Better Departure Angle & Weight Savings With One Simple Mod
It’s funny how minor modifications to your truck can end up being some of your favorites. We truck owners always like to talk about our tires, lift kits, or cool-looking wheels, but let’s not forget the quick, easy swaps or additions you can make to your vehicle. I’m sure most of you readers are like me in that you don’t just take your truck to the grocery store and back. Your vehicle is used for off-roading, possibly overlanding, and will regularly encounter uneven terrain. If that’s the case, you need an exhaust exit pipe designed specifically for these purposes.
I’ve been using the high-quality SXTH Element Trail Pipe for the 3rd Gen Tundra for the past few months. I wish I had known about it sooner, as it’s perfect for the time I spend hunting, trail driving, and shooting on various terrain ranges across the country. In this article, I’ll go over how easy it is to install and why this small modification makes a difference for us adventure types.
I’m also running SXTH’s intake, check out my CPLT intake review.
Find It Online
- 3rd Gen Tundra Trail Pipe: Check Price
Installation
The installation process for the Trail Pipe is straightforward and should take a few minutes. It doesn’t include any hardware; you’ll use the factory hardware for installation.
Tools Needed
- 14mm Socket or Wrench
- Car/Truck Jack or Access to a Lift
- Exhaust Hanger Removal Tool (optional) – Pliers or an Adjustable Wrench Will Work
Step 1. Lift The Truck (If Needed)
I don’t have access to a lift, and I haven’t had a chance to install the lift kit for my truck yet, so I needed to use a jack for this install. It’s impossible to get the factory exhaust pipe out from under the truck without some additional ground clearance to work with. If you have a 6-inch lift, you may be able to remove the factory pipe without further lifting. I used the OEM truck jack with some wood piled underneath to achieve the required height to make it easy.
Step 2. Drop The Spare Tire
The spare tire under the truck bed needs to be lowered so you can remove the factory exhaust pipe. This is a great time to familiarize yourself with the location of the OEM spare tire removal tools if you’ve never had to search for them before. Consider yourself lucky that you’re pulling these tools out for a fun new installation and not because you have a flat tire somewhere on the side of the road.
There is a tab located at the top of your rear passenger-side seat by the headrest that you pull to fold the top portion of the seat down. Behind it, you’ll find your OEM jack and the rod and hook assembly behind this seat. Assemble the rods with the hook set up at one end.
Above your license plate is a hole in the chassis where you will insert the hook end. The lowering screw accepts the hook, much like a flathead screwdriver fits into a flathead screw. Lefty-loosey until the tire touches down. You don’t need to remove the tire from the chain; you can leave it attached.
Step 3. Remove Factory Hardware
Using a 14mm socket or wrench, remove the two factory nuts that hold the current exhaust pipe to the rear of the muffler. Set those aside as you’ll use them later during installation.
Step 4. Remove Exhaust Hangers
Of course, a specialized exhaust hanger removal tool exists just for this purpose, but I definitely don’t own one. For this step, pliers or an adjustable wrench can be used to finagle the exhaust hangers off the truck. I sprayed a little WD40 to make it easier to slide off, as my truck is never free of dirt or caked-on mud.
Step 5. Remove Factory Exhaust Pipe
The hardest part of the entire install was removing the factory exhaust pipe. Without a lift, it was ultimately harder, but still doable. If you have access to a garage or a friend’s lift, I recommend using it. To remove the exhaust pipe, you have to kind of feel it out and twist and turn it until it’s clear of your truck.
I knew how long the factory pipe was, but it’s different seeing it off your truck. It was mind-boggling to replace something so long, bulky, and heavy with something so small that performs the same function.
Step 6. Install Trail Pipe
Use the original nuts and 14mm socket or wrench to install the Trail Pipe to your truck. Tighten to 20-25 ft/lbs. There is a factory exhaust gasket that you can leave on during installation; however, if you lose it, it’s not a big deal.
After installation, my jaw dropped at how simple and small the new Trail Pipe is compared to the giant exhaust pipe I took out. I was eager to get on the road and test the performance to see if it really is worth the hype.
Step 7. Raise Your Spare Tire & Lower Truck
Now that the installation is complete, you can raise your spare tire back up (righty-tighty) and lower your truck back down. It’s time to do a test drive!
Benefits To Upgrading
1. Saves Weight
If the overall weight of your truck is a concern, especially if you’re constantly towing or transporting heavy loads, then this is worth the investment. It reduces weight by over 14 pounds by removing a large section of the factory exhaust.
2. No Obnoxious Noise
Some people like a louder exhaust. I am not one of them. I don’t like excessive road noise, which is also why I’m picky about what tires I install on my trucks. The exhaust tone doesn’t change much from factory to the upgraded SXTH Element pipe. There has been no constant drone or sound for the last two months I’ve been driving with it on my Tundra. There might be a small increase in sound, but it’s subtle.
One of the best combinations you can make on your 3rd Gen Tundra is this product and the SXTH Element CPLT Intake system (linked in the beginning of post). I have both items installed on my truck, and I can hear my twin turbos whistle clearly with the intake system. Because the Trail Pipe doesn’t add any additional noise, the combination pairs perfectly.
3. Extra Ground Clearance
The primary complaint from 3rd Gen Tundra owners who go off-road is that the factory exhaust pipe hangs too low. Anyone who has bottomed out their truck on a trail has probably heard a few squelches and scrapes of steel. The exhaust pipe is one of the lowest components, located under the truck in a spot where ground clearance is critical. The Trail Pipe tucks above the axle to improve rear-end clearance. It’s almost as if these guys understand what people use their trucks for!
Final Thoughts
I love swapping parts on my truck that don’t require much time or special tools to install. I’m also a fan of direct bolt-on fitment and avoiding permanent modifications to my Tundra. The SXTH Element Trail Pipe deserves a lot of credit for how easy installation is: simply bolting it on with the factory hardware. It is made of TIG-welded brushed stainless steel construction for long-term durability. I don’t plan to remove it from my truck anytime soon, so I’m excited to see if it lasts the life of my Tundra.
I am thrilled with how it has performed so far. The folks over at SXTH are making some excellent aftermarket parts for truck owners who spend a lot of time outdoors. I am excited to see what else they release and look forward to tens of thousands of miles more!
