2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission MBRP exhaust and "drone"

[JFulford]

I've got an 02 and am thinking of replacing the stock exhaust with a 4" system.

I've noticed on the forum that many recommend the MBRP system. Some have noticed a drone above 2k rpm. Is this common? Or is it based on the type of system, either stainless or aluminized, 409 vs 304? Are the mufflers the same between the stainless and the aluminized kits? I've got 4. 10s in the truck and it runs about 2200 on the highway; I make monthly 2-4 hours runs and was wondering how bad the drone might be.

Thanks

jeff

-- email address removed --

 

[FourBarR]

Got the drone on my mbrp ss. been there since new, does ocure at 2000rpm 70mph . Dont know if they have fixed it on newer ones.

 

[JKinney]

I put mine on a couple months ago, im getting use to it... ...

 

[ILIANBG]

I'd be ****** off. To spend that much money for something that is annoying and will not go away? Do your search man, there are systems out there WITHOUT ANY drone. That was for sure the thing I DID NOT WANT to have on my truck (drone), because I've heard it on another truck and it is very unpleasant to be in the cab.

Ilian

 

[NHays]

I have a 4" Silverline system in my truck. I get no drone and a nice deep sound. Make sure you use ALL the rubber dampeners they give you, I did add another set of hangers with rubber dampeners on mine. don't think that made any difference, I just drive alot of rough rodes.

 

[JKinney]

For normal cruising mine is not bad, but with a 410 rearend the rig hits the 2000 rpm mark at 63 mph (guessing) so at 70 your up about 2300 and thats where she gets a little loud. Im really not complaining as I had done my homework before i bought it.

 

[NoSeeUm]

Mind droned until I put a second muffler on. The drone made any highway speed around 70 mph (like the freeway) pretty damn annoying.



In my case the drone was from about 1950 to right around 2150 rpm. The sound volume from the exhaust easily doubled in that rpm range.



Jim

 

[DMcPherson]

I have the alumanized mbrp with the old style muffler and I have no drone. or at least very little, Im used to driving very loud cars though. wiht the window up my truck is the quietest thing I own

 

[JFulford]

Thanks for the info. It a bunch of money to put out for something you have to "get used to"! Not sure who to go with now

jeff

 

[DMcPherson]

I should add also, I just hauled a car to michigan from ct and back and at no point did I have any exhaust issue. my muffler is bigger than the new systems though and I dont knowif it makes a difference, but after being in the truck for allmost 35 hours over 2 days I have no complaint. i can hear the engine more than anything

 

[JFulford]

I have the alumanized mbrp with the old style muffler and I have no drone. or at least very little, Im used to driving very loud cars though. wiht the window up my truck is the quietest thing I own

What do yo mean by "older muffler"? How old is your system?

jeff

 

[TBartlett1]

I just purchased a 1999 with a 5 inch exhaust and took it on its first interstate trip running 65~90mph and it also has a very annoying drone only at 70. It appears to be harmonics in the system; I intend to add weight to the exhaust system systematically in the hope that I can eliminate this. As one reader solved the problem by adding another muffler it may have been the additional mass of the system that solved the problem not the muffler itself. All rotating or reciprocating machinery (turbines especially) have what is called a critical speed or speeds where they create heavy and destructive vibration if operated there for extended times. I worked in steam turbine testing and our test turbine had a design speed of 11,000 rpm at 18 megawatts (approx 24,000 hp) but there was a critical speed around 8500 rpm and the solution was to accelerate through the critical speed range to rated rpm.



Having also worked in transmission engineering on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle System for 16 years where we designed, built and tested hydro mechanical transmissions for the US Army’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle System in dyno cells all powered by Cummins VTA 903 diesels rated at 600hp and we also 1 rated at 700hp I can say that even though all the transmissions we built were identical we occasionally had to swap parts from 1 transmission to another to resolve operational issues. Engineering evaluation found the questioned parts to be identical but in certain transmissions they created undesirable characteristics such as noise or operational issues.



What I’m saying is that an exhaust that works fine on 9 vehicles may create issues on another



Sorry for being long winded but this may help others that already have this problem.

 

[Dave M]

MBRP Drone:

I have a 4 inch T409 SS MBRP exhaust and love it. I (like you) read all the posts describing the drone and was afraid to get MBRP. But I also read many posts describing how much they loved the meaty sound. I bought it and love the throaty side and also noticed the drone at about 1700-2000 rpm. It wasn't real loud just noticable. My wife said she liked the sound of the new exhaust... of course she's deaf :-laf ... just kidding.



Some people are real sensitive to this issue, so keep that in mind. I don't believe its as bad as it made out. . from my experince.



Good luck with your decision.



Dave

 

[AKAMAC]

My drone solved itself.

The first support broke free from the down pipe. I was going to send it back for warranty but just patched the hole; no more drone. Mike

 

[JFulford]

4" Exhaust

Thanks for all the help! I guess I can add a resonator if I run into a situation where I get a drone.

jeff

 

[RDyson]

I put a 51" Donaldson on mine. Didn't want to have to "hope" I didn't end up with the drone.



Randy

 

[Cattletrkr]

Mind droned until I put a second muffler on. The drone made any highway speed around 70 mph (like the freeway) pretty damn annoying.



In my case the drone was from about 1950 to right around 2150 rpm. The sound volume from the exhaust easily doubled in that rpm range.



Jim

My '01 HO reg cab was very annoying around 2200rpm. A second muffler helped considerably. However dad's '02 SO QC had almost no drone with the same system... single muffler.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

IIt appears to be harmonics in the system; I intend to add weight to the exhaust system systematically in the hope that I can eliminate this.

it won't... BTDT, it may help, but the only thing that will get rid of it is another muffler/resonator



sound deadener inside the cab works wonders too