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Towing with TRD Dual Exaust

Discussion in 'Towing & Hauling' started by pitintowinit, Jun 14, 2018.

  1. Jun 14, 2018 at 12:57 PM
    #1
    pitintowinit

    pitintowinit [OP] New Member

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    2011 Tundra TRD-Offroad Double Cab. 5.7 V*
    TRD Cold Air Intake TRD dual exaust
    So a few months ago I installed the TRD Cold Air Intake on my 2011 5.7V8. Didn't notice much of a difference in daily driving. Perhaps a bit more responsive accelerating onto the highway. Fuel mileage improved a little bit, not enough to get excited about. I mainly bought the CAI as down the road I planned to buy the TRD dual exhaust and they say the two work well together.

    So a month or so ago I bought the TRD dual exhaust. Bought it from my local Toyota dealer and had it installed there. At first I wasn't that happy with the sound. Almost sounded like there was a hole in it somewhere! I'm not sure if the ECM or whatever had to adjust/re-calibrate but after a tank of gas it seemed to settle in.

    Now it sounds beautiful! Very consistent with the Utube vids I watched/listened to before purchase. More specifically, you can hear it just enough cruising around light on the pedal to put a smile on your face. On the highway at 60mph or so you can barely tell it's there. Yes it is a tad louder than the stock exhaust but it is barely noticeable at cruising.

    If you step on it and get the RPM past 2500 or so it comes alive and sounds awesome. North of 4000rmp it really comes alive and puts a big smile on your face. I am rarely in the 4000 and above RPM range but for how I drive I still hear it enough that I'm very happy with it.

    Also the combo of CAI and dual exhaust definitely makes the truck feel more peppy getting up to speed on the highway, taking off from a red light, and so on. Not a huge difference but it is noticeable.

    Now the negative. Cruising to work I go over several long gradual hills. I always set the cruise control to the same speed of 100km/h (62 mph). With the stock exhaust and stock air intake the truck always pulled the hills in 6th gear. With the stock exhaust and TRD CAI the truck always pulled the hills in 6th gear.

    However now that I removed the stock exhaust and added the TRD dual exhaust the truck will "try" to pull it in 6th gear, but right away it'll down shift to 5th gear.

    Same idea when I tow our boat or quad trailer. On the same/similar hills the truck used to shift into 5th, now it'll drop into 4th.

    I'm a bit puzzled how I could add hp and torque but the truck does not tow as well? I asked the Toyota dealer and got blank stares and eye blinks. Perhaps a tech would know, but I just asked the staff at the service desk.

    At the end of the day this is not a huge deal. I don't tow that often and when I do if I'm dropping a gear lower than pre-exhaust it is not with much consequence. I suppose the truck is burning a bit more gas pulling these hills(higher RPM up the hill), but my overall towing fuel mileage is about the same as before. The exhaust sounds and looks so awesome I would not even think of going back to the stock exhaust just to pull a few more hills in 6th gear.

    I'm mainly just curious if someone can tell me if this SHOULD be happening and WHY this is happening. Thank you.
     
    Rica25 and HecticEnergy like this.
  2. Jun 14, 2018 at 12:59 PM
    #2
    TXMiamiFan

    TXMiamiFan SSEM #3 and tractor extraordinaire

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    Welcome from CO. Someone with knowledge will chime in.
     
  3. Jun 14, 2018 at 1:08 PM
    #3
    Danimal86

    Danimal86 Looks clean even when its dirty!

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    You loose some torque with the independent duals. You could install an H or X pipe (connecting the independent duals), and you'll gain back some of the torque, but it will also quiet down the exhaust a bit.

    I cant remember the person who did a little writeup on it (avatar has him in a race suite infront of a bimmer race car). Maybe someone can tag him.
     
    Ortho281 likes this.
  4. Jun 14, 2018 at 1:13 PM
    #4
    HecticEnergy

    HecticEnergy New Member

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    Seems like @dirtydeeds 's setup is pretty popular for the X configuration. Not sure if thats who you're talking about or not.
     
  5. Jun 14, 2018 at 1:16 PM
    #5
    Jrfor0

    Jrfor0 New Member

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  6. Jun 14, 2018 at 1:17 PM
    #6
    Danimal86

    Danimal86 Looks clean even when its dirty!

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  7. Jun 14, 2018 at 1:53 PM
    #7
    bcpnick

    bcpnick New Member

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    I have the dual exhaust and I've noticed the same thing. I still love the dual exhaust bit it kind of bugs me.
     
  8. Jun 14, 2018 at 2:39 PM
    #8
    Rica25

    Rica25 Got Bam? IG ......@TNDRA08

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    I noticed the exact Same when I had the Gibson and also maganaflow dual exhaust now switched to 8 inch BA and everything went back to normal
     
    15whtrd likes this.
  9. Jun 14, 2018 at 2:42 PM
    #9
    pitintowinit

    pitintowinit [OP] New Member

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    2011 Tundra TRD-Offroad Double Cab. 5.7 V*
    TRD Cold Air Intake TRD dual exaust
    Wow thanks for the info guys. Awesome! I checked out the link posted by Jrfor0. Makes sense and glad to hear that my experience is not uncommon.

    Personally I don't plan to go with the H or X pipe at this point. The acoustics of the TRD dual exhaust are so awesome I would not want to risk messing with the set up, and then I might not happy with the way it sounds. With the X/H pipe if the torque is similar to stock and sounds similar to stock then I'd just sell the damn TRD exhaust and put the stock one back on (I kept it, but soon will probably just take it to the dump as I'm sure I want to keep the TRD).

