Do Exhaust Tips Change Sound?

Exhaust tips are a great finishing touch to your exhaust system. Not only do they complete the look of your truck, but they’re the perfect complement to an exhaust system upgrade as they work with other components to augment the sound. Customers frequently ask us about this and wonder if exhaust tips can alter exhaust sound on their own. We’ll take a closer look at exhaust tips and their effect on exhaust sound in this guide.

Exhaust Tips and Exhaust Sound

When used in combination with an upgraded exhaust system, including wider pipes and/or an performance muffler, exhaust tips can amplify the new tones coming from your exhaust. The shape and width of the exhaust tip can slightly change the sound to be either more throaty (larger tips) or raspy (smaller tips). Double-walled muffler tips tend to add a full-bodied sound. 

On their own, though, muffler tips will have a minimal effect on exhaust sound.

Types of Muffler Tips

Single Wall vs. Double Wall

Exhaust tips can be either single walled or double walled. A single-walled tip is just that, a tip constructed from a single layer of metal that is cut at each end. A double-walled exhaust tip wraps the metal back into itself for an outward facing end that appears more finished. Note that double-walled tips can have a fuller sound than single-walled tips.

Intercooled

Intercooled exhaust tips have ventilation around the inside of the exhaust pipe that cools the gases as they exit the system. They can also have a slight effect on exhaust tone, providing a softer sound. You can identify an intercooled exhaust tip by the holes present in the end of the tip that meets the tailpipe or by a finned housing surrounding the inner exhaust tailpipe.

To be sure you purchase a muffler tip that fits your vehicle, it’s important to take a few measurements before you buy. First, you’ll need to measure the opening of your existing tailpipe. You can either measure the diameter of the opening from one side to the other, or you can measure the circumference of the pipe and then divide that number by 3.14. This will tell you how wide the pipe is, and you’ll need to find an exhaust tip that will fit this measurement. 

You’ll also want to determine how long you want your new exhaust tip to be. They are measured lengthwise from the end that attaches to the vehicle to the longest point of the outward-facing end. Note that exhaust tips can either be clamped or welded on to the vehicle, so keep this in mind when selecting your new part.