MagnaFlow Axle Back w/ Mufflers - Install and Review (now with drone!)
 

First- Thanks to Jordan at JDP Motorsports for a GREAT price, outstanding service, and super fast delivery.

It goes downhill from here. :)

I called a local 'muffler' shop to see if they could install as a call to Ron @ Vengeance clued me into the fact that since I already had the ARH 3" system back to the axle, this wasn't going to 'plug right in' with just a few clamps and the pieces MagnaFlow supplied in the box. I like welds anyway...so off I went. What a mess...the poor guys in this shop were not equipped with the pipe of tools to get done what I needed done. They tried to borrow some pipe from the stock mufflers, so I couldn't have them just rebolt the OEM mufflers back up and head out to find a proper shop.

After getting them reasonably attached, they fired it up on the rack to check for leaks. The good new is that there were no leaks on the connections they made (which were secured with the supplied clamps). BUT, there were leaks on one of the Magnaflow mufflers...you ready for the pic??? I was SHOCKED. Once the car was started, it apparently blew through the little bit of metal that was covering a hole due to a REALLY bad weld job.

On the front side of the driver side exhaust hanger...
http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00184_1.jpg

On the rear side of the driver side exhaust hanger...
http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00183_1.jpg

On that same muffler, the weld for the polished tip on the pipe looks like this...

http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00188_1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00189_1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00190_1.jpg

For reference, this is what a weld point looks like on the other muffler...

http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00191_1.jpg

I guess I was a victim of a 'training day' for a new welder...but there's no excuse for such poor quality on an exhaust that retails for over $800.

Here's a few pics of the needed pipes being welded in properly....


http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00185_1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00187_1.jpg

And the finished product...which I personally think is outstanding...

http://home.comcast.net/~awmoss/magn...IMG00192_1.jpg

OK...now that it's all welded up...how does it sound???? (That's why we buy these mufflers right?!?!?!)

To my shock and amazement, the car is now significantly quieter than with the stock mufflers! I have seen the cut apart stock exhaust which reveals its essentially straight through and I have read other magnaflow threads, so I was expecting it to be a bit more tame...but it's MUCH more tame than I anticipated. Keep in mind I have a fairly aggressive cam and headers w/ high flow cats...so before it was LOUD. My wife really didn't like how loud it was even at idle and if I stomped the gas things really got out of control.

With the MagnaFlows on it brings the car into a bit more of a 'refined' state..not quite so wild and raucous. The idle is very nice and throaty and smashing the gas peddle yields a nice deep roar and decel under load no longer produces much backfiring. I was concerned about exhaust drone and lo and behold I now have some. It's not terrible, but it's there...a deep baritone hum at just about any sustained RPM level. Bummer...but not a deal killer. Overall I'm fairly satisfied, but I have a feeling if Corsa can get an exhaust on the market that's just axle back, I might have the MagaFlows up for sale (with the crappy welds fixed of course ;) ) Pssst...here that Corsa...want a direct comparo and convert story??? My father has Kooks/Corsa on his C5 Vette and the sound is intoxicating...and after my magnaflow change his car is now louder than mine. :(

In short...if you have ARH(or any system) back to the axle and you're adding the MagnaFlows, find a really, really good shop that can fab you pipes. OR....and I hope he doesn't mind me saying so...but a very, very slight comment was found on the board yesterday by the guys at ARH and they already reached out to me saying they had the connectors I would need. Funny how it's ARH that comes to the table with a fix and not MagnaFlow... There's competition for the pieces between the headers and the mufflers...and I now know for certain that I'll look to ARH before I look to anyone else...their parts are top notch and they CLEARLY stand behind their work and are focused on customer service.

I always LOVED Corsa stuff, but I think they dropped the ball on the Camaro exhaust, videos I heard, Corsa sounded really raspy to me. Sounds much better on the Vette.

=Bobby

I have to agree. The clips I've heard of the Corsa systems for the Camaro sound nothing like the ones for the Vette. And why is there only one choice of sounds? There's 3 for the Vette. When I heard their Xtreme setup clips for the Vette, I drooled and was almost willing to dump the extra $ to get the same sound. However, all the Camaro Corsa clips I've heard don't even sound close!? What gives?

Not sure if you saw the initial sticker shock on the Corsa axle-back but they are selling it for $1,100 right now and it's supposed to be $1,300 retail. YES....that's for an axle back!

I think SLP needs to look into making their LMII in a 3"......although they are probably going to suggest the ProFlow for a 3" system.

Sorry to hear about the trouble your having. I noticed that you put the PFADT sway bars on. Do they make a big difference?

I wouldn't say 'big'...but they make a noticeable difference...but let me clarify...my last car was an M3 so I'm used to a much different feel. Just the sways certainly do seem to keep the rear from 'floating' as much...it was a difference my wife noticed just from riding shotgun.

Worth the $? ABSOLUTELY...PFADT is top notch and install was a snap. Now if they can just get me the coilovers and bushings.... :D

What was the part number of the magnaflow kit you installed?

http://www.magnaflowplus.com/showite...es%20Axle-Back

Part No: 16581

that rear sway looks siiiick. mines on order...

ever corsa ive heard sounded like a pissed off hornet, even worse so on a vette

i hate the sound of corsa

The magnflow mufflers worked really well with the high flow cats & tsp headers we put together in our systems. Your right it's a pain in the butt mixing and matching all the different brands in a effort to get a complete exhaust system. That's the main reason we released our entire system first instead of a x pipe that necks down to fit stock pipe.

If your having some droning are you running cats? The TSP system on my car doesn't drone with high flow cats & magnaflow mufflers.


http://www.precisionracecomponents.com/2010wot.wmv


http://www.precisionracecomponents.com/2010exhaust.wmv


http://www.precisionracecomponents.com/201070mph.wmv

I'm running the ARH system that has high flow cats.

*******UPDATE********
 

This afternoon I received a call from the folks at MagnaFlow...a stellar sales rep had made them aware of the issue encountered (as always...thanks Jordan!)

MagnaFlow was ready to remedy the issue to my satisfaction and was VERY concerned that I would have received this part as it should never had made it through QC. I supplied all packing/serial information and based on the call, I very seriously doubt any of you will ever have to deal with a sub par weld on a MagnaFlow part.

As the shop fixed the welds up on Saturday, so there was no need to replace the muffler, but it's confidence inspiring to know that Magnaflow was ready to replace immediately. Customer Service breeds customer loyalty...and they turned a negative into a positive...I am now a fan!

And as the days wear on...I'm liking the sound more and more....(and my wife says I'm nuts as, according to her, there is no drone)...

I purchased Magnaflow axle backs (part #16581) but they are still in the box in my garage. I plan to fully insulate my trunk compartment before I install them. From prior posts I understand this may eliminate &/or greatly reduce the "droan" on the A6 SS.