With the Gibson after-cat...
With the Gibson after-cat dual sport system installed, the horsepower seekers at Gibson netted a dyno-proven 10hp increase and a gain of 30 lb-ft of torque between the rpm ranges of 2,200 and 3,800.
The driver-side door opens, and the pilot seat awaits a throttle-happy commander, ready to get comfortable before dropping the hammer, grabbing the gears, and watching the tachometer climb. For many who own factory-fast sports cars and high-priced novelty vehicles, this is a daily reality. Rolling to work in a new Corvette or Viper is a solid indicator of a life in the fast lane. Of course, for the truck enthusiast crowd, pushing heavy rides with the aerodynamic styling of a brick requires sticking a few more ponies under the hood.
Whether the preference is dicing it up in daily freeway travels or using the added ponies to haul a boat or sandrail to the playground of choice, an aftermarket performance exhaust system is a great place to start when seeking that extra performance potential. Gibson Performance Exhaust in Corona, California, is a well-known leader in the exhaust business and has built a solid reputation of crafting reliable systems. Recently, we had a chance to toss some additional power on an '05 Chevy Silverado equipped with a factory 5.3L V-8. Follow along as we turn a stock Silverado into a tire-chirping sensation.
Here is the Gibson after-cat dual sport exhaust system for the '99-'05 Silverado. The after-cat system features a single-in and dual-out Superflow muffler, a 3-inch head pipe, and two 2-1/2-inch tailpipes with polished 3-1/2-inch stainless slash-cut tips. All the necessary clamps and mounting hardware are included. This Gibson system is available for the '99-'05 Chevy Silverado Extended Cab shortbed equipped with the 4.3L, 4.8L, or 5.3L; the '02-'05 Chevy 2WD Extended Cab shortbed equipped with Quadrasteer and the 5.3L; and the '04-'05 Chevy Crew Cab shortbed equipped with the 5.3L.
Once the truck was placed...
Once the truck was placed on the lift and hoisted in the air, Shawn Siedelman supported the factory muffler with a muffler jack and began disassembling the factory exhaust system.
The factory exhaust system's...
The factory exhaust system's head pipe was unbolted behind the Y-pipe. The stock bolts and nuts were set aside since they will be reused when the Gibson system is put in place.
The tailpipe was pried loose...
The tailpipe was pried loose from the rear hanger so the stock system could be dropped out of position. Using a bit of WD-40 helped pry the hanger on the pipe loose from the rubber grommet. We left all the rubber grommets in place on the factory hangers, as they will be reused.