NXT STEP Performance catback installed
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
NXT STEP Performance catback installed
Install went as usual - no glitches and I did use upgraded clamps I picked up at the parts store this week. I cleaned and polished the system last night in prep for today's install.
Dropped the sway bar.
It's an A4 so I pulled the small passenger-side fuel tank shield.
Shield off. This gives clearance to pull the flange through.
Removed the flange bolts.
Popped the muffler tongues out of the hangers. I don't loosen the hangers at all - just push the mufflers toward the front out of the hangers. The flanges need to go under the x-pipe flanges to do this.
The driver's side muffler ready to come out.
Ready for the new exhaust.
Installed the over-axle pipes, turn sections and the cans.
NSP system in, adjusted and tightened.
Tips are dead-nuts on alignment. Took my time and got everything positioned just how I wanted it.
A couple of shots on the ground.
How does it sound? Absolutely awesome! Mean, aggressive but not too loud. I love the Ti's but this is how I need this car to sound - it's a Corvette! We recorded before and after videos but I haven't uploaded them yet. I'll post them as soon as they're available.
Mrs. Patches was grinning ear-to-ear. She loves it! (Good thing, too, because it's her Vette!)
IMHO, this is the bargain exhaust for the C5 many of us have been waiting for. It looks and sounds exactly like the system I would have spec'ed out myself if asked to. Price, quality, looks and sound - how can you go wrong? I might just have to order another set for my M6. I have a set of cutouts, headers and heads and a bit of a lumpy cam but I think it would sound awesome with the cutouts closed.
I definitely recommend these if you're in the market.
Dropped the sway bar.
It's an A4 so I pulled the small passenger-side fuel tank shield.
Shield off. This gives clearance to pull the flange through.
Removed the flange bolts.
Popped the muffler tongues out of the hangers. I don't loosen the hangers at all - just push the mufflers toward the front out of the hangers. The flanges need to go under the x-pipe flanges to do this.
The driver's side muffler ready to come out.
Ready for the new exhaust.
Installed the over-axle pipes, turn sections and the cans.
NSP system in, adjusted and tightened.
Tips are dead-nuts on alignment. Took my time and got everything positioned just how I wanted it.
A couple of shots on the ground.
How does it sound? Absolutely awesome! Mean, aggressive but not too loud. I love the Ti's but this is how I need this car to sound - it's a Corvette! We recorded before and after videos but I haven't uploaded them yet. I'll post them as soon as they're available.
Mrs. Patches was grinning ear-to-ear. She loves it! (Good thing, too, because it's her Vette!)
IMHO, this is the bargain exhaust for the C5 many of us have been waiting for. It looks and sounds exactly like the system I would have spec'ed out myself if asked to. Price, quality, looks and sound - how can you go wrong? I might just have to order another set for my M6. I have a set of cutouts, headers and heads and a bit of a lumpy cam but I think it would sound awesome with the cutouts closed.
I definitely recommend these if you're in the market.
#3
Melting Slicks
I love mine!
I put it on Wednesday.
I painted everything except the tips flat black with 1000 degree paint.
You can't see it under the car cause it blends in with the dark underside.
I need to find some good polish and a mushroom buff to get the tips gleaming
Enjoy
Fireman591
I put it on Wednesday.
I painted everything except the tips flat black with 1000 degree paint.
You can't see it under the car cause it blends in with the dark underside.
I need to find some good polish and a mushroom buff to get the tips gleaming
Enjoy
Fireman591
#5
Drifting
They look great installed. Do they stick out a bit further then the factory tips? I would seriously consider getting a set for the price, but only if they stick out a bit further. Judging by your pics, it seems like they do..
I already know how they sound as I saw a clip on youtube and thats the sound I want. Enjoy..
I already know how they sound as I saw a clip on youtube and thats the sound I want. Enjoy..
#9
Drifting
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...&highlight=nxt
#11
Administrator
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
Posts: 343,043
Received 19,309 Likes
on
13,980 Posts
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-
'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Nice work on the write-up, Patches.
#14
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Yes, we went for drive yesterday evening - it sounds great on the road. There is some slight drone at ~2K rpm going uphill and almost lugging which I quieted by shifting into third which is better for that hill anyway. It is very minor, though - especially compared to the Borla Stingers I had a few years ago. Those had so much drone I would literally get nauseous after 30-45 minutes of driving around town which is why I went to cutouts and Ti's. These have me thinking NXT STEP Performance for the M6 though. Plus, they look so much cooler!
Last edited by Patches; 06-15-2008 at 03:35 PM.
#17
Team Owner
Thread Starter
http://vetteshop.cc/
The LAPD sells them as well.
Got the catback from the auction site for ~$550 shipped.
Here are the Ti's cleaned up, polished and ready to go to their new owner.
#20
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Once that was done I use any standard metal polish to shine them up a bit although they don't need much to make them shine once they are spotless. After that, wiping them down and polishing them occassionally will keep them pretty clean.
Here's the other set on my M6.