July 14, 2020 / by Danny Mavis

Like every vehicle in the world, your Land Cruiser makes use of an exhaust system which is a component a vehicle can’t go without. Unless you have a fully electric car, your vehicle is going to rely on the exhaust system for the conversion of harmful gasses and also for performance. The engine isn’t the only part the performance of your Cruiser depends on. Since the exhaust system is directly connected to the engine, it can improve not just the overall performance, but it can also help lower a vehicle’s carbon footprint and increase the value and image of your car. So by getting a more fitting exhaust system you will improve the functionality of your engine. Your engine will not only breathe better but there’s going to be a more aggressive exhaust note too all thanks to a new exhaust system.

Land Cruiser exhaust
Source: Whichcar

How Do I Choose the Right Exhaust System?

Materials

While you might think that stainless steel is better than mild steel, not all types of stainless steel exhausts are the same. Mild and 409 stainless steel are actually very similar, it’s just that 409 stainless steel doesn’t stain or mark that easily.

A 403 stainless steel Land Cruiser exhaust is where the real difference is. 403 stainless steel unlike 409 has a higher nickel and chromium content making it more resilient against rust and corrosion. 403 stainless steel systems usually come mandrel bent too. This is a solid upgrade from your stock system but if you want the most durable Land Cruiser exhaust system then titanium is what you need. Titanium exhausts are corrosion-free and a lot lighter than stainless steel systems but they are also a lot pricier.

Construction

When it comes to construction, there are only two options, mandrel and crush bent exhausts. A crush bent exhaust will have wrinkles where the piping bends. This affects airflow negatively which ends up casung the engine to perform a lot worse. With a mandrel bent Land Cruiser exhaust you can expect an uninterrupted pathway for gasses to pass through since the bends are smooth. With nothing to obstruct airflow your vehicle will function a lot better.

catalytic converter 
Source: Rte

Types

Exhaust system upgrades can vary and are usually split into three types, cat-back, axle-back and header-back. A cat-back Land Cruiser exhaust system involves replacing all the parts from the catalytic converter to the exhaust tip. This is the most popular upgrade which is simple and yet delivers a better fuel economy and makes the engine more efficient.

An axle-back upgrade includes every component from the rear axle to the exhaust tip and it delivers more power whilst being cheaper than both a cat-back and header-back system. A header-back system replaces every exhaust component which means you are getting the most notable performance improvement and the most drastic modification.

Configuration

The configuration of your exhaust will determine the way harmful gasses exit. Here you can have a single or dual exit Toyota Land Cruiser exhaust with dual cross over being a less common setup. A single exit system is the most common setup which has one set of components with an exhaust tip that exits behind the vehicle’s axle.

Dual exit systems have the same configuration as a single exit system but they have two pipes that run separately from the headers with two exhaust tips out the back. Dual crossover systems, on the other hand, have their pipes run by crossing over each other which helps eliminate backpressure.

exhausts Sound
Source: Youtube

Sound

When it comes to how your exhaust sounds you’ll have to focus on one thing – the muffler. This component is what can affect not only the exhaust note but airflow too. Usually performance mufflers are less restrictive which means better air flow but they will make your vehicle louder by adding an aggressive note. The best of both worlds is to have a muffler that doesn’t restrict airflow as much whilst providing a fairly decent growl to your Cruiser. Remember the quieter you want your Cruiser to be the less performance gains you’ll get and vice versa.

Looks

Besides the single, dual and dual crossover exhaust configurations, when it comes to how your new exhaust will look there are other options you can choose from. There are also opposite dual exhaust systems which have their piping wrap around the wheel using the bend to improve the filtering process.

If you use your Land Cruiser to tow big loads then this type of system is the ideal choice since it lets gasses exit to the sides of the vehicle. You can have a system with dual exhaust tips only on one side of the vehicle which usually sounds and looks like a high performance exhaust system. If you want your vehicle to look sportier just add a dual rear exit exhaust which has two exhaust tips positioned on both sides of your vehicle.