Anyone install any other muffler besides the TRD???

[mattyboyl]

The TRD muffler sounds great and all, but I was wondering if anyone installed any other brand on their Solaras? I was thinking FLowmaster since I like the throaty sound they usually produce. I can go to a muffler shop and get a catback with a Flowmaster for less than a TRD muffler no doubt! If anyone has installed anything else besides TRD, can you describe it for us? If you can supply pictures, that would be a help too. If you have any sound clips, that would best! Thanks.

[PhreakdOut]

IMO The flowmaster sounds "tinny" or like a hollow metal can. The reality is that the Flowmaster muffler has a narrow range of effectiveness. (I can elaborate on this if you wish, but it's not the point here.)

Unless you have some absorptive material like glass wool, basalt fiber or roving fiberglass, the end result may sound like a coffee can. I'd wager your local dealer is suggesting the Flowmaster series 40, 50, Delta Flow or Hushpower. To my knowledge, Flowmaster does not have any absorptive material in their product.

In very general terms, you can break up exhaust acoustics in to high frequencies and low frequencies. The glass wool and muffler chamber volume helps dissapate the higher frequencies. The low "throaty" note you seek (less than 200Hz) remains unaffected by the fiberglass.

Low frequencies must be removed by mechanical means. (Hemholtz tuners, cancellation of like frequencies, branch tuners, etc...) These are expensive features found in the original equipment muffler and not in "straight through" mufflers like the TRD or Greddy.

My recommendation is to just check around and see who offers the cheapest stainless steel straight through glass filled muffler in the area of 18" long. The less muffler internal volume, the louder it will be.

I'd say you can get a good muffler shop to build a custom stainless muffler for less than the TRD part. On the positive side, you get to choose your own tip style.

Have fun and keep us posted on how it's going.

[mattyboyl]

Thanks for the advice phreak. Your logic makes sense and for my Solara, I may be looking for something with less sound, like the TRD. Hell, I may just go with the TRD and just install it myself, but I highly doubt it based on price alone! I have personal experience with Flowmaster and was deeply satisified when I had it installed on my 3000GT. Now I know the Solara is no 3000GT due to engine and exhaust set-up. Anyone else out there have any experiences with other mufflers.