Aftermarket exhausts are one of the most satisfying upgrades you can do to your car. They enhance performance and improve gas mileage. But best of all, they produce a great sound.

A win-win situation if only it wasn’t for these two dreaded words: Exhaust Drone.

Exhaust drone can spoil the entire experience, and give you a headache. That’s why people go to great lengths to reduce exhaust drone. Here we will discuss how effective various sound deadening techniques are, and which method is right for you.

Exhaust Drone vs Sound Deadening Material

Image Credit: RepairGeek

Exhaust drone is the irritating droning noise you get in most free-flow exhausts. (Read more about what it is and why it happens in this article.) It’s usually worse right at about 2,000rpm - where you spend much of your daily commute. Some people try to cut this noise by using sound-deadening material.There are several reasons why this is not a great idea:

• It can cost more than your entire exhaust system.
• Sound-deadening materials add weight to your car.
• It may not completely stop the drone.

Sound-deadening materials help noise-proof your car. They are usually applied to door panels, roof panels and even under the carpet. This last method is often the one that people use to try and quieten their exhaust noise.

Exhaust drone is a low-frequency sound. You'll likely find that the relatively lightweight (and less-expensive) sound-deadening materials only absorb resonance and dampen vibrations. Sound-deadening materials that effectively muffle exhaust drone are expensive and heavy.

Applying the sound-deadening panels in a small car can increase its weight by up to 80lbs. That’s bad for performance and fuel economy. Doing this may lower exhaust drone in the cabin, but it can be very labor intensive. Properly soundproofing your car can sometimes cost more than a new exhaust system. Essentially, to solve one problem, sound-deadening creates two others.

Thermal R&D Has Had The Solution For Almost 40 Years

The only real solution to exhaust drone is to not have it in the first place. You can stick to your OEM exhaust. Better still, buy a Thermal R&D Performance exhaust. We develop our exhaust systems with "True Helmholtz Technology”.

Competitors use heavy mufflers that restrict airflow to reduce drone. We use Helmholtz resonators to completely remove the drone. And we do it without restricting airflow. You get all the sound with none of the noise.

If you’ve already bought an exhaust system from a competitor, then all is not lost. You can resell it online and spend your money on a quality drone-free system from Thermal R&D.  Get in touch with us today.