New Custom Exhaust Done

[1973Guppie]

So, I finally got the exhaust done on my 1996 fzj80 locally by a great exhaust shop. I was not happy with the kits that were available out there for the 80 series, both in the price and the way they were built. I always think it is best to have exhaust done locally by somebody whom is good at it. I have had these guys do a couple trucks for me and they always do a great job at a fair price. My main reasons for getting it redone was to get rid of the crappy midas muffler and replace it with a nice flowmaster 50 series suv muffler as well as tuck up the cats as far as possible so I can build a set of sliders much easier.

The exhaust is routed just below the frame. Nice thing is that using the ipor skidplate I can use a simple add on plate to protect the pipe easily. It will probably only take one hole drilled in the frame and tapped. I should not even have to deal with a cat plate now as the cats are tucked up nicely and the slider bars should protect everthing nicely.

The shop is WTB muffler in Vista, CA near San Diego (north county). Frank there did the exhaust and he is an honest hard working guy and damn good at what he does. 760-732-1021 is their #, tell them Noah sent you and you saw the thread, that way he knows kinda what you would want. I hope this thread brings Frank some business as I like helping small companies out he is an honest, good guy.

Any questions, let me know, I love the sound of the exhaust, it gives a bit of sound when on the throttle but at speed on freeway it is quite.

Noah

 

[1973Guppie]

more pics....

 

[1973Guppie]

few more......

 

[pinoytoys]

Looks great! Can you feel any immediate performance gains?

 

[arndog123]

Looks great. Now for the million dollar question, how much?

 

[KimoSabe]

Nicely done...how long did it take for the WTB muffler to accomplish the job?... Are WTB's prices as competitive as the 'kits' out there? I am in Long Beach and have plans in Carlsbad for camping, may drop by Vista if schedule works out...thanks ~

 

[1973Guppie]

he gave me a break on pricing as I have brought a couple cars in there recently, so I would just contact him and get an idea of what it would cost. He is super honest and straightforward and several sd guys have used him. Disclaimer: I am not getting anything from, just like it when I get good honest service from a shop. Midas was horrible, will never go back there. IMO his prices are very reasonable for the amount of work he did. I can say you don't have to worry about getting screwed on pricing, I just don't want to ruin his biz by disclosing what I paid. I paid what I thought was fair compared to other local shops. All in all, it was very affordable compared to the kits that are out there.

he had the car for about a week, that was part of the deal in him giving me a break on pricing, he wanted to do it as fill work, I know though he can do work fairly quickly though, he did a 60 series I brought in during a few hours while I waited.

I can feel a bit of performance gains, he used 2.5 inch pipe up to the cats and then 2.25 from the cats back, plus I got rid of the squeeze portion above the frame. Frank mentioned there was a bunch of crap clogging up the cats that he removed, so I think that helped some and was a part of the rattling problem I had.

 

[Higgin]

Are you happy with the sound of the 50 series flowmaster? I've had flowmasters on most of my previous pickup trucks and really liked them. But the PO had a flowmaster (not sure of series) with 2.5 inch pipe (cat back only....stock from cat forward) installed on my 80 before I bought it, and above say 2500 rpms, its got almost a ricer-ish sound to it. At least from inside the truck. I've never heard someone else drive it, so maybe i'm wrong. Below 2500 it sounds nice and deep. I've been kinda bummed about it, and thinking of trying a different muffler. I like a little growl to my exhaust......but not the ricer sound.

 

[TemeculaTim]

Yep good guy - he did abeckers 45 a year ago and another great shop -vista driveline is in the same complex-

 

[offroad 80]

sorry to rain on your parade but why did he go under the chassis rail when the orig whent over the top that will get smashed the first wheeln day out sorry to pick on it but hey if you payn some one to do a job it should be done rite just my 2 cents not pickingon you or your crusier just the fitter that did the job

 

[1973Guppie]

Are you happy with the sound of the 50 series flowmaster? I've had flowmasters on most of my previous pickup trucks and really liked them. But the PO had a flowmaster (not sure of series) with 2.5 inch pipe (cat back only....stock from cat forward) installed on my 80 before I bought it, and above say 2500 rpms, its got almost a ricer-ish sound to it. At least from inside the truck. I've never heard someone else drive it, so maybe i'm wrong. Below 2500 it sounds nice and deep. I've been kinda bummed about it, and thinking of trying a different muffler. I like a little growl to my exhaust......but not the ricer sound.

