Best Exhaust For F150 (Buy This One!)

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If you are a driver in the know, then it won’t be news for you that factory gear exhausts are easily outshined by most brand new exhaust systems on the market. Changing up your exhaust can be amazingly cost effective as the upgrades to a new exhaust system would prevent your car or truck from overheating or clogging up. 

This article is focusing on exhausts for the F150 Ecoboost and what the best upgrades are on the market right now for that particular truck. I’m going to explain why each one is great and what they are best at so you can upgrade your exhaust system to better suit your style and your bank balance. 

The exhausts that I’ve picked have all been tested and prove to be reliable and effective at their own designs, so you don’t have to worry about their quality.

Most of the exhaust systems will fit other models too, but they are all perfect additions or replacements for an F150 Ecoboost!

Each one I give a review on will have its own pros on cons, to help you figure out what is best for you, but before we dive into each exhaust, you need to know what to look out for. Jump down to my Buyer’s Guide to learn what to keep an eye out for!

Our Best Exhaust For F150 Ecoboost Reviews

Roush 421711

Roush 421711 F-150 Cat-Back Exhaust for 6.2L / 5.0L / 3.5L (2011-2014) Side Exit

Roush is a company that has been going for years and gives you a classic exhaust sound. With the 421711, Roush has managed to keep that iconic sound but has changed the style to look more appropriate and standardized.

Designed specifically for an F150, this exhaust gives you a deep roar of the engine that doesn’t seem out of place on the car itself. Party in the noise, but Classy in the look. Keeping your car appropriate for every trip.

The exhaust is made from stainless steel and has the design of a Cat Back. This means it has a muffler, inlet, outlet, and y-pipe ready in the package for you to install. The piping, you will notice, is 3 inches in diameter. This is to promote the consistent flow throughout the system.

Other companies, you will find, tend to crimp or bend their exhaust but that will break the flow, making it less consistent and more likely to back up or stall. So by removing that kind of resistance, you know that you are getting a healthy exhaust for your car!

Despite all of these great features, some customers have noticed cab drones from the exhaust. A cab drone or exhaust drone is when the exhaust system makes an annoying monotone sound when the car has been revved up too much. That isn’t the kind of sound that you want.

Pros

  • Aggressive Sound
  • Classy Look
  • Cat Back Design
  • 3 Inch Diameter of Piping

Cons

  • Cab Drone at High Speeds

Last update on 2023-09-29 / If you click this affiliate link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

MBRP S5259AL

MBRP S5259AL 4' Cat Back, Single Exhaust System (Aluminized Steel)

The MBRP is another Cat Back on the list. You might wonder if all the Cat Backs are the same, but MBRP wanted to make sure it stood out from the crowd.

To give themselves an advantage over the competition, they decided to focus on the fuel efficiency of their exhausts. Now we have a product that will be great for your fuel economy and therefore your wallet!

This exhaust system company has also worked on making sure that the normal points of rush that you might find on a 3rd party exhaust won’t happen to the MBRP. They are so sure of this, that the exhaust system has a 3 year warranty!

Another point that the MBRP wanted to make was to do with installation. They wanted to ensure that their customers didn’t find the installation process too much of a hassle.

With most Cat Backs the installation is a bit fiddly, but with the MBRP, they have created a bolt on design and not a wield on design to make the installation easier for you!

They say that the process of installation should be reduced down to one and a half or two hours. For comparison, most installations take around three hours to complete.

Pros

  • Fuel Efficiency
  • 3 Years Warranty
  • Bolt on Design

Cons

  • Cab Drone

Last update on 2023-09-29 / If you click this affiliate link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Mach Force aFe 49-43041-B

aFe 49-43041-B MACH Force XP 4' Cat-Back Exhaust System with Black 6' Tip for 2011-2013 Ford F-150...

This exhaust system has smooth curves and an increased 4 inch diameter of its piping, both of which help remove the restriction within the standard F150 Exhaust pipes. With this design, the gas flows smoothly allowing for an increased horsepower!

