Genxer
Well-Known Member
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- #1
As the title says, I installed Borla S Type axle backs with chrome tips, today. For reference, my car has a completely stock exhaust system (except for the new mufflers). First, a shout out to American Muscle. The shipping got messed up on their end and my delivery was to be delayed, but Alex responded quickly and made it more than right. I have no qualms about buying from them again.
I rec'd the box and unpacked. The mufflers were very well protected with foamed molded entirely around them. I did find one small ding on the body of one but no big deal. Beefy welds. Overall the product looked very well-made and the tips are a nice upgrade from stock. They have raised lettering with "BORLA" up top so there's no confusing for stock. I would have preferred beveled ones but these 4" tips look nice enough, and are a noticeable difference from the stock 3.5" tips.
Installation was not hard but I measured twice, three times who knows, and then cut. This is the part of the install that will make your nether regions pucker a bit. Make sure you understand where to cut. The Borla directions were spot on. I borrowed a battery-powered sawzall and it made cutting the pipe so easy. After the install I did not need to center anything up. There was about a fingertip gap between the valance and each side of the tips. The tips stick out a little further I think. I ran the nuts on the clamps down with a ratchet/socket and then used a torque wrench to tighten to spec.
On startup, I immediately noticed a much deeper sound than stock, and louder too. YouTube videos don't do the S Type justice. After letting the oil temp come up, I took the car for a drive. It is aggressive, deep and beautiful. I heard it at almost all speeds. Between 2000 and about 2250 rpm, the sound does intrude the cabin more than at other speeds. For my 3.73 gear car that is around 70 mph where it is loudest. It is quieter at 65 and at 75. Not exactly drone, but loud. I took the wife and my 20 yr. old daughter and we went for a drive on the highway and on slower side streets. They weren't too excited about the sound. I admit it was a bit much for me too.
One thing nagged me. I have never liked that boomy sound coming from the sound tube. It is enveloping and not very pleasing. In a word, noise. As I was contemplating this, my daughter wanted to go buy some ice cream. Before we left, I removed the sound tube connection from the intake and capped it off. We then took off in the Mustang, and to my amazement the issues I had were greatly diminished. What I hear now is not a bass heavy sound coming from everywhere, but instead the exhaust only and all the sound is behind me. Seems like I can hear the exhaust articulations better too. Now, I am as happy as can be. Off throttle is much quieter as well. I have no desire to do an x pipe or any other exhaust mod as this is plenty of sound for me. It sounds more like a bad mofo now, as it should.
At cold idle it is loud but in no way obnoxious. Warm idle is a little over stock. Your gearhead friends will know it's not stock when they hear it coming down the street. It roars above 3000 rpm, and there's nice burbles on deceleration. I still hear it at all speeds but the sound tube deletion eliminated a lot of bass in the drone zone. My daughter definitely likes it better now. If you stay out of the throttle, a late night entry into your neighborhood shouldn't be a problem. I hear no rasp either, just a nice muscle car sound (thank you stock resonator). It's a little loud when you are on the throttle, but these are straight thru mufflers.
I don't know if there is a performance increase, but I swear the engine winds up faster than before. It SEEMS faster.
I will be completely removing that sound tube tomorrow. Better looks and better sound. If you have a sensitive ear, this axle back may still be too much for you, but if you like an exhaust with a nice tone, deeper than stock, and something you can hear at most speeds, then I recommend it (with sound tube deletion).
Here's a video of it in the driveway.
I rec'd the box and unpacked. The mufflers were very well protected with foamed molded entirely around them. I did find one small ding on the body of one but no big deal. Beefy welds. Overall the product looked very well-made and the tips are a nice upgrade from stock. They have raised lettering with "BORLA" up top so there's no confusing for stock. I would have preferred beveled ones but these 4" tips look nice enough, and are a noticeable difference from the stock 3.5" tips.
Installation was not hard but I measured twice, three times who knows, and then cut. This is the part of the install that will make your nether regions pucker a bit. Make sure you understand where to cut. The Borla directions were spot on. I borrowed a battery-powered sawzall and it made cutting the pipe so easy. After the install I did not need to center anything up. There was about a fingertip gap between the valance and each side of the tips. The tips stick out a little further I think. I ran the nuts on the clamps down with a ratchet/socket and then used a torque wrench to tighten to spec.
On startup, I immediately noticed a much deeper sound than stock, and louder too. YouTube videos don't do the S Type justice. After letting the oil temp come up, I took the car for a drive. It is aggressive, deep and beautiful. I heard it at almost all speeds. Between 2000 and about 2250 rpm, the sound does intrude the cabin more than at other speeds. For my 3.73 gear car that is around 70 mph where it is loudest. It is quieter at 65 and at 75. Not exactly drone, but loud. I took the wife and my 20 yr. old daughter and we went for a drive on the highway and on slower side streets. They weren't too excited about the sound. I admit it was a bit much for me too.
One thing nagged me. I have never liked that boomy sound coming from the sound tube. It is enveloping and not very pleasing. In a word, noise. As I was contemplating this, my daughter wanted to go buy some ice cream. Before we left, I removed the sound tube connection from the intake and capped it off. We then took off in the Mustang, and to my amazement the issues I had were greatly diminished. What I hear now is not a bass heavy sound coming from everywhere, but instead the exhaust only and all the sound is behind me. Seems like I can hear the exhaust articulations better too. Now, I am as happy as can be. Off throttle is much quieter as well. I have no desire to do an x pipe or any other exhaust mod as this is plenty of sound for me. It sounds more like a bad mofo now, as it should.
At cold idle it is loud but in no way obnoxious. Warm idle is a little over stock. Your gearhead friends will know it's not stock when they hear it coming down the street. It roars above 3000 rpm, and there's nice burbles on deceleration. I still hear it at all speeds but the sound tube deletion eliminated a lot of bass in the drone zone. My daughter definitely likes it better now. If you stay out of the throttle, a late night entry into your neighborhood shouldn't be a problem. I hear no rasp either, just a nice muscle car sound (thank you stock resonator). It's a little loud when you are on the throttle, but these are straight thru mufflers.
I don't know if there is a performance increase, but I swear the engine winds up faster than before. It SEEMS faster.
I will be completely removing that sound tube tomorrow. Better looks and better sound. If you have a sensitive ear, this axle back may still be too much for you, but if you like an exhaust with a nice tone, deeper than stock, and something you can hear at most speeds, then I recommend it (with sound tube deletion).
Here's a video of it in the driveway.
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