Best Exhaust Systems for Jeep Wrangler JK Reviews 2020
The best exhaust system for a Jeep Wrangler JK has to be tough, water proof, and capable of handling any terrain, and lots of pulling. Jeep drivers are not usually highway only drivers. Jeep drivers leave the road for outdoor adventures, and their exhaust systems must be able to handle the possibility of water, rocks, or sand being thrown against them.
To find the exhaust systems that would please Jeep owners we put several systems through rigorous testing. The following 5 exhaust systems were our expert’s top picks.
Best Exhaust Systems we would recommend for Jeep Wrangler JK
1. Dynomax 39510 Axle-Back System
This exhaust system has large internal flow tubes. The larger size tubes, improves the flow of the exhaust, and almost eliminates back-pressure from happening. The free flow of air allows the exhaust to stay cooler and this in turn helps to regulate your engine temperature.
The system is made from stainless steel so it is impervious to rust and corrosion. The stainless steel tubing is mandrel bent, and the tips may be single or double wall stainless that has been buffed and polished to create an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
The sound is righteous. This exhaust system lets your engine roar be heard, without letting it be so loud that you cannot hear your radio.
Everything you need to install this exhaust system on your Jeep comes in the package. The installation is easy and quick to do. Most Jeep owners say that getting the original equipment off was the hardest part of the switchover. This system fits most Jeep Wranglers, and most owners say they installed it with no fear of voiding their manufacture warranty.
You can have the look you want and the sound you want. You can also have a legal to own exhaust system that still has the sound of an outlaw.
2. MagnaFlow 15160 Stainless Steel Performance Exhaust System Kit, Large
The tubing on this exhaust system is mandrel bent. It does not have wrinkles or lose structural integrity at the bends when this method is used. You get a stronger pipe that is more likely to be able to allow the exhaust to flow freely without causing backpressure or odorous back-flow.
The main piping has diameters of 2.5 inches and a tip diameter of 4 inches. The length of the tip is 6 inches. It is black coated stainless steel that will resist rust, and prevent you from having to replace your exhaust system frequently. So go ahead and play in the mud, your exhaust will be able to handle it.
This is a dual exit exhaust system. It bolts in place so you do not need to carry your vehicle to a shop to get the muffler welded in place. You get all of the bolts and hardware that you need for installation with the kit.
This is an exhaust system that is made in the USA and designed to improve performance. Your exhaust system is more than just a sound amplifier or sound muffler. It is a method of increasing horsepower, and reducing fuel consumption, while keeping your exhaust and engine running cooler.
3. Gibson Performance Exhaust Gibson 17303 Cat-Back Dual Split Exhaust System, Aluminized
This exhaust system has exits pipes that come straight from the back of your Jeep. It includes an aluminized muffler that is fully welded. The muffler has not been blown out, or packed, and does not have screen inserted.
It has 2.5 inch pipes for free flow of exhaust and 3.5 inch stainless steel tips that make it look aggressive, and powerful. The tips are T-304 polished stainless steel and they require no clamps.
When you start your engine after installing this exhaust system you will be greeted with a deep throaty growl. The aggressive sound does ramp up as you get started down the road but it does not reach that annoying sound that makes people suggest you get a muffler.
This system is easy to install. The hardest part of your installation is going to be when you are removing the original equipment hangers. Once you get those bad boys out of your way the rest of the installation is a walk in the park.
This system gives you the aggressive look and sound that you want, but keeps you on the legal side with an exhaust that is designed to meet all of the safety requirements detailed for exhaust systems.
Check your warranty guidelines before you change your exhaust so you do not void a warranty regulation.
4. Flowmaster 817674 American Thunder 409S Single Rear Exit Cat-Back System with Moderate Sound
This exhaust system is complete stainless steel construction. It provides you with maximum amount of off-road clearance so you can go farther, and do more of the kind of off-road adventures you want.
