The exhaust system is one of the most critical parts of your vehicle, keeping harmful exhaust fumes out of the cabin. This system comprises many smaller parts, like the muffler and catalytic converter, but the most visible part of the system you see on the end of many cars and trucks is the exhaust tip. This tip redirects the exhaust away from your vehicle, but it is mostly cosmetic. Even with that to consider, there are still some differences that make choosing the right-sized exhaust tip an important task for every driver.
The first step to choosing the right exhaust tip is knowing what an exhaust tip is. When you understand what makes this car part unique, you can better understand how to find the right one for your vehicle's unique make and model.
In an exhaust system, the fumes from the combustions in the engine collect in the exhaust manifold. From there, the manifold funnels the exhaust gases through the catalytic converter, which filters out the harmful particulates that should not enter the atmosphere. Without this system, the fumes from your engine would go directly into the interior of your truck’s cabin, leading to foul odors, headaches, and even health issues.
After going through the catalytic converter, the fumes go through the muffler, a sound-deadening device that dramatically lowers the sound created by your engine. From there, the exhaust goes out through your tailpipe and exhaust tip. It doesn’t do much for the exhaust system other than directing everything away from the vehicle and driver.
As mentioned, the exhaust tip, also known as the muffler tip, doesn’t make the most fundamental difference in your vehicle's performance or the effectiveness of your exhaust system. However, that doesn’t mean every exhaust tip is the same. Some vehicles have two pipes, also known as a dual exhaust system.
Whichever system your vehicle has, single or double, the main change you can make with your exhaust tip is the diameter. Exhaust tips with a smaller diameter will emit a raspier, quieter sound than usual. For many truck drivers, this sound is not what they want. Instead, they want the beefier sound that lets everyone know they’re about to drive by. The typical range for exhaust tips is one to four inches. The wider the tip, the louder, throatier sound you get, and you’ll have everyone looking at you and your truck.
The size will help change the sound of your truck, and it can also help match the look of your vehicle. Some manufacturers don’t include the biggest tip size, and they can often look out of place with some of the larger trucks. If you’ve got a smaller truck, you can invest in some of the bigger tip sizes, but if you go on the bigger side, your truck can look a little funny and out of place.
You must properly evaluate your truck’s size to get the exhaust tip that matches the look. It’s a bit of a Goldilocks situation where you may need to experiment and visualize which exhaust tip size works best with your truck. Some are too big, others are too small, but the right one is just waiting for you to discover it.
The tip's size influences the look and sound of your truck, but you must make additional sizing considerations to ensure that the tip actually fits your vehicle. Different trucks have different inlet size requirements, and some exhaust tips may have inlet size options. It’s essential to do some measuring to check the inlet size of your truck and see if the model of tailpipe you’re looking at has those inlet sizes available.
Fitting the inlet size of your truck is important, and there’s a common mistake many can make when finding the correct size. Always be sure to measure your truck's inlet diameter, not the diameter of your old tip. While both the tip and inlet should be the same, there’s the chance that they’re not, and you end up with a tip that doesn’t fit as well as it should.
The inlet size is important, but the outlet size can also be a problem depending on the make and model of your truck. Some trucks have bumper and cowling cut-outs for their factory tips, and any new tip you get needs to fit within those cut-outs. An exhaust tip that is too large won’t work, or you’ll need to trim your body panels to fit them, contributing to bumper damage. You can navigate this issue with some length modifiers on your exhaust tip, but you should never go too long. You want your exhaust tip to stand out, but having it be too long won’t look as cool as you may think.
While the exhaust tip walls don’t necessarily change the size of your exhaust tip, they’re still an important variable you should consider when shopping around. They change the thickness, and the two main options you can choose from are a single and double wall.
The single wall looks thinner and less expensive, but a double wall provides a more finished look. These have another layer of metal, so they’re a little thicker. Unfortunately, that also means they’re a little more expensive. Another important consideration is that single-wall exhaust tips are more difficult to keep clean, as their exposed edge can corrode with the salt from winter roads.
The diameter size of your exhaust tip will make a difference in the sound and look of your truck, but you need to also account for the style and shape of your tip. There are trucks where the dual exhaust with the double-barrel design is all you can do, but if you have a single tip, consider going for a square look. It can look a little more sophisticated, and if that doesn’t work for you, there’s nothing wrong with the classic round or oval look.
Choosing the right-sized exhaust tip for your truck isn’t the most significant change since it won’t dramatically affect your performance, but you still need one that works for your truck. Here at Norcal Diesel Performance, we’ve got the right GMC exhaust parts for your truck that will improve the look of your vehicle and other exhaust parts that will improve performance! We’re the reliable diesel parts supplier you can count on to give your truck the improvements you’ve always wanted.
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