Ok,....this may be a stupid question but I don't know so here we go......what is the benefit of changing the pipes when adding an aftermarket muffler? Is there a difference in sound? Obviously there is a difference in look but im just really wondering what the benefit is.
I would like to add an aftermarket muffler i.e. flowmaster, borla etc., and am wondering if i even need to change any piping just for the sound!?!?
Thanks in advance.

 

you are not going to gain any performace numbers from swapping out the exhaust on the 05 mustangs b/c ford put a high flow exhaust on them from the factory. what you are going to get is a much louder sounding car. now the hard part is going through and hearing all the different exhaust notes from the different mufflers and deciding which ones to go with

 

so why do people spend all that money on axle back exhaust when really all they need to do is change the muffler to get new sound?
I don't get it......there has got ti be some kind of benefit other then wasting money.?!

 

The axle-back exhaust IS the muffler. I don't have a picture available to show you, but the only thing behind the axle is the muffler (OK, there's also the inlet pipe for the muffler which slides over the pipe that curves over the axle, and of course the tailpipe that sticks out of the bumper. And lets not forget the hangers that are welded to the muffler). So when you are buying the axle-back exhaust system, you are just buying the muffler. Another choice would be a cat-back system (everything behind the converter), with or without an H or X cross-over.

 

if you are wanting to get performance numbers from exhaust swap, then you are gonna require more than just the axle-backs. like 28hopup said, change out your cross-over with either an H or X pipe and consider throwing on some long tube headers...then you will have a true "exhaust system" and you will get those performance numbers as well