Jeep JK dB Performance Exhaust Installation

Feb. 08, 2011 By Jim Brightly

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The rock roller on the Bestop bumper goes a long way in protecting the rusty OEM tailpipe.

This is the third cat-back exhaust system I’ve tried on my 2007 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited, and it’s the first one I’ve decided to leave on the Jeep. You see, my wife has super-sensitive hearing. Unlike myself—who may well have done damage to my hearing with too-loud rhythm-and-blues, unprotected shooting of .45 pistols and .30-caliber machine guns (not to mention numerous shotguns) during my Air Police days, and more than a decade of high-rise construction work—my wife never damaged her hearing, and she gets severe headaches from wrongly pitched exhaust systems. The dB cat-back system has a mild zoomie sound that is quickly lost in the wind noise that a Jeep produces at freeway speeds, and it’s still a sweet sound around town.

Using a 15mm deep socket, loosen the OEM exhaust clamp at the muffler’s inlet.

The Jeep Wrangler JK Off-Road Exhaust System (Part #24413) has a 2.5-inch straight-through, nonrestrictive design that delivers maximum airflow and a 44% exhaust flow gain in flow-bench testing. Featuring 1.75 inches of clearance over the stock system, the stainless-steel dB exhaust is ideal for the off-road community that wants both increased durability and quality.

Using grommet pullers or a long pry bar, remove the passenger’s side muffler hanger from the rubber grommet. dB recommends soapy water; I used silicone spray to ease the grommet chores.

dB Performance Exhaust says you can watch and listen to a video of the dB Jeep Wrangler Off-Road Exhaust System in action YouTube, where the company demonstrates the stainless steel system’s durable construction by running over the muffler with a Jeep. We wrangled up the video, and you can watch it below:

The good thing about the video is it helps show the exhaust’s unique sound, which delivers a bold exterior tone while still allowing Jeep owners to enjoy drone-free cruising speeds.

Do the same thing on the driver’s side. Once the clamp is loosened and the hangers are out of the grommets, you’ll have to work the expanded end of the muffler’s inlet pipe off the exhaust pipe.

The Jeep Wrangler JK dB Performance exhaust systems are available in Single Rear Exit (Part #24411)—which is what I installed on my Jeep—and Dual Rear Exit (Part #24412) designs. At 2.3 lbs. lighter than stock, these systems are said to deliver a performance gain of 7 hp and 5 lb.-ft. of torque.

The dB muffler is much smaller and lighter than the OEM unit.

Installation hardware and an illustrated installation guide are included with the limited 10-year warranty, bolt-on exhaust systems (or you can print out this article to use with the installation). The dB Performance Exhaust systems are available from select performance dealers and distributors nationwide—simply go to its website for a complete dealer listing.

Work the expanded inlet end onto the OEM pipe, and finger-tight the clamp’s nuts. It’s very important to align the clamp with the notch in the pipe, and to keep the outside edge of the clamp approximately 1/8-inch from the end of the expanded pipe.