Ram 1500 Mufflers: Overview Guide

A muffler has a specific job, and it’s to muffle or lessen the sound of the engine. Chambered mufflers are likely the most common type of muffler you’re going to find out there in the wild world of Rams.

The reason these are referred to as chambered mufflers is because if you were to look inside the casing you would find a series of chambers the exhaust moves through as it is carried through the exhaust. 

Manufacturers have their own secret recipe of chambers to manipulate the sound of the exhaust note. This is probably why they are the most common type. These chambers give the manufacturers the ability to mess around with the sound note as much as they want to. If so desired, they can dial the sound way down and give it just a little edge or they can turn it all the way up and make the neighbors nuts.

Characteristics of Ram 1500 Chambered Mufflers:

• Most common type of muffler
• Wide variety of configurations 
• Wide range of available exhaust notes

OK, settle down. Ram 1500s didn’t exactly come with turbos under the hood until recently. Turbo mufflers have nothing to do with actual turbochargers. Let’s find out where the name comes from.

Turbo mufflers and chambered mufflers look very much the same on the outside, but inside they’re very different. As exhaust is pushed from chamber to chamber, it gradually begins to slow down.

Turbo mufflers are designed to overcome this obstacle while still quieting the sound enough to keep it bearable. This is achieved by sending the exhaust through several tubes as opposed to chambers. The result is an aggressive note, especially when it’s backing a Mopar engine.

Oh, and don’t forget the added benefit of better flow. Engines need to move air to make power, and the easier that air moves the more power it can make. These mufflers are somewhere between race and street which allows them to reap the benefits of both worlds. 

Characteristics of Ram 1500 Turbo Mufflers

• Free flowing
• Aggressive note

The term absorptive throws a lot of people off when talking about mufflers. Most people know them as a glass packs or maybe even just as “cherry bombs.” Keep in mind that Cherry Bomb is a brand, not a type of muffler. In appearance these mufflers look completely different.

They resemble an exhaust pipe that slightly bulges out in the center. Instead of being sent on a little joy ride as it passes through the muffler, the exhaust flows straight through. 

The reason they swell or open up in the center is pretty simple. Packing lines the inner edge of the tubing, giving this design muffling qualities. These types of mufflers are the best flowing but are, beyond question, the loudest and most aggressive muffler you can purchase.

It’s important to remember how loud these can be. It’s the closest thing one can legally get to not running a muffler at all. If you just love the sound of a Dodge engine running in its natural state, there’s no way to pick something over these mufflers. Just get ready to be noticed.

Characteristics of Ram 1500 Absorptive Mufflers/Glass Packs

• Low Profile
• Free Flowing
• Most aggressive sound level

Building a custom exhaust is something a lot of Ram builders will take on. This is especially true for those who are looking to swap from a single exhaust to a dual exhaust. Now, building a true dual exhaust is a lot easier said than done. A true dual exhaust system will run two separate exhaust pipes from the headers back. 

Designing a custom setup will require some creativity along with enough cash to support your dreams. Not to mention the undercarriage of the truck is designed to give enough room for the exhaust to run down only one side of the truck.

There’s not a whole lot of real estate left otherwise. This is why splitting the exhaust at the muffler is such a good idea. This is how owners of Rams with dual exhaust do it. You’ll typically find large cased mufflers available in this configuration, which means you’ll be able to sort through a wide range of exhaust tones to help suit your needs.