Most exhaust work starts because something went wrong. A pipe rusted through, a hanger broke or a muffler started rattling.
Custom exhaust is different. Nothing has to be broken. You’re deciding how you want the vehicle to sound, how much of the system you want to change and what fits the way you drive.
Here’s what the common options mean.
Axle-back
An axle-back changes the rear section of the exhaust, usually including the muffler and tailpipe. It’s one of the simplest ways to change the sound without replacing most of the system.
Cat-back
A cat-back replaces the exhaust behind the catalytic converter. Depending on the vehicle, that can include piping, resonators, mufflers and the tail section.
It gives you more control over the overall sound without changing the catalytic converters or other upstream emissions equipment. For someone who wants more than a muffler change but doesn’t want to replace everything, this is usually where the conversation starts.
Full exhaust systems
A full system extends farther forward and can involve everything from the exhaust manifold or headers back.
That can make sense on a modified vehicle or when the existing exhaust already needs extensive replacement. It also involves more decisions, so we’ll tell you what makes sense for the vehicle.
What changes the sound
Pipe diameter, resonators and muffler design all matter.
Bigger pipe isn’t automatically better. The right diameter depends on the engine, power level and what you want the vehicle to do. Going too aggressive can add noise without giving you anything useful in return.
Then there’s drone, the steady hum that can become noticeable at highway speed. It may sound minor in a phone video but become obvious on I-24.
We talk about how you drive it first
A truck that tows, a daily commuter and a weekend car shouldn’t automatically get the same exhaust.
Before we start cutting pipe, we want to know what you want it to sound like and how you use it. Do you want something deeper without making highway driving miserable? Do you want to hear it every time you accelerate? Are you changing a mostly stock vehicle or finishing a larger performance build?
Fabricated here in Murfreesboro
We bend, fit and weld exhaust here at Stones River instead of sending fabrication somewhere else.
That means we can build around vehicles that don’t have a good off-the-shelf option, repair part of an existing custom system and position pipes and hangers so the finished system fits correctly.
Dallas Beard handles much of that work. His business partner, Thomas Powers, calls him the “exhaust whisperer” because Dallas has spent enough years around exhaust systems that he can often recognize a problem just from the sound.
If you’re not sure which direction to go, ask for Dallas and talk it through before anything gets cut.
The practical part
You’ll get the price before the work starts, and every repair is backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. We also offer a free shuttle and after-hours drop-off.
Stones River Auto and Exhaust, 1601 Flat Rock Road, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call (615) 961-6322.
