exhaust for 04 f450 cab and chassis dumptruck

[travisH3]

ok so i was gonna get rid of muffler and cat on our 2004 f450 dumptruck. it has a regular cab with dump bed.

i was looking for exhaust but after putting the 4 inch down pipe on my 05, it looks harder on the 04. if i remember correct the tranny lines or something was in the way and looks tough to get up there. also i want to make sure it fits my truck

so i called my local exhaust shop and got a price on welding in a straight pipe for the cat and muffler. they priced me at like 220 for stainless steel which i thought was kinda steep just to weld in straight pipe.

so what is your opinions on what i should do, i just dont want to get the exhaust off and then cant get the 4 inch down pipe up there. what about 3.5" downpipe, fit any better. i would just do a cat test pipe and then cat back exhaust but that would be way more expensive. but i need stainless steel and does anyone have any info for me?
i can get pics of whatever or just what are your experiences with the 4 inch downpipe on an 03-04. my 05 was tight but i was able to manage it by myself.

[obsidian]

They're probably charging you so much because they are doing illegal work. It is against federal law to remove the cat.

[travisH3]

maybe, i just called him over the phone. i know the owner so i might stop in and see what he can do for me.
how did your 3.5" dp fit on your 03?(obsidian)

[hizzle]

I had a muffler delete done, non-stainelss, for $60 here in CO. That was cut, dispose, and weld. As far as the cat, did that myself and went to the same shope and got a section of 3.5" pipe. had them expand it at one end to slide over the same diamater pipe and the other end slid into where the cat was clamped in. reused the clamp on that end and got a 3.5" clap for the other. Cut it out using a grinder and payed $15 for the pipe including expanding and $5 for the other clamp.

[travisH3]

true, but i would have to get stainless, they said 150 for the work for aluminized, but we snow plow and this dump truck salts so the salt with most likely eat the aluminized up

[hizzle]

Here ya there. Also, driving my '03 Crew SB from here to Wyoming, went from 18 to 21 MPG on the highway after the muffler delete with the cruise set at 80-85 the whole way. The muffler delete WILL pay for itself before too long. When I did the Cat delete, I definitely lost some low end but seemed to even the rest out. Don't have any MPG numbers on it yet but will after 2 weeks, gotta make a long trip.

[travisH3]

ya i know my 6.0 in my signature i dont have a muffler or cat and i love the sound.

[Komatsu3816]

A buddy of mine has all aluminized exhaust didnt like straight pipe so he got a muffler which is stainless. The muffler seams are covered in rust and the aluminized doesnt have any rust. Id order 4" aluminized downpipe put a turndown on it in front of the wheels and be done

[pizza pig]

get an MBRP system they all use 3.5 inch downpipes

a straightpipe catless turboback is like 260

i wish MBRP made a 05+ kit so they could use a 4 inch downpipe

[travisH3]

how bad is getting a 3.5 inch down pipe in on the 03-04.