It is a cat-back system that is specifically designed to fit the 2007 to 2014 Jeep Wranglers. This system can be used in the 2 door or the 4 door Jeep wrangler. The stainless steel is 409S and the bends are all mandrel bends. You will love the 3 inch stainless steel tips.
When you install this system you will eliminate the original equipment transverse muffler that came standard on your Jeep Wrangler and relocates the exhaust behind your catalytic converter. This relocation was how the manufacture could insure such a great amount of ground clearance.
When you buy the kit you get everything you need to do the installation. There are no extra components to purchase. Most owners do their own installation and skip the cost of high priced mechanic shops.
This system is a perfect fit on the Jeep Wranglers but you still need to check your vehicle warranty and see if replaces the standard original exhaust equipment is going to void your manufacturer warranty.
5. Gibson Performance 17303-B Cat-Back Dual Split Exhaust System, Black Ceramic
This Gibson exhaust system is going to give you everything you need and then some. It has a 4 inch x 9 inch x 18 inch oval body. The pipes are 2.5 inch and you get dual pipes for a better look. On the end of those pipes are 4 inch ceramic coated T304 slash cut tips they are made from stainless steel and intercooled. You will also love the fact that this is a clamp on exhaust system so you do not have to weld anything to put the new system in place.
Most people say the hardest part of installing this Gibson Performance exhaust system is removing the original exhaust system. Within 2 hours you can have the old system removed and the new system in, and be ready to roll.
The sound of this system will be slightly aggressive but it does not have that drone that many systems have when you are traveling major highways. There is no internal packing in the muffler system, and the black exterior makes the system look even more aggressive than it is.
It does improve the amount of horsepower your engine has and it decreases the amount of fuel that you use.
How to Choose an Exhaust System for Jeep Wrangler JK
The first consideration about an exhaust system is detailed in how you use the vehicle. If the vehicle is used to drive to and from work, and around town, you want an exhaust system that meets all regulations and codes. Your system must be within the decibels regulated by your city ordinances.
If you drive off-road and do a lot of playing on old dirt paths, or new paths that you have created then the clearance of the exhaust system likely means more to you than the sound or decibels.
Before you pick a system think about how you will drive the Jeep the most, and what you want from your exhaust system.
Fuel Consumption
If you want your Jeep to get better fuel mileage then you want a free flowing exhaust system that does not have a lot of bends and crooks in the pipe. You want a simple system that directs the exhaust out of the pipes with minimal effort. If the exhaust system has to work hard to push the exhaust out then it is going to take fuel to help it work.
Some exhaust systems create fuel efficiency that gives people as many as 25 more miles per tank of gas. With the prices of fuel this could equal a lot of money saved.
Sound
If you are putting the system on an off-road toy then you want your system to sound as aggressive and as loud as it can. If you drive past homes with sleeping people, and through towns then you want overly aggressive sounds.
You have to determine where you will drive the most, and how you will drive your vehicle.
Mandrel Bent Pipes
When an exhaust system says it has mandrel bent pipes the tubing that makes up the exhaust pipe was bent by inserting a steel pipe in the tubing. The inserted pipe remains rigidly in place and pressure is applied to the tubing to cause it to bend around the rigid pipe.
The result is a bend that has no wrinkles or restrictions. It is also a bend that is strong and will not be subject to deterioration like a bend that is made and then joined to another pipe. The mandrel bent tubing is a solid piece that has not been cut, and no clamps or bolts have been used to join it back together.
Final Thoughts
Exhaust systems can make your vehicle sound tougher, and make it look tougher. An exhaust system can increase your horsepower and make your vehicle capable of pulling more or climbing steeper hills.
The right exhaust system saves money for you by allowing you to use less fuel. The right exhaust system customizes the look, sound, and performance to make your Jeep Wrangler a unique vehicle.
The only hiccup you may have with a new exhaust system is voiding your warranty from your manufacture. You should never change any exhaust system until you check your warranty and confirm that you are allowed to make the change.
