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The Thermal R&D cat back exhaust PREMIER!

zdubyadubya

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I kinda went down the same road and wish I had of custom built the exhaust from the dp's out.
I bought the Borla Atak thinking I`d be happy with the additional sound over stock - I wasn't overly impressed for more than a few months.
That led to removing the mid resonator and putting in a X-pipe - This is now more than enough sounds with drone which kinda sucks but I can bare it.
That led to the flex pipe couplings now vibrating ridiculously.
I have SPD down pipes going in on Monday with the stock flex pipes and know I`m in for a disaster.
I already ordered the new flex pipe couplings from Vibrant and hope they come in next week but still haven`t received the ship notificaiton.
So...if the dp`s go in before the flex pipe couplings are changed, what exactly will I be facing in terms of noise issue and anything else associated with down pipes on stock mesh flex pipe couplings..
I heard the down pipes, as you mentioned, will literally destroy the stock flex couplings and the sound is insanely bad.
I drive around now embarrassed tbh by the rattling noise I get with the exhaust and x-pipe I can`t imagine down pipes now lol.
I`ve been waiting so long I just want to get them on and run the risk with noise for hopefully no more than a week when the new mesh Vibrant ones come in.
What do you think since you`ve done it already?
good news, the vibration shouldn't actually break any welds and break apart the flex joints. the bad news, the vibration from the flex couplings will be so bad that when decelerating/coasting to a stop, you will feel the whole truck vibrate and shudder as it goes through the resonant frequency. it was at about 1500rpm for me. it was so bad that my wife who isn't much of a car person thought something was very very wrong with the vehicle.

something you should do no matter if you wait for the new couplings or not is add some small rubber isolators between the spd downpipe brackets and the vehicle frame when you install your downpipes. i found this did wonders for eliminating high frequency engine/exhaust vibrations that i was feeling in the steering wheel. ive not seen anyone else do this and it actually helped alot.
 

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I'll echo what @zdubyadubya said regarding the vibration when decelerating. I need to get the bolt size to that bracket and look for an isolator. Do you recall what you bought and/or where you bought it from?
 

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So is the price going to be at the 1,994 list price on the site then? I don't even have my ST yet hah, hard to buy now but might have to think about it.
no the price will not be full retail but the MAP price will be set higher than the current pre-order price. The Thermal exhaust is also "with free shipping" which will end as well.
now that we ship these full exhausts in 3 boxes to avoid damage, the average shipping costs are $200 in the USA
 

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Dang so price increase plus $200 shipping.... guess I might have an exhaust before my ST lol
 

F=MA

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I pulled the trigger on one of these also. I will have my Magnaflow #19515 exhaust up for sale at some point. FYI. Magnaflow #19515 exhaust will drone in 9th and 10th on the highway around 2000 rpm. I just drive in 8th so not an issue. Sounds like resonators will help with the drone. I have two new Magnaflow resonators that were never installed that I may include for the right deal.
 

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good news, the vibration shouldn't actually break any welds and break apart the flex joints. the bad news, the vibration from the flex couplings will be so bad that when decelerating/coasting to a stop, you will feel the whole truck vibrate and shudder as it goes through the resonant frequency. it was at about 1500rpm for me. it was so bad that my wife who isn't much of a car person thought something was very very wrong with the vehicle.

something you should do no matter if you wait for the new couplings or not is add some small rubber isolators between the spd downpipe brackets and the vehicle frame when you install your downpipes. i found this did wonders for eliminating high frequency engine/exhaust vibrations that i was feeling in the steering wheel. ive not seen anyone else do this and it actually helped alot.
Thanks for the pointer. I will mention this to the dealer and see what they can do. I was thinking for the time being to put some clamps over the couplings just to try and reduce the vibration. Do you think that would help at all?
 

zdubyadubya

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I'll echo what @zdubyadubya said regarding the vibration when decelerating. I need to get the bolt size to that bracket and look for an isolator. Do you recall what you bought and/or where you bought it from?
i literally just cut squares out of a 1/2" thick sheet of rubber i had lying around and drilled holes in them.
 

zdubyadubya

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Thanks for the pointer. I will mention this to the dealer and see what they can do. I was thinking for the time being to put some clamps over the couplings just to try and reduce the vibration. Do you think that would help at all?
i installed 3 band clamps on each one. didn't do a focking thing. Ford's supposed service bulletin fix is pointless.
 

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all Thermal exhaust order have shipped
there were a few hiccups with labels being made a week ago that still needed packed up and shipped which took a few days

there are about 18 Thermal exhausts left in stock from this production run
next batch won't be produced until 2022 and the price will be increased from the pre-order pricing we have held firm since the beginning of 2021

https://whoosh-motorsports.myshopif...xplorer-st-cat-back-exhaust-2020-freeshipping
Hey Ron I reached out via email. Hit me back when u can.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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Sometimes you gotta buy an exhaust before your vehicle is even produced! :ROFLMAO:

Probably won't put it on right away, giving the gremlins time to be ironed out but at least I'll have it at the ready.
 

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Yay!!!!!


Sent from my SM-G991W using Tapatalk
 

GearHead_1

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No, thank you! Now if you'll just stop by for a few minutes and throw it on... :giggle:
 

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Installed the exhaust today...... very happy with my choice.

Cold start has a little growl to it, but the volume is tame and not obnoxious. When it is warmed up, it has a nice deep resonance.

Putzing around in traffic the exhaust can be heard, but again it is fairly tame. No worries about pulling up to your house in the middle of the night and pissing off all your neighbours.

And of course when you put your foot into it, it comes alive. It is hard to describe, but it sounds... crisp. The videos I've seen definitely don't capture the sound well.

Installation was a breeze, it took less than an hour. And that was with me sitting on the phone with clients half the time. Don't they know it's Saturday?

AirBrush_20211023130935.jpg

AirBrush_20211023124322.jpg

AirBrush_20211023124229.jpg
 

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Location
Cincinnati, OH, USA
Man I need a lift! Yeah, install was very easy. Longest part was explaining to my wife what I was doing. I need to adjust mine a little still. Driver side is just a few MM lower than the pass side.

your description on the sound is dead on. Very tame when normal driving, but screams when you get in it.
 



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