Hey, everybody, I'm Justin with americanmuscle.com, and this is my detailed review and install
of the Heartthrob Four-inch Aluminized Steel Cat-Back Exhaust System, available for your
2015 and newer 5-liter powered F-150.
Alright in this video, I'm gonna cover a lot of ground with this system including what
kind of sound you can expect out of your Coyote powered rig with the Heartthrob in place.
We're also gonna break down the construction and materials from this very affordable system,
and finally, we will cover some of the bigger points of the actual