The fact that aftermarket parts and accessories take up most of the mods nowadays says a lot about how popular and effective they are. The same can be said for performance exhaust systems which can not only improve your vehicle’s acceleration times but it can also fine-tune the way your car sounds.
Racing exhausts are the same too, they’re just made for the ultimate performance experience on the track. Made of high-quality materials and manufactured using unique processes, an aftermarket exhaust is the way to go if you want to squeeze all the potential that the manufacturer hasn’t.
What Matters in an Aftermarket Racing Exhaust
The Bends
No matter how much of a raw sound you want to get from your new exhaust it still needs to have a certain amount of bends, you can’t go for a completely straight system. A proper racing exhaust will have smooth bends and in this case, these systems are known as mandrel-bent exhausts. This may increase their price but it also increases the amount of exhaust gasses that can flow freely through the downpipe
The Thickness
The piping’s thickness may affect the weight of performance exhaust systems but this added weight is what can help make for a nice sound. More weight means less drone as the system won’t vibrate and shake as much when you rev your car. Don’t go overboard with the thickness of the walls though as this can backfire making the new system unusable when it comes to quick acceleration.
The Diameter
With larger diameter piping more HP is unleashed more easily when you press down the accelerator pedal. What you need to remember though, is that, just like with the thickness of the piping, if you go with too large of a diameter, you can lose on HP. In fact, you can create what is known as backpressure which essentially chokes the engine the more you rev it.
The Materials
Different materials act differently in the same conditions and there are 3 different ones you can go for when it comes to racing exhausts.
Stainless steel systems are the industry standard, meaning they are durable, tough and can withstand temperature fluctuations quite well.
Titanium exhausts are not only stronger than stainless steel ones, but they’re also lighter and even more durable when it comes to both heat and corrosion.
Inconel exhausts are made from a special mix of materials used in F1, this gives you a true racing exhaust which can easily cost you a fortune.
The Downpipe
If you have a turbocharged vehicle, you should consider getting a downpipe without a cat. Of course, this makes your vehicle only usable on the track with the proper documentation but you won’t be able to drive it on the road. This can improve airflow and make for even quicker acceleration.
The Tips
Replacing the tailpipes matters as much as any other of the above-mentioned aspects. They can change the looks of your car as well as the exhaust note. If you want a deep growl and an aggressive appearance go for double-walled tailpipes, one on each side. Also, the larger the exhaust tips are the better as this contributes towards a deeper exhaust note and more aggressive styling.
The Valve
There’s only one valve to consider when looking for a new aftermarket exhaust and it has to do with how it sounds. A valved exhaust can be easily turned either into a more aggressive one or a tame one. Opening the valve by pressing a button makes everyone hear the true raw power of what’s under the bonnet while closing the valve makes it more subdued when you don’t want people to be disturbed by the sound of your engine.
Types of Aftermarket Racing Exhausts to Consider
Cat-Back
The most popular type of exhaust system you can go for even for performance vehicles is a cat-back exhaust. This type of system may not make for the best track car, but it’s definitely going to make a difference in how your vehicle accelerates and sounds. That’s because it replaces enough components for you to be able to tweak the level of performance boost as well as the exhaust note in a reasonable way.
Header-Back
If you want a completely new aftermarket exhaust system then you should go for a header-back exhaust which replaces everything from the manifold (header) to the exhaust tips. This way you get complete freedom with every exhaust spec which can be time-consuming and costly but it can make your vehicle a beast on the track. That is if you follow the advice above.
Turbo-Back
Unless you have a supercharged vehicle, a turbo-back exhaust is going to be the best option of the three. As you’d expect, this type of system replaces even the turbo which helps bring in even better airflow, a more appealing exhaust note and quicker acceleration times than both a header-back and a cat-back exhaust would.
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