Ram 1500 Cat-Back Exhaust Buyer's Guide

Picking a cat-back exhaust for a Ram 1500 gets confusing fast because the catalog spans five different trucks wearing the same name: the old-body Classic that stuck around alongside the new truck, the 2019-2024 DT with a 5.7L V8 or 3.6L V6, the supercharged TRX, and the brand new 2025+ Hurricane twin-turbo six with its own Rebel and RHO trims. A system built for one of those does not bolt to another.

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Here is the one thing worth knowing before you spend any money: almost nobody in this category publishes a horsepower number for a cat-back, and that is normal, not a red flag. A cat-back replaces the pipe, muffler and tips behind the catalytic converter. It changes sound and sheds a little weight. Real power gains on a gas truck mostly come from intake, tuning, or bolt-on forced induction, not from swapping the back half of the exhaust. A few brands below do publish a tested figure. Most do not, and we say so plainly rather than guessing.

2009-2024 Classic (DS body), 5.7L HEMI V8

Ram kept selling the older-body truck as the "1500 Classic" well after the new DT body launched in 2019, so there are two completely different trucks sharing model years on the used market. Check your body style before you order.

• Gibson Performance Exhaust Dual Split Rear Cat-Back, 4in Polished Stainless Tip (Classic Body) is the one system in this whole guide with an actual manufacturer dyno number for the Classic: Gibson's own testing claims 10 to 15 horsepower and 15 to 20 lb-ft, peaking in the 1,800 to 3,000 rpm band where a loaded truck actually works. It is Gibson's own dyno with no independent test backing it up, so treat it as a claim, not a verified figure.
• Borla Exhaust S-Type Cat-Back Exhaust System, Through-Bumper Exit publishes no power figure at all. Borla's own listing only says it will "unleash hidden horsepower," which is marketing language, not a tested number. It exits through the rear bumper and gives the classic mid-level Borla growl without the loudest setting.

2019-2024 New Body (DT), 5.7L HEMI V8

This is the most common Ram 1500 on the road right now, and it has the deepest cat-back selection in the catalog.

• Rough Country Rough Country Performance Cat-Back Exhaust 5.7L for 2019-2024 Ram 1500 2WD/4WD and BRExhaust BRExhaust 2019-2024 Ram 1500 5.7L Direct-Fit Exhaust System Kit 106-1074 are the budget-end direct-fit options. Neither publishes a power claim.
• Gibson Performance Exhaust Dual Split Rear Cat-Back, 5in Polished Stainless Tip carries the same Gibson dyno claim as the Classic version above, 10 to 15 hp and 15 to 20 lb-ft, again Gibson's own test only.
• Corsa Performance Sport 3.0in Cat-Back, Side Exit, Twin 4.0in Pro Series Tips is the one worth a second look if you tow: it exits out the side ahead of the rear wheel instead of out the back, which keeps the tips clear of a bumper-mounted hitch. Corsa claims a 47% flow increase for this part, but that is a flow percentage, not a horsepower number, and we are not converting it into one.

2019-2023 3.6L Pentastar V6 (DT)

Almost every cat-back on the market is written for the V8, so the V6 truck has a short list.

• MagnaFlow Exhaust Products Street Series Cat-Back, Dual 5in Polished Tips (3.6L V6) is the budget pick and keeps the factory single-outlet layout, just with dual tips. MagnaFlow's listing calls it "dyno-proven performance" without printing an actual number, so we are not treating that phrase as a figure.
• Borla Exhaust S-Type Cat-Back Exhaust System, Single-to-Dual Conversion, Black Chrome Tips is the step up: it actually converts the single factory outlet into a true dual exhaust, which changes the look as much as the sound. No power figure published.

2021-2024 TRX, 6.2L Supercharged HEMI V8

• MBRP Exhaust 3-Inch Muffler Bypass, Race Profile, Exhaust, S5155304 | 2021-2024 RAM 1500 TRX is a straightforward muffler bypass for the loudest, cheapest route. No power claim.
• MagnaFlow Exhaust Products xMOD Series Cat-Back with Swappable Sound Modules (TRX) is the one unusual part in this guide: three swappable sound modules let you run quiet on a long highway drive and open it up on demand, using v-band clamps instead of a shop visit. It takes longer to install than the bolt-on systems above it (figure 3 to 4 hours, not 1 to 2), and MagnaFlow showed it out of stock the last time this catalog checked, so confirm availability before you plan around it.

2025-2026 Hurricane I6 (Standard Output, High Output, Rebel, RHO)

The newest engine in the lineup has cat-backs arriving from MagnaFlow, MBRP, Borla, Corsa and AWE Tuning, but fitment splits hard by trim and output level, more than any other generation here.

• MagnaFlow Exhaust Products MagnaFlow 2025-2026 Ram 1500 3.0L D-Fit Series Performance Exhaust Muffler Replacement Kit Direct-Fit with Muffler 19686 is the budget direct-fit pick for the base Hurricane trucks.
• Corsa Performance Sport 3.0in-to-2.5in Cat-Back, Dual Rear Exit, 5.0in Single Tips is a strong flow claim, 37% more flow, 15 decibels over stock, and 10 lb lighter, straight from Corsa's own listing. The catch: Corsa explicitly excludes the High Output engine, the RHO, and the GT Package. Read your window sticker before you buy this one.
• AWE Tuning AWE Tuning 2025+ RAM 1500 RHO 3.0 I6 TT 0FG Dual Rear Exit Catback Exhaust - Chrome Silver Tips is built specifically for the RHO's dual rear exit layout and comes in a couple of tip finishes. No power figure published, which is standard for this whole category.

Muffler deletes, resonator deletes, and the law

A couple of systems in this catalog, including the MBRP bypass above, are built to delete the muffler or resonator entirely for maximum sound and flow. Whether that is legal to drive on public roads depends on your state's noise and emissions rules, and that is a real legal question, not a RideBuildList call. Treat any seller's claim that a part is street legal as the seller's claim, not a fact, and if it matters for your situation, run it past someone who knows Texas and your local vehicle code before you install it.

What to actually check before you buy

• Body style. Classic (DS) and New Body (DT) systems are not interchangeable, and a seller's year range can span both if you are not careful.
• Engine. V8, V6, TRX supercharged V8, and the new Hurricane I6 each need their own exhaust. Cross-shopping by year alone will get you the wrong part.
• Trim-locked fitment. Several systems above are built for one specific trim only, Rebel, RHO, or TRX, and will not bolt to a different trim with the same engine.
• Installation time. Most of these are a 1 to 2 hour bolt-on job with factory hangers. The MagnaFlow module system above is the exception at 3 to 4 hours.
• Tip finish is a separate choice from the exhaust itself on several of these systems. Don't let a color option distract you from whether the base system actually fits your truck.

None of this is a substitute for reading the actual fitment notes on each listing. The catalog above reflects what each manufacturer's own page states for years, trims and engines, not a guess, and that is exactly the kind of detail that changes between a bolt-on Saturday afternoon and a return shipping label.