I like the sound, but am not that particular as some on this area. It is a bit "ricerish" for lack of a better term. However it is not as high pitch as many sport racer cars, that is for sure, but not as low pitch as I would like it, but whatever. I believe this to be a function of the FZJ80 engine and not much I could do about it. I have a V8 fj40 with the same muffler and it is deep and low, but that is because of the engine, not the exhaust. Overall I am happy with it, the placement of everything was more of a concern for me as was doing it at a fair cost to my pocketbook.

 

[1973Guppie]

sorry to rain on your parade but why did he go under the chassis rail when the orig whent over the top that will get smashed the first wheeln day out sorry to pick on it but hey if you payn some one to do a job it should be done rite just my 2 cents not pickingon you or your crusier just the fitter that did the job

The pic is taken with the car on a lift but with all its weight on its tires. I would have to SERIOUSLY jump the vehicle and compress the very stiff springs to crush that pipe. The reason he went under is that there is minimal room above and the stock pipe is flattened at that point. I think with the 2.5 heavy springs it won't be a problem, but if it is, I am confident that Frank will take care of it for me. It won't get smashed first day wheeling, that is a bit dramatic.

Noah

 

[ardentyota]

I don't think he meant that it would be smashed by jumping it. Out here in CO, the first trip would smash it as you climb the rocks. My stock under-the-frame exhaust is smashed as is the muffler.

Thanks for the pics though!

 

[1973Guppie]

I don't think he meant that it would be smashed by jumping it. Out here in CO, the first trip would smash it as you climb the rocks. My stock under-the-frame exhaust is smashed as is the muffler.

Thanks for the pics though!

I plan to build a plate to protect the under the frame exhaust and tie it into the ipor skid and sliders I build. There is no way the muffler will get damaged or the cats, they are all tucked. The rear exhaust tip area I completely expect to get bashed over time, no way to really avoid this, other than making an exit oval out of the bumper, may do that if it becomes an issue. The truck does not see crazy rocks all the time though, so we will see what happens.

 

[offroad 80]

The reason he went under is that there is minimal room above and the stock pipe is flattened at that point.

i have 3 inch pipe and mine goes over the chassis and it hasnt moved since i built the system 2 years ago and toyota only flatten the back section from the muffle over the crossmember at the diff area, sorry ive been doing exhaust's for 22 years and i hate when fitters dont think of things like
1. what is the car use for ie 4wd (keep the exhaust up out of the way of getting wacked off road)
2.the over use of welding some 1 has to be able to remove the system at some stage to maybe work on the gearbox or clutch .
3.brackets need to be secure and able to hold the exhaust up .
sorry not haveing a go at you but i work on cars and 4wd all day every day and poor workmanship like that pisses me off .

 

[silverhorse]

That's what is great about a Body lift. I have plenty of room now to move the pipes upward and run them wherever I wish........

 

[gotmud]

Looks good! Is it the angle of the pic, or is the pipe really close to your body mount?

 

[1973Guppie]

The reason he went under is that there is minimal room above and the stock pipe is flattened at that point.

i have 3 inch pipe and mine goes over the chassis and it hasnt moved since i built the system 2 years ago and toyota only flatten the back section from the muffle over the crossmember at the diff area, sorry ive been doing exhaust's for 22 years and i hate when fitters dont think of things like
1. what is the car use for ie 4wd (keep the exhaust up out of the way of getting wacked off road)
2.the over use of welding some 1 has to be able to remove the system at some stage to maybe work on the gearbox or clutch .
3.brackets need to be secure and able to hold the exhaust up .
sorry not haveing a go at you but i work on cars and 4wd all day every day and poor workmanship like that pisses me off .

I am sure you are a great exhaust guy and your exhaust is super neat but I disagree with you that the exhaust done on my truck is poor workmanship. Thanks for your comments.

You should start your OWN THREAD and show how great your perfect exhaust is so people can learn from it.

 

[1973Guppie]

Looks good! Is it the angle of the pic, or is the pipe really close to your body mount?

its close, only way to get it up closer to the body with the cats, he did a good job of securing everything, so no rattles or anything.....

 

[NKP Garage]

Looks good. Congrats on finally getting the exhaust done.