exhaust options

All right, the first Bronco post goes to me! So lets start this one somewhere... Anyone have suggestions for an exhaust? Mine will be due for an overhaul this spring. Its an '86 302 with fuel injection. The muffler and pipe have done plenty of times with your basic standard replacements. I think its time for a decent upgrade and I'm open to opinions on manufacturers and such. The cats are original and have not yet caused any problems. How much longer might I expect them to last? Would it just be worth it to replace them at the same time as everything else?

Quote:

All right, the first Bronco post goes to me! So lets start this one somewhere... Anyone have suggestions for an exhaust? Mine will be due for an overhaul this spring. Its an '86 302 with fuel injection. The muffler and pipe have done plenty of times with your basic standard replacements. I think its time for a decent upgrade and I'm open to opinions on manufacturers and such. The cats are original and have not yet caused any problems. How much longer might I expect them to last? Would it just be worth it to replace them at the same time as everything else?

My recommomendation would be to go with long-tube headers, dual exhaust with 2.25" pipe, an H-pipe, new converters, and new mufflers. This should give you a nice sounding, torquey Bronco.

I went through several different exhaust setups on my Bronco a few years back. The loudest exhaust was not the best performing exhaust. A nice, custom-installed system with mufflers really gave me the low-end torque I had been missing when I was running a lower-quality install without mufflers.

I would definitely go with headers if you haven't already. Headmen makes a nice set of affordable long-tubes. As far as the converters, you can pick up a set of high-flow cats from Summit for about $40/ea if I remember correctly.

Riff-Raff,
Same one as on Off-Road.com?
Don't have a lot of time right now, but click the link to see pics of my exhaust system.
Clicky here.

Eric has some good suggestions in his reply.
Do you need to stay "emissions legal"?
If you do go with headers, you'll be looking for the "shorty" type.

#1 thing to remember.
Don't go too big with the exhaust pipes, or you'll lose bottom end torque.
A single 3" seems to be the best of both worlds. :

Quote:

Riff-Raff, Same one as on Off-Road.com?

Yep that's me! Haven't been online for a while. I gotta get back over to off-road.com and post the results of my bronco's "near death experience" last November when I showed off those awful rust pics! All I can remember is Steve's response - "DAAAAUUUMMMMN!!!"

Anyway thanks for the suggestions from both of you. It gives me a good start, and yes I do need to remain "exhaust legal." I'm sure I'll be back with more questions once I start looking into things further.

http://bbs.off-road.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=offroadfordbroncolate&Number=1007101&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&fpart=1 Here's another one of WD's post on the same setup.

I would go with some headers, (long term - Stainless, mid term - Nickel plated), (short term - Stock cheapies), 1.5" or 1.75" Shorties would do or long tube, to a 2.5" Collector, this is where I would put the cats for the long tube and go with X-Pipe, then use a muffler that would give me the back pressure I wanted (for the low end turq.), Mufflers would be the factor in this case and there are a lot to pick from, make sure you ask lots of question before you purchase mufflers, I would also use turn downs and point them out to the side of the truck, much nicer sound.