The material is stainless steel and it has a rolled slash cut tip making the whole aesthetic aggressive. The straight through design from that free flowing steel muffler creates a high pitch tone.

This produces a powerful and aggressive sound for your car, and you shouldn’t experience any cab droning effects.

The steel itself is 309 steel, which means it is very thick and durable. As the pipe is a Cat Back, having the 4 inch pipe is unusual, especially as it is end to end. This helps create that aggressive sound and keep your exhaust healthy as you go. 

The problem with the Mach Force is only that the instructions are difficult to follow. Once you get your head around the details, it is easy to install; but you might need to watch a YouTube video to get it right, instead of relying on the instructions completely.

Pros

  • 4 Inch Diameter Piping
  • Powerful and Aggressive Sound
  • Thick and Durable Material

Cons

  • Hard to follow installation instructions.  

Last update on 2023-09-29 / If you click this affiliate link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Flowmaster 817522

Flowmaster 817522 Cat-Back Exhaust System for Ford F-150 4.6L/5.0L/5.4L V8 Engine

If you haven’t dealt with upgrades before, or even if you haven’t upgraded your F150 before, then you might want to consider the Flowmaster. It is an affordable exhaust and one of the big leaders in the third party exhaust world. You will know that by using the Flowmaster, you’ll be in good hands. 

The exhaust system is very durable, reliable, and efficient, but don’t take my word for it, look at their track record. Flowmaster Inc has created over 350 exhaust systems for tons of different vehicles.

This is what makes them such a great company. They have studied the car in detail and then created the perfect exhaust system for the car in question. This time for the F150. 

The Flowmaster even has different sound designs for your taste. They have mild, moderate, aggressive, and very aggressive tones, all of which are made in aluminized steel or stainless steel.

This way if you like to rev up the engine and hear your car purr, you know that the sound can be tailored to your tastes.

The only real problem with the Flow master is how quickly it seems to rust. A lot of customers have commented that the clamps and surfaces as a whole start to rust after less than a year. 

Pros

  • Cheap
  • Reliable and Efficient
  • 4 Different Sound Abilities

Cons

  • Rusts Quicker than the Others. 

Last update on 2023-09-29 / If you click this affiliate link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Flowmaster 817707

Flowmaster 817707 Outlaw Extreme Kit

The next and the final exhaust on our list of F150 exhaust systems is another Flowmaster. The difference between the two can be found in the design. The 817707 has a variety of tip styles to suit your sense of style, it has an excluding Flowmaster muffler so you know what each piece fits perfectly,  and it has a 4095 stainless steel construction.

The 4095 steel means that it is more durable than any other of the exhausts on our list!

To make sure that the Flowmaster has the most aggressive sound that you want, the company recommends getting the Air Intake kit as well. We would recommend this too, but the fact that it is an extra expense is a little disheartening. 

If you don’t get the Air Intake, then you might end up with a sound that doesn’t have the right tone. Driving more than 70 mph results in a deafening cab drone!

That being said, most users haven’t felt this effect and the sound is one of the top reasons for 5 stars on Amazon. Maybe I have been driving around today, and my hearing is off, but I would still keep the speed down.

Pros

  • 4095 Stainless Steel
  • Perfect Fit Muffler
  • Aggressive Sound
  • Super Durable

Cons

  • Need another purchase to make it perfect. 

Last update on 2023-09-29 / If you click this affiliate link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Best Exhaust For F150 Buyers Guide

Like with anything mechanical, exhaust systems can be littered with a bunch of unexplained jargon which can confuse you or belittle you, as the companies hope you trip up over the confusing words and buy whatever they place in front of you.

To help you sort the trash information from the nuggets of gold, I’ve created this little guide so you know what to keep in mind when you search for your exhaust. 

There are three things you need to be aware of when buying an exhaust, the material’s quality, how easy it is to install, and the exhaust types.

I’ll dive into what makes each of these points good, and I will tailor the answer so you know what to look for in the F150 Ecoboost. After reading this guide, you should be better equipped to buy your new exhaust system!

