Everything You Need to Know About F150 Mufflers

An F150 muffler is a part of your exhaust system that goes at the end of the system and helps to define your exhaust note. The muffler connects to the mid-pipe and funnels the exhaust gases and sounds of the engine out the rear or side of your F150 pickup truck. Most F150s are equipped with a chambered muffler (more on that later), which comes in a rectangular shape, with cylindrical pipe feeding in and out of it. Baffling in the muffler gives your truck its distinctive sound.

A stock F150 muffler tends to be extremely quiet and consequently restrictive in terms of the exhaust flow. The stock muffler on your F150 exits out the rear only and can tend to be fairly heavy.

Aftermarket F150 mufflers open up the exhaust system, allowing more sound to pour out and the exhausts gases to flow freer. Aftermarket mufflers also tend to be lighter than their stock counterparts and can exit out the rear or side of the truck.

Ditching your stock F150 muffler in favor of an aftermarket one gives you:

• Louder and deeper exhaust note
• Freer flowing exhaust
• Small bump in horsepower

Exhaust upgrades are an easy way to improve your presence and your performance, and there is nothing easier to modify on your exhaust system than the muffler. How loud it is or how much power you pick up depends upon the muffler you go with, as each will offer something different.

Installing an aftermarket muffler on an F150 is an easy upgrade that even a more novice enthusiast could install. Installation requires a few hand tools and in some cases a saw. Mufflers can be installed without the need for a welder. In total, you should expect to spend about 1-2 hours. In instances where the stock parts are corroded and locked up tight, you may experience install times of up to three hours.

There are several types of F150 mufflers that include:

• Chambered
• Bullet
• Oval
• Mid
• Straight Pipe / Straight Through

The different styles of F150 mufflers each have a distinctive sound, giving them a unique profile. The muffler is like the vocal cords of your truck’s exhaust system, crafting its tone and sound.

Almost all F150 mufflers are chambered mufflers. A chambered muffler is basically an umbrella term that encompasses any muffler that has baffling with some sort of compartment, i.e. a chamber. Chambered mufflers tend to be less raspy than straight through mufflers/straight pipe setups, sounding more refined and polished.

A bullet muffler is more of a “race” style muffler, with minimal baffling and a confined chamber. Bullet mufflers tend to be louder and throatier, producing an incredibly aggressive exhaust note. Adding a set of bullet mufflers to your F150 will give it a more race car like sound, while also freeing up a few HP.

Bullet mufflers tend to be much less restrictive than the stock mufflers, allowing exhaust gases to flow more freely. With the freer flowing design, your F150 can experience a 5-10 HP bump in power.

Oval F150 mufflers are the most common muffler style for F150s and are the choice for the stock design. Oval F150 mufflers can be more on the quiet or subdued, however, they can still pack a loud punch.

Oval F150 mufflers have more baffling than other styles and a much larger chamber, with a sound that tends to have more of a bass note and a rumble. Most oval mufflers have minimal rasp in their tone, but there are a few out there that are a little raspy.

F150 mid-mufflers are self-explanatory as their name describes their style. Mid mufflers are further back in the piping, with more space between the muffler and the exit point for the exhaust system. Mid-section mufflers typically use an oval design and deliver a similar sound.

A crowd favorite exhaust style amongst truck enthusiasts is a muffler delete design. After the mid-pipe, the exhaust piping goes straight out (maybe with a bend or two) out the back or side of the F150, uninhibited or unobstructed. A straight through exhaust system tends to be very loud and raspier. 

Although there is no obstruction of the exhaust flow, this doesn’t always tend to mean more power. Homebrew muffler deletes tend to drop the backpressure of the exhaust system and rob power. A professionally crafted muffler delete kit can keep the backpressure in check, and allow for a small bump in power.

Having a side exit or a rear exit exhaust setup on your F150 ultimately comes down to a consideration of sound and style. Side exit exhaust systems tend to louder and give your F150 a more aggressive look. Rear exit exhaust systems tend to be slightly quieter.