    I don't tow that often and when I do it's not that heavy (2500-4000lbs or so). I bought the truck primarily to haul hunting and fishing gear in the box. Stuffed full I might have 1000lbs in the box. Add our quad trailer or boat and the truck is still not working that hard..

    For the way I use my truck I'll keep the TRD exhaust as it is. Thanks for the info guys! I'm also glad that I know nothing is "wrong" with my exhaust and how the truck performs now is normal.
     
    bcpnick and HecticEnergy like this.
  10. Jun 14, 2018 at 4:31 PM
    #10
    scpete24

    scpete24 Duuuuuuude

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    You lose low end torque with dual exhaust. Heard it's not really helpful unless you have long headers. I had the TRD and went with @dirtydeeds 6" system and was surprised how much I was missing on the low end.
     
    757TUNDRA and Rica25 like this.
  11. Jun 15, 2018 at 1:44 AM
    #11
    CMB

    CMB New Member

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    Not nearly enough room here!
    My 2010 has 'S' Mode or Sequential Shift capability. Your 2011 probably has it too. Moving the shifter to the left will activate 'S' Mode. Then, you can decide which gear is best for your speed, load and road conditions. Constant shifting up and down causes the Torque Converter to remain un-locked and will lead to more heat, which cooks the fluid.
     
    15whtrd likes this.
  12. Jun 17, 2018 at 8:50 AM
    #12
    pitintowinit

    pitintowinit [OP] New Member

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    TRD Cold Air Intake TRD dual exaust
    Tried this. However the truck is "smart" and will not let you lug it too much in the gear you selected. More specifically, with the transmission in "S" mode and in 6th gear it will still drop into 5th without the driver touching anything if the truck feels like it wants to drop a gear.

    Same idea if you have it in a lower gear in "S" mode and hit the red line; the truck will shift to a higher gear without you doing anything. Well, I have not tried this in MY truck but in the work trucks (Dodge) the tranny not let you bounce it off the rev limiter in manual mode.
     
  13. Jun 17, 2018 at 9:09 AM
    #13
    831Tun

    831Tun heartless Bastrd

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    Welcome from Ca.
     
  14. Jun 17, 2018 at 9:11 AM
    #14
    pitintowinit

    pitintowinit [OP] New Member

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    TRD Cold Air Intake TRD dual exaust
    Thanks for the replies guys. For now I'm just going to leave it. The TRD dual exhaust sounds amazing and I don't want to risk ruining the acoustics with an X or H pipe. Longer/different headers down the road are an option but for now I'm just going to keep the set up as is.

    I am a bit cheesed that Toyota markets this exhaust as "improves low to mid range torque." In addition to the sound upgrade I thought that it would tow BETTER than stock. Wrong! If I towed heavy loads often this would bug me and I'd probably get rid of the TRD exhaust. Luckily I don't tow heavy that often and with what I do tow the truck really only drops an extra gear on long/steep hills.

    On the few WOT tests I have done since getting the exhaust installed I can say that the truck definitely accelerates harder/faster. General daily driving the truck also seems more peppy with the dual exhaust and TRD CAI.
     
  15. Jun 17, 2018 at 9:47 AM
    #15
    CMB

    CMB New Member

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    Not nearly enough room here!
    Right you are. All the more reason to take the time, make the effort to learn about our trucks. That way; NO surprises!
     
    HecticEnergy likes this.
  16. Jun 20, 2018 at 9:49 AM
    #16
    Ortho281

    Ortho281 New Member

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    Yes, unfortunately true dual exhaust are not the best setup for low-end torque due to lack of scavenging provided by allowing exhaust gasses to cross over. The added H-pipe to my TRD exhaust did quiet down the exhaust at idle, cruising and while towing. However at higher RPMs and WOT is sounds very good! The new sound can be thought of as a blend of the factory intake/stock exhaust and the CAI/TRD exhaust. I am very pleased with the mod but I understand this it is not for everyone, especially if you don't tow a heavy trailer and or prefer the sound of a louder exhaust.
     
  17. Jul 11, 2018 at 11:55 AM
    #17
    pitintowinit

    pitintowinit [OP] New Member

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    TRD Cold Air Intake TRD dual exaust
    Just read through all the replies again and the link to the H-pipe mod. I've decided to just leave the TRD exhaust as it. The acoustics are just too awesome to mess with for me. If I towed more often than I do I would likely go with the H-pipe or just get rid of the TRD exhaust and go with something else.
    In hindsight I wish I left everything stock The TRD CAI and dual exhaust set me back about 2 grand. Kind of a waste of money! Yes I love the way it sounds but now that the "honeymoon phase" is over with the exhaust I would not be that sad if my truck sounded stock again.
    I'm a little cheesed that the TRD exhaust is marked as "improve low + mid range torque." In reality it decreases your low end torque and gives you a bit more in the mid RPM range. Wish I had known this before I made the plunge.
    Luckily I only tow 3500lbs or so and the box loaded with camping gear. Before would pull all but the steepest hills in 6th and 5th gear with cruise control set at 100 km/h. Now it'll do the same hills in 5th and 4th. Not a huge deal only dropping 1 more gear and my towing mpg is still the same as with factory intake and exhaust (typically 16L/100km or so).
    If I bought a significantly larger boat or trailer I would revisit the exhaust and consider the options discussed in this thread.

    Thanks everyone I learned a lot here. Appreciate it.
     
    HecticEnergy likes this.

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