Top Speed Auto Pro-1 Axle-Back Exhaust Review

[KoolBRZ]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

Do you have a lot of confidence in zip ties that are getting battered by the conditions? I live in the northeast where salt is laid heavily on roads in winter.

Those clamps I posted, it appears I could get a stainless steel screw with a hex head. Maybe wrap the hanger in rubber then secure it with the clamp, as you did with zip ties

They would give you greater adjust-ability as well. But make sure they only touch the split hose, not the donut, since they are unforgiving with those sharp edges. The problem with my AB muffler, as I see it, is that the tips are too far apart. There should be enough give to remove it and pull them in a little bit. I am tempted to fasten my come-along between them and hand winch them closer together. First I would have to measure how far apart I want them to be. I also think that a long, 90 degree angle, adjustable head wrench could be used to bend the hangers while it's on the car.

[B-R-Z]

Do you think forcing them together like that will cause a crack in the piping? I'm not too concerned about that, as long as each side is consistent.

[Agent 86]

Purchase:

My TopSpeed AB Exhaust arrived today. Ordered via eBay for $399 free shipping. TopSpeed has been out of these since at least May. I know many here purchased their exhaust for up to $30 less than I paid. I contacted TS, but they say this is their "new" price.

Fedex delivered it only 5 days after I made the purchase. Packaging was adequate. Could have used a bit more padding, but everything was fine. Included was a gasket, 2 bolts, 2 nuts and 4 star washers. TS also included a license plate frame, a lanyard, decal, and magnetic oil drain plug.

Installation:

Like other's have stated, no need to lift the car. Removing the the OEM exhaust hangers was probably the most difficult part. I used a small hydraulic jack to raise the muffler and take the tension off the rubber hangers. I removed the OEM bolts from the flange, then attacked the rubber hangers. The trick as I learned from others is to use WD-40 or some other spray lubricant to get the rubber hangers to release. Once I sprayed the lubricant into the hanger holes, it was just a matter of working the hangers off. I found using my Channel Lock and standard pliers made a cinch.

Installing then new muffler was easy. The hanger posts on the new muffler point inward unlike the OEM. I removed the rubber hangers from the car, and installed them on the new muffler it was just easier to do it that way. The TS muffler is slightly lighter and much smaller than the OEM so lifting it into place did not require using the hydraulic jack.

I applied a little anti seize compound to the bolts, then buttoned everything down.

Impressions:

My wife came into the garage just before I pressed the engine start button. She witnessed the huge smile on my face as the deep growl filled my garage.

I don't think TS has made any changes to the tooling on this muffler, as it has the same shortcomings others have mentioned since 2014. The left tip protrudes a bit more than the right tip. The right tip is skewed slightly to the left. I'm still very pleased with this modification. Took a short test drive and just cruising, it's not a lot different than the OEM sound. But drop back a gear, and step on it and it comes to life with pleasant sounds. I'll have to get it out on the highway before making any comments regarding drone.

Conclusion:

My goal was to have a more aggressive sound, and exhaust tips that fill the openings. This muffler meets both.
Overall, I give this axle back 8.75 out of 10.


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[B-R-Z]

Still love this exhaust after over a year of owning it. It sounds perfect.

[B-R-Z]

Going to attempt to align this thing or have new hangers welded on, it kills my OCD.

I thought about buying some rubber hose that has the same inner diameter as the fattest part of the hanger (the nub on the end) and secure it with zip ties.

Has anyone else made alignment attempts on this (besides KoolBRZ)?

[KoolBRZ]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

Going to attempt to align this thing or have new hangers welded on, it kills my OCD.

I thought about buying some rubber hose that has the same inner diameter as the fattest part of the hanger (the nub on the end) and secure it with zip ties.

Has anyone else made alignment attempts on this (besides KoolBRZ)?

Took off my alignment spacers, it was the connection to the rear pipe that threw it off. Instructions; Take off the muffler. Get a foaming hand soap dispenser, (you don't want too much soap. you want it to evaporate) soap up the rubber hangers and the rods that fit in them. Lift it into place thread the rods into the hangers, and wiggle it until it settles into alignment. Don't fasten the bolts holding the gasket on yet. Don't even put the gasket on or the bolts through the holes. That's what screws it up. Tightening the gasket bolts before it is aligned. Make sure it is aligned. Carefully, without moving the muffler, put the gasket and bolts in, but don't tighten yet. Give it another shake to make sure it is settled into alignment, then tighten the gasket bolts wherever they happen to be. Don't even try to line up the gasket flanges. Leave the flanges crooked and your muffler will stay straight. That's it.

[B-R-Z]

Originally Posted by KoolBRZ

Took off my alignment spacers, it was the connection to the rear pipe that threw it off. Instructions; Take off the muffler. Get a foaming hand soap dispenser, (you don't want too much soap. you want it to evaporate) soap up the rubber hangers and the rods that fit in them. Lift it into place thread the rods into the hangers, and wiggle it until it settles into alignment. Don't fasten the bolts holding the gasket on yet. Don't even put the gasket on or the bolts through the holes. That's what screws it up. Tightening the gasket bolts before it is aligned. Make sure it is aligned. Carefully, without moving the muffler, put the gasket and bolts in, but don't tighten yet. Give it another shake to make sure it is settled into alignment, then tighten the gasket bolts wherever they happen to be. Don't even try to line up the gasket flanges. Leave the flanges crooked and your muffler will stay straight. That's it.

That's awesome dude. This makes it fit perfectly? Can you snap a pic?

[KoolBRZ]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

That's awesome dude. This makes it fit perfectly? Can you snap a pic?

tomorrow. If I have the time.

[KoolBRZ]

Here's some pics. No I haven't ever cleaned the tips. I'm a slob, so sue me.

[Strife26]

Originally Posted by KoolBRZ

Here's some pics. No I haven't ever cleaned the tips. I'm a slob, so sue me.

How much can we sue for?

Also, how loud is it with full catless exhaust?

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

[B-R-Z]

Originally Posted by Strife26

How much can we sue for?

Also, how loud is it with full catless exhaust?

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

I'm running this with stock exhaust and a UEL header. It sounds perfect, on the quieter side but enough so you know it's there.

[Strife26]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

I'm running this with stock exhaust and a UEL header. It sounds perfect, on the quieter side but enough so you know it's there.

Mine is full catless atm. It's 2.5" passed the header (header is 2.4"). I have an N1 replica and it is insanely loud. I was looking for something that may quiet it down a bit without cats, otherwise I need to get a new test pipe with a cat.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

[B-R-Z]

I highly recommend this. I'm in my 30s and trying to not look like a kid in a rice burner. This exhaust is the best I've ever owned in terms of price and sound output. You won't be disappointed, I haven't seen any negative comments about it aside from fitment issues which I think have been resolved. I think I posted sound clips of it with and without the UEL header.

Bolt on your stock exhaust piping with this axle back and call it a day.

[B-R-Z]

@KoolBRZ I tried this today and it didn't turn out like I expected. The holes in the flanges are about the same as the bolts so I don't know how you could possibly leave them misaligned to fix the overall muffler alignment. Unless you used thinner bolts?

When the muffler was dangling by the hangers only, I had the alignment perfect. I then slid bolts in and it still looked ok. But after tightening up, it brings itself back to being not aligned perfectly.

It's not terrible I guess, but not perfect.