Muffler question > Sound .

loud pipes saves lives, Leon.

....SAVES LIVES!

...unless the pipes are so loud, you can't hear the horn on the runaway semi that's about to run you over. Bryan

I don't know of a particular brand/model for your application. However, my rule of thumb is bigger = quieter (as long as it's not a straight-thru "muffler"). Match the in/out tubing sizes and you should be fine. I did just that with a couple of '68 & '69 340 Barracudas... had the exhaust shop stuff B-body (longer, wider) muffs underneath. Cutting the outlet tubes close to the muffler body provided just enough room for the tailpipes to go over the rear axle. With a crossover tube ahead of the muffs, it quieted my hotrodded '68 nicely. The car ran only about 0.05 second slower in the quarter (compared to tuned header extensions).

HTH, Bryan

Larger diameter pipes will lower the sound freq. I haven't really heard the

3.9 but on my 318 I went from the headers to two cats and FlowMasters and out the back with 2 3/4" pipes all the way. It had 2" before and really rapped a lot when letting off the gas. Now it just rumbles. It sounds good without being too overwhelmingly loud.

Ed

If he had loud pipes, We'd save EACH OTHERS life!

see....it's all good.

The stock muffler on my 5.9 is pretty quiet. The truck makes good power, so they are not a restriction. I would think two of them on a 3.9 would not come close to being restrictive, and they'd be very quiet.

On the 3.9l prob one of the best ways you might be able to get the sound that you are looking for will be with an inexpensive cherry bomb. Friend had a 3.9l dakota and did just that and it sounded pretty damn good. Quiet at idle and at cruising speeds, but have a nice throaty sound with out the pissed off bees in a coffee can ricer noise.

The OP wanted a *quiet* muffler -- that precludes a cherry bomb design. A tri-flow type that's as big as will fit the available space is as good as the OP is going to get. Also, a crossover (or X-pipe) ahead of the mufflers will make it even quieter. I did just that with B-body mufflers fitted into my A-body 340 Barracudas. The outlets had to be cut close to the muffler bodies in order for the tail pipes to make it over the rear axle, but it was no big deal. Additionally, the mufflers have 2-bolt flanges on the outlets and the hangers are attached to the front of the tailpipes. For tranny/clutch work, the entire muffler & headpipe assy (which is usually in the way) can be removed from the car. Bryan

No, that is not what the OP said he wanted. He stated he wanted a good flowing muffler with out the bumble bee or chain saw noise, which I am sure if you were more adapt at understood what was being asked for, you would know that he does not want his truck to sound like all the 4 and 6 cylinder ricers.

In addition to this, your suggesting you end up costing the OP a considerable chunk of change. There is no one that makes a X-pipe set up for that truck, which means a completely custom made system. How do you figure your recommendation is "as good as the OP is going to get." because you say so?

Lastly, have you heard a 3.9l dak with a cherry bomb on it? Doubtful, but I have and I know how it sounds. It is not loud, but it sounds good, flows better than most of the other muffler recommendations that have been made to this point, is easy to install, will not interfer with anything else and to boot is dirt cheap.

IF he wants quiet and good flow, what's wrong with the good ole reliable and cheap "round truck muffler"?? flow is decent, and plenty quiet.

now if he wants the "flowmaster" sound then he'll have to spend some more jack over what the round muffler would cost....totally up to the OP.

OP: "I want to install duals on my 97 Dakota..." This makes it custom or an OTS (off the shelf) aftermarket system package. A local exhaust shop did two setups for me from manifolds to bumper for decent prices. Because of the way I wanted it done, one system required bending new tailpipes -- and the price still didn't break the bank. A package system still has to be fitted into the vehicle and won't be much cheaper than a shop making pipes as needed.

In 30 years, I've heard all sorts of vehicles w/ cherry bombs on them. They were all loud as sin. One of my vehicles came to me with them on it. I was pulled over twice for exhaust that was too loud -- and I wasn't very far into the throttle. Putting (as large as would fit) oval tri-flow mufflers on them with crossover tubes made them quieter than OEM, didn't break the bank, and made good power. Bryan

punkin:

That's 90% of the problem right there, punkin. Nobody else here is as adapt at understood as you are.