What is the Best Material Quality for an Exhaust?

This question should be on your mind whenever you buy a third party item for your trunk or for anything that you buy, in fact. There is no point “upgrading” your gear if the upgrade is shoddy.

When it comes to exhausts, the best choice of material is steel. Most brands will make the exhaust out of steel, so that shouldn’t be hard for you to find, however, if you see a manufacturer has used a different material, it’s probably best to stay away from them.

Stainless steel is reliable, and long lasting because it is naturally resistant to rusting and corrosion. This means it can handle the hot temperatures of the exhaust and you don’t need to maintain the gear, nor will you have to replace the exhaust that often. 

The only other material you should consider is aluminized steel, which some manufacturers put in the tubing of the exhaust system. It is just as good with hot temperatures and resisting rust but it is more expensive than stainless steel, which is why it isn’t often used.

How Do I Know If An Exhaust Is Easy To Install?

The first thing you should be looking for is the brand name and model type in the exhaust system’s specifications. Not all exhaust will operate in the same way, so you need to make sure you buy one which is compatible with your vehicle.

If you buy one which is not compatible, it might still fit with the right adjustments, but it certainly won’t be easy. These types of adjustments might require a mechanic, but they will definitely require welding tools that not everyone has lying around.

I’m going to be showing exhausts that are compatible with F150 Ecoboost, so you don’t have to worry about whether these exhausts will fit your truck or not!

What Exhaust Type Should I Use?

When it comes to Exhaust systems, there are two types that you should be looking for. These are “Cat Back” and “Axle Back”. 

Axle Backs are good for creating a better sound from your engine and giving an aggressive tone. They are also easy to install because they just need to be bolted on to the axle. Axle Backs also tend to be cheaper than the Cat Back, but that is for good reason.

Cat Backs are better for your exhaust system as a whole, as it reduces the weight of your vehicle, and gives an easier flow for your exhaust fumes. Both of these designs increase the overall performance in expelling the waste of the engine. 

Because Cat Backs give such a healthy performance for your car I would recommend using this type for your F150. 

So now you know what to look for, why don’t you have a look at my review of the best exhausts for an F150. Each exhaust was picked out by me, so you know that they will work well with your F150 regardless of the one you chose.

Are you Ready? Start your Engines! Go!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to stop Exhaust Drone/Cab Drone?

This can be an easy fix once you know what to do. Normally all you need to do is alter the frequency of the exhaust. To do this you can add weights to the exhaust pipes. This additional material will dampen the noise and lower the frequency of the vibrations.

To do this safely and effectively, you should clamp a solid piece of steel or lead to the exhaust pipe both before the muffler and after the muffler. This is because the muffler needs an extra hand to dampen the vibrations.  

How Much Horsepower Does A Full Exhaust Add?

Adding an extra exhaust to your car doesn’t increase the horsepower by much. It’s safe to assume that you might gain an additional 2% to 5% from a large engine. The easiest and cheapest way to increase the horsepower of your car is to add Cold Air Intake to your engine. 

Does a Loud Exhaust Use More Fuel?

You might think that loud exhausts use more fuel to gain that aggressive sound, but in reality, the loud exhaust does not use any more fuel than a regular exhaust.

Normally an exhaust system has a muffler installed to reduce the sound, but loud exhaust normally have these edited to get a better sound. It all has to do with the shape of the muffler, rather than the fuel or power of the engine. 

Conclusion

So now you know what the best third party exhaust systems are on the market for an F150! Take a look at each kit and make the decision that best suits your needs. F105 Ecoboosts are a very fuel efficient vehicle, but when it comes to sounds some customers want a bit more oomph!

Because the exhaust wasn’t designed for the sound, you need to be careful about how fast you go once the new exhaust is attached. Drive around a bit and get a feel for any cab drone noises that are too much.

The likelihood is if the sound is too much then just drop down the car to a steadier speed or add another clamp. 

Have fun zooming around in your new exhaust! And remember, next time you need a hand picking out an exhaust, go to my Buyers Guide to know what to keep an eye out for!