Using the search, I found some positive comments on the magnaflow's performance, but it seems too quiet for my tastes. Ideally, I would like something with quite a bit more rumble than stock, but not flowmaster loud.

Thanks,
Mike

rhayes5000

As an option, you could also buy just the muffler you want and replace the stock one and leaving the stock tubing in place. It would be cheaper. I have the Flowmaster set-up on my 02 and like it. Lot's of people on here like the Magnaflows.

Good Luck

BLACKND

iTrader: (5)

Why not just get the muffler/s and tip/s that you want to run and have an exhaust shop run them the way you want to. In my experience, this way is a lot cheaper than a true "cat-back" system and the results really will not be any different as far as performance.

I have an 04 Sierra 1500 Crew Cab an dhave gone through 4 exhaust systems to date. I had Magnaflows twice, 2 different sizes and configurations and they were both too quiet for my particular tastes. Although performance was great. I had a Flowmaster 40 series, which I really liked as far as sound. It was loud and mean. But the performance side of this muffler sucked. I am now runnning true dual Dynomax bullets and I love them.

To my knowledge, noone currently makes a system specifically for the 1500 Crews. Although, like you, I don't see why one for an extended cab wouldn't work. Unless maybe some of the exhaust mounting brackets vary from the excab to the crew. But again, I suggest getting the mufflers and tips if wanted and just having someone weld it up for ya. Trust me, its a lot cheaper that way.

ap2002

iTrader: (8)

I am with "sierracrew", it is alot cheaper this way.... what I did on my wifes 1500 crewcab was just bought a borla and swapt out with the stock muffler and left the stock pipe on..... and I like how it sounds, it has a very little rumble inside (nothing annoying like the flowmaster) and when you go WOT it sounds good!!! I do have plan like you, putting some tips in front of the rear tire for the near future..... but I got to finish with my truck before I put $ into hers.... well that's my .02

Chevy fan

On the two magnaflow systmes that you had, were they full catbacks or just the magnaflow mufflers on the stock pipes. If they were the full sytem, do you happen to know the part numbers? Additionally, how much louder were they than stock?

Cost isn't a big factor in the decision - I'm more than willing to pay for the mandrel bends in order to get the slight gain in performance.

ap2002

iTrader: (8)

can I ask what is a mandrel bend??? does anyone have a picture???

BLACKND

iTrader: (5)

Well, it all depends on what you want, and how you want to run the exhaust. Me, on my crew, I have and had the muffler in the stock location and then just dumped right and I do mean right before the rear axle. There are no bends in my piping, except from the stock y-pipe forward. In my opinion, even if you run the pipes all the way to the back with non-mandrel bends, its not going to make much, if any difference in power at all. Both of my Magnaflows were just the muffler matched up to stock. Well my first was anyways, it was a single in dual out dumped. It was a 5x9x18 body and it was fairly quiet. Not bad resonance at all. Its actually on my girl 04 Sierra excab right now. The second was a dual in dual out magnaflow with the internal x-pipe. 4x9x14 body and it was just as quiet as the first but had a better WOT sound. Both had excellent performance gains over both stock and the flowmaster unit I was running.

I'm not trying to suggest that you should cheap *** the exhaust system, I am however asking you to consider this. Its been a while since I priced a magnaflow cat back, but what they are running about 4-5 hundred bucks? For a 10 HP gain, if that. While you can get the exact muffler that they use for the cat back systems for maybe 80 bucks or a little cheaper then go to the muffler shop and they can weld on the muffler for about 30 bucks add another 50-100 if you want pipe all the way back from the muffler with a tip or tips and you basically have the same system for the same amount of HP increase and if it is less HP, it would be minimal at best. and then take the other 200 bucks that you saved and get you some LS1 fans or a set of underdrive pullies or a Cold Air Intake or whatever. This is just my opinion of course. You may actually desire the polished exhaust piping that the magnaflow cat-back come with. But if you are just concerned with sound and performance, I would personally just purchase the muffler itself and build your system around it.

AP, Mandrel bends are bent with a Mandrel pipe bender. the bends retain the true size of the pipe or tubing. With a normal type of pipe bender, it will tend to crush in the sides of the pipe being bent and reduce the O.D./I.D. of the pipe or tube. If I am not mistaken, isn't there some sort of a die used in the pipe/tube on a mandrel bender that assists in retaining the true size?

Leroy_454

You could do what others have said, or magnaflow has the catback you are looking for here...http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/s...=Trucks&id=113

BLACKND

iTrader: (5)

Magnaflow makes a great product but there is no way that I would spend that kinda money on that system. The only system I would pay for a cat back on would be a corsa.

ap2002

iTrader: (8)

THANKS!!!