2006 qclb with muffler, no cat. The exhaust is a cat-back system of unknown origin from the previous owner. I have a terrible drone when towing. So bad I can't hear the wife and kids when pulling the travel trailer. I need to get rid of it as it defeats the purpose of family trips when you can't talk along the way. Besides, it's just plain uncomfortable on long hauls. I've read a lot about the FTE resonator but I need to install a cat for emissions inspections where we are moving. My question is will the cat solve the drone issue or am I looking at needing both a cat and a resonator?Apparently, mega cabs have factory resonators while qclb's don't. Was the cat good enough for drone suppression or am I missing something?Thanks,Stew

Let me see if I understand what you are saying: Your problem is you can't hear your wife when you're driving? I'd like to install whatever you have in my truck!

I thought might get a few people wondering why on earth I would want to change anything.

I believe a resonator will be all you need.

I still have the factory exhaust on my 05 QCSB and it has a cat on it, I did do a muffler delete pipe and there is still a lot of drone while towing but not bad just DDing.If you need a cat get a resonator and mount it as far forward as possible and put the cat behind it would be the best combo to kill the drone and meet regs. Does it have to meet NOX standards to pass a sniffer test where you are moving or just have to have something that resembles a cat in the exhaust to pass a visual inspection?

Sniffer test required. I would like to kill both birds with just the cat if I can. Maybe I should just go cat first then add the resonator if necessary. Just trying to if there's a firm answer either way. Stew

I still have the factory exhaust on my 05 QCSB and it has a cat on it, I did do a muffler delete pipe and there is still a lot of drone while towing but not bad just DDing. If you need a cat get a resonator and mount it as far forward as possible and put the cat behind it would be the best combo to kill the drone and meet regs. Does it have to meet NOX standards to pass a sniffer test where you are moving or just have to have something that resembles a cat in the exhaust to pass a visual inspection?

How was the drone before the muffler delete?

The cat does not impede performance in the 5.9 third gen so put it back in. I think it will stop the drone.

Was stock quiet but the stock mufflers are the biggest restriction on these rigs more so than the converters. I would definately do the resonator and cat combo right away or you will not be happy with the results and will have to do it over again.:thumbup2:How soon do you need a cat? I will be ditching mine in the future for a new after market 4" system with a 30" FTE resonator as the only thing in the system and will have a converter to give up if you are interested.

Was stock quiet but the stock mufflers are the biggest restriction on these rigs more so than the converters. I would definately do the resonator and cat combo right away or you will not be happy with the results and will have to do it over again. How soon do you need a cat? I will be ditching mine in the future for a new after market 4" system with a 30" FTE resonator as the only thing in the system and will have a converter to give up if you are interested.

Thanks for the offer but I already have a cat available. My next question is if I have a cat and muffler, would the short version of the resonator be enough? I haven't measured but I might be running out if pipe to cut out for the 30". Stew

You will have plenty of room for the ong one, the short one kills the drone but keeps the exhaust sound nice, the long resonator kills drone and slightly muffles sound too either combined with the cat will be nice and tolerable.

Thanks for all the replies.I've got this question going on several forums and it looks like I just need to try the cat alone. If that doesn't cut it then add the resonator. Maybe my next mod will be a set of earplugs to replace the drone on the long family trips. :)Stew

Just spend the 80 or so bucks now for the short resonator and be done with it, I guarantee you are not going to like a cat alone, that is what I have now and it is bad while towing just as you have now. Why do it twice when you know what the outcome is going to be?:ahhh:Like I said the resonator needs to go as far forward as possible.

OK, OK, I will spend the money. Guess I need to go back to my meetings for CA - Cheapskates Anonymous.

Stew

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You will have plenty of room for the ong one, the short one kills the drone but keeps the exhaust sound nice, the long resonator kills drone and slightly muffles sound too either combined with the cat will be nice and tolerable.

You're right. I just went and looked and WOW! I forgot how long the exhaust pipe really is. I reckon it will be a cat and 30" FTE resonator for me then.

Thanks a bunch! Y'all been real helpful.

Stew

Last night I actually looked closer and rubbed the caked dirt off the muffler. It is a Banks Monster 9" x 20", in the stock location.

I think my problem may lie in the fact there is a 1- piece pipe, 9' long, from the down pipe to the muffler with no hangers on it. That pipe is probably creating a good bit of harmonic resonance kind of like a giant guitar string. Just breaking it up with a resonator and/or cat it might make the drone go away, in addition to the effect of the resonator itself.

Thoughts?

Stew

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Just pulled the trigger on a short FTE resonator and Magnaflow 49-State Cat. I will post back here when I get it installed and tested. Since the resonator is a well-proven device, I would like to install the cat, drive it, then install the resonator.

Thanks so far for helping me think through this.

Stew

Now that I have the FTE short resonator and Magnaflow cat coming, in what order do I put them? Wally can't help me since it involves a cat. I will be leaving the Monster muffler in place as well.Do I put the cat or the resonator nearest the downpipe? Everything I've read says the resonator is supposed to go as far forward as possible but I've yet to find someone with a cat AND a resonator. If the cat is just behind the resonator, will it get hot enough to make it work as it should?Thanks,Stew

I think my problem may lie in the fact there is a 1- piece pipe, 9' long, from the down pipe to the muffler hangers on it. That pipe is probably creating a good bit of harmonic resonance kind of like a giant guitar string. Just breaking it up with a resonator and/or cat it might make the drone go away, in addition to the effect of the resonator itself.

Thoughts?.

Stew[/quote

I have a cheap hillbilly fix that will quiet that in cab drone right down, but the peanut gallery will probably laugh me right out of this thread

Your right, that big chunk of unsupported straight pipe is the source of your resonation.

Resonator as far forward as you can get it, then the Cat and then the muffler.

So lets hear it...

Resonator as far forward as you can get it, then the Cat and then the muffler.

I have someone in another forum telling me cat in front because it needs the heat to operate. Thoughts? And I thought this would be a no-brainer... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The cat should be first for the heat, then the muffler. I really doubt you will need a resonator at all, the cat on these trucks does a great job killing the drone. I ran cat only for a while and had no drone at all, even when towing.