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Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 10:36 pm
by mojoman92
Dear Ladies & Gents,

I have myself a 2000 Subaru Liberty RX 2.5L for which I wish to get a cat-back exhaust system with UEL headers for the boxer rumble.

I have done the ring around for many quotes. This is my 1st exhaust so any help would be appreciated in deciding.

Liverpool exhausts has quoted me $1100, for Hurricane brand UEL headers and a full cat-back system in Stainless Steal,

and,

Windsor Exhausts has quoted me $930, for wildcat brand UEL headers and a full cat-back system in MILD steal.

Is it worth paying the extra for Stainless steal and how is wildcat as a brand on Liberty's. I have found good comments about the hurricane brand but haven't heard of wildcat or been able to find much on them.

Thanks.

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 11:20 pm
by SIMBAT
i had the same car as you and ill i did was remove get an exhaust shop to make up a 2.5" pipe from after the primary (little) muffler all the way to a Xforce cannon muffler and it gave the car the boxer rumble and a pretty loud note... all up it cost under $450 including the muffler i wanted!

UEL headers are a waste of money on the RX, so is putting any stainless steel piping. also changing too much of the piping will have a detrimental effect on your performance especially low down in your rev range.

No matter what you do to the exhaust on the RX it wont sound like a WRX, however it does sound similar, but in its own special way it can sound just as impressive!

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 8:04 am
by RX25SE
Not sure I agree entirely.

Yes, headers on a 2.5 will not give a noticeable power increase. I have UEL's on the wife's RX and the two things I noticed are that it's happier around city streets in higher gears and the throttle response feels a little better.
The UEL's run into a stock cat and centre section then exit via an oval sport muffler, all piping is standard diameter. As expected it does rumble and I have received more than one comment regarding how it sounds very similar to a WRX. This was not my intention, just how it worked out. I also have a straight through centre pipe that deletes the resonator. With this fitted it sounds like a very loud WRX.

One thing to note. My headers are stainless Borla replicas, bought second hand. They have a habit of cracking I believe, I have welded (TIG) them once and 2 years later they have cracked again, in different spots.

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 4:23 pm
by mojoman92
Has anyone had any experience with either brand or workshop? any info would be appreciated.

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:22 pm
by (sic)
SIMBAT wrote:i had the same car as you and ill i did was remove get an exhaust shop to make up a 2.5" pipe from after the primary (little) muffler all the way to a Xforce cannon muffler and it gave the car the boxer rumble and a pretty loud note... all up it cost under $450 including the muffler i wanted!

+1 this is exactly the same setup I had on my 99 RX (except 2.25")
Was pretty happy with it.

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 5:20 pm
by mojoman92
RX25SE wrote: I have UEL's on the wife's RX


DO u recall how much they cost?

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 11:01 am
by LIB80T
Hey guys
I got myself a 1998 liberty sedan 2.5L RX and was hoping to do the same as you to get closer to a rexy sound, (2.25" back to a xforce muffler, cant find the cannon in the correct inlet size though so i was looking at this oval muffler, https://www.bestmufflers.com/bshop/prod ... cts_id=656 , doesnt say weather its straight through or not, on xforce website it says straight cut not sure if thats what its refering to, but i was wondering if any of you could tell if it would have the same effect as your cannon muffler?

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 1:26 pm
by LIB80T
SIMBAT wrote:ill i did was remove get an exhaust shop to make up a 2.5" pipe from after the primary (little) muffler all the way to a Xforce cannon muffler
oh and also did they chop it off after the primary muffle and just weld the 2.5" pipe on? Cause that section of the piping is bolted on between the cat and the primary muffler not after the muffler, so they wouldve had to cut and weld wouldnt they?

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 1:46 pm
by RX25SE
mojoman92 wrote:
RX25SE wrote: I have UEL's on the wife's RX


DO u recall how much they cost?


I bought them second hand about 6 years ago....

Hundred bucks rings a bell.

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:15 pm
by LIB80T
Is 2.25" even worth it isnt the stock pipes .05" smaller? Wont go bigger though cause apparently you lose power any bigger than 2.25" as not enough backpressure

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 1:03 pm
by LIB80T
Do you guys think its possible to fit a xforce cannon muffler with a 3" inlet to a 2.25" exhaust piping? Will it affect it in any way?

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:28 pm
by SIMBAT
LIB80T wrote:Do you guys think its possible to fit a xforce cannon muffler with a 3" inlet to a 2.25" exhaust piping? Will it affect it in any way?


yes your exhaust shop will be able to make it fit... no it wont have any negative effect.

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:10 am
by LIB80T
SIMBAT wrote:
LIB80T wrote:Do you guys think its possible to fit a xforce cannon muffler with a 3" inlet to a 2.25" exhaust piping? Will it affect it in any way?


yes your exhaust shop will be able to make it fit... no it wont have any negative effect.



Aw cool that solves my problem with what muffler im using then thanks

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 1:09 pm
by LIB80T
So ive been quoted $330 for 2.25" piping in mild steel, deleting resonator, with a 7x11x18" (HxWxL) straight through offset muffler with a traight cut 4" tip, at brookvale muffler center, the guy has done a few before and reckons thats the way to go

Re: Exhaust Help For Subaru Liberty RX

PostPosted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:18 am
by SIMBAT
I personally wouldn't delete the resonator as it really helps cut out in-car drone between 2000 and 3500 rpm which is where you are when driving day to day, plus the resonator is short and won't lower the volume out the back of the car.

Also an offset reduces a lot of sound coming out the end of the pipe, i don't think you will like how little volume will be coming out the back of the car and in car drone from deleting the resonator.

Id suggest getting another quote for keeping the resonator and from that and adding a hot dog muffler to a 4" tip as before.