Sierra 2500 Exhaust System Tips

When it comes to workhorse trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and the GMC Sierra 2500 each have large, dedicated followings. Whether towing a loaded trailer or hauling gear from one job site to another, each of these vehicles offers brawny engine choices as well as tough frames and suspensions designed to take a lot of abuse. Aftermarket exhaust companies offer a variety of different components and systems for these heavy duty trucks, both for the diesel platforms and the gasoline-powered V8 engines.

Both of these trucks share aspects of their drivetrain with the more common 1500 editions of the Silverado and the Sierra, which gives exhaust brands a leg-up when it comes to developing mufflers, headers and other parts.

The most recent generation of the Silverado 2500 and Sierra 2500 (2007 and up) offer the following engine choices:

• A 367 horsepower, 6.0L big block V8
• A 6.6L Duramax turbodiesel V8 offering up between 660 and 765 lb-ft of torque, depending on the model year.

The focus of the 2500 series of trucks isn’t straight-line speed, but overall performance throughout the power band. If anything, an exhaust system that helps to provide additional low-end torque off the line would the ultimate goal when putting together an aftermarket solution for both the gasoline-powered or turbodiesel engines.

In addition to a free-flowing cat-back exhaust, Diesel trucks can also benefit from after-market turbo downpipes and other turbo-oriented parts specifically designed to help build and manage boost predictably without any lag or power spikes. Remember – turbos use exhaust gases to generate boost. If the flow of exhaust in and out of the turbo can be enhanced, quite a bit of power can be added (learn more about downpipes).

There are several different brands that offer exhaust components for the Silverado and Sierra 2500:

• Magnaflow
• Flowmaster
• JBA
• Banks
• Bassani
• Doug Thorley
• Edelbrock
• MBRP
• Bully Dog
• Gibson

You will notice that the list is a bit different for the 2500 series trucks compared to the 1500 series, with a few of the standard V8 exhaust brands missing in action. You might also see that in terms of aftermarket options in the specialty diesel category, these GM products enjoy similar choices when compared against the Dodge Ram HD oil-burners. If you want to throw polished stacks through your cargo bed, you can match your Ram-owning neighbor without any issue.

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and GMC Sierra 2500 Exhaust Recommendations

1. Know your role. If you are going to be towing with your truck, then a side-exit exhaust is going to help keep heat and soot off of your trailer while out on the highway. It will also make it easier to get in and out of your cargo bed.

2. Know your role part 2. Twin stacks rising up behind the cab look great, but that doesn’t necessarily make them practical. Make sure that you can afford to give up the cargo space before you decide to install elaborate, semi-style exhaust piping.

3. Tune your turbo. A big exhaust can help out a turbodiesel’s power production, but it should really be paired with a custom tune for maximum gains. Diesel owners should definitely check out a Banks Power Pack kit for their truck.