Bosal fully-welded cat-back exhaust (not the TRD one) - reviews

I'm getting close to giving up on finding a quiet stainless catback. Might be able to build one, but...seems to be not their market segment.

Muffler is shot. I don't want loud. I'd pay extra for stainless and doing it once, but I don't want to pay extra for stainless and an exhaust I hate because it's loud.

Found the Bosal 295-177 fully-welded-up direct-replacement catback, and while it's not stainless, it sure am cheap (once I found someplace other than rockauto, who wanted as much to ship it as to buy it) and they are proud enough of it to give it 5 years warrantee, which means if it only lasted as long as they warranty it for, I could still get 15 years for less than the price of a stainless system. Should be a two-bolt install.

Not particularly concerned with restriction or horsepower, unless I can have quiet first.

Who's got one and how do you like it? (yes, I searched. I found a couple of happy folks, but would like to hear from more, or unhappy folks if any.) It's almost too cheap to be true, which is one reason I ask. Anyone had one for a few years in a rust-prone climate?

 

Hi, I work as a marketing supplier to Bosal. Do have a look at the Bosal website www.bosalna.com and click on the red 'product catalogues' (sorry, UK spelling!) top right.

If you have a product query this email address may be helpful - aftermarket@bosalusa.com

 

Got it, installed it. Some slight sloppiness - had to grind a bit of pipe sticking out past the flange 1/16" or so, and clean weld spatter off the oxygen sensor flange and studs. I also cleaned it up and painted it to try to slow down rusting.

Fit was dead on; direct no fuss, no adjustment factory fit replacement. Initial impression is it's a bit louder than stock (not what I wanted) even though it looks like stock. That may or may not hold up in more use. The factory one has been rusted and leaking for a while so it's a stretch to recall what it actually used to sound like.

 

Good info to know. Knock on wood won't need a cat. for a while, but I'd be inclined to try and save over a factory one if possible and when I do I'm sure the muffler etc. will need replaced. Not searched the alternatives yet, but nice to know on fit and sound.

I had read some posts about some people getting codes popping up after putting an aftermarket cat. on. Not specifically the brand you chose. Honestly don't remember which it was I read as I was just browsing around.

Maybe you could update after a few tanks run through just to confirm on that also?

cheers

 

The pipe is actually designed with that extra 1/16" from OEM. It allows the pipe to seal inside the flange on the cat.

 

Hillingdoner: This an exhaust/muffler (cat-back - from behind the cat to the tailpipe), not a replacement cat - my original cats are still fine, though I was replacing air/fuel and oxygen sensors as I had a air/fuel pre-heater failure code (P1135) which is now cleared, and the UG is now showing closed loop - which will hopefully keep the cats happy for another long while. I didn't have to replace the rear sensor, but chose to (forgetting it had actually been replaced not so long ago) so the set would be fresh together.

isu2014: The deliberate pipe extension (at least on this system, at this point - second cat to muffler section) is on the cat side, and is close to 3/4 inch - slots into the muffler section. The bit I had to remove from the muffler was not on the original Toyota pipe, nor was it consistent on the replacement pipe - just a sloppy fit/cut which was poking out for 1/4 the diameter. Might have been OK, but I didn't want to chance a $10 "crush once" gasket on it causing problems with fit-up.

The Toyota OEM "crush once" gasket is probably worth it, though I have not looked at the aftermarket too closely for this application - the catalog pictures of those (at least) don't show the corrugations full of high-temp cement that the Toyota gasket has, and they are only like $5 cheaper. - not much of a savings if they leak, which I've heard several reports of. I'd rather spend $10 once than spend $5, have it leak, and then spend $10 anyway to fix it. The fact that I was going to get hit with $8 shipping for a $4 gasket also made the locally sourced OEM gasket cheaper in total...

Having driven it a bit more now, I'd class it as "definitely somewhat louder than stock."

 

Duh, that's what I get for not paying attention lol. Word cat stuck in my brain as I'd just been reading about issue on another site. Disregard post.

Still good to know about fit and sound. As I said, eventually I'll have to replace and I'm not really into putting on the latest fart muffler just to make it louder. Rather have reliable, correct fit, quality and pretty stock sound.

 

Just wanted to see if you had an update with this exhaust system. I'm pretty much in the same situation as you - need a simple, inexpensive, quiet solution.

I bought my truck used with an installed "Xcelerator Turbo Muffler" that I found was actually relatively quiet for a "Turbo" muffler, but I definitely didn't care for it or any loud exhaust. I don't know if it added power, but I'm sure any gains were negligible, and I'm more concerned with fuel economy. Anyways, the shop that installed the aftermarket muffler bypassed the tailpipe out the side and bolted a single chintzy hanger to the frame, which broke off during my last offroad outing along with the entire tailpipe, and am running on basically half a muffler right now, so longevity is definitely important to me.

"Definitely somewhat louder than stock" is completely fine by me. Did you notice any power or mpg changes?

 

I work for a company that sells a lot of bosal cat backs for european cars. They are OK fit is good but longevity in areas where road salt is used is typically only a few years at best. Last weekend I installed a Walker "quiet flow" on my 96 to replace the rusted out muffler that was on it. I don't know what brand exhaust was on it before (I know for certain not stock) but the muffler inlet was smaller than the extension pipe coming from the cat. I beveled the edge of the extension pipe, butted the muffler inlet tight up to it, and welded the two together. Other than mismatched aftermarket pipes the system sounds stock. We'll see how long it lasts. Supposedly the muffler is partially stainless. And $60 off craigslist wasn't bad.

 

I plan on painting mine as well to try and keep rust at bay, but salting isn't a big problem. I noticed the Walker Quiet Flow on Rockauto, but it looks like it doesn't come with the cat-to-muffler intermediate pipe, and I was hoping to avoid clamping or welding. Walker DOES make the Dynomax Turbo Muffler, which seems to be a very good muffler given all the positive experiences here on TW, but I hate the sound, so I might give the Quiet Flow a chance.

 

I know this post is really old, but I am sure there may be others thinking of ordering the bosal cat back vs the Walker 2 piece systems which use an intermediate pipe. I decided to get the one piece unit from Bosal. Shipping was crazy high from Rockauto so I double checked the part number on the Bosal site and found it on Partsgeek for much less plus only $10 shipping.

Pulled the old muffler off today only to discover that the bosal does not fit. It is several (maybe a foot) inches too long and not enough bend on before the Cat. I suspect that they sent me the one for extended cab but since I removed all the shipping and other stickers and painted it with a rust proof header paint I don't know for sure. Of course there is no returning it now and even I there was the shipping and timing make it impossible.

 

I too ordered the replacement bosal cat back for my 2001 4x4 extended cab and it was too long. I eventually cut the pipe and used two dynomax 2" band clamps with a small 2 1/8" ID mid pipe to join eveything together.

My only problem now is I think i may have rattled the O2 sensor around a little too much when cutting as I have the good ole P1130/P1135/P0171 codes.

Hopefully a new O2 sensor is all that's needed

 

I forced it to fit by cutting the new pipe, the old pipe, and joining connector and then brazing it with a mapp gas torch and bronze sticks. Even then it was a tight fit and sometimes squeaks the rubber hangars. As far as the sound, at idle it is very quiet but at any speed it is louder and deeper than OEM. I personally can't stand it, but my wife doesn't mind and it is her truck. I suspect that some of the extra noise in the cab is due to the fact that the muffler is longer and now sitting closer to the cab so it resonates between the bed and cab making it seem louder in the truck.

 

I had a similar experience to SteveNC. I looked at the Bosal diagram and ordered a catback for my regular cab and it was far too long. Turns out the issue was California vs non-California emissions. The cal emissions, with the two cats, requires the shorter exhaust.
Fortunately, I found another member here that needed the one that I had ordered, and I got the right one. I'm finding the drone at 2K rpm to be quite annoying. I'll keep it on for now, but I will likely have to address this down the road.

 

Update - rotted out as of last spring (2016) as did the cat (ouch!). Put in a factory pipe (also ouch, but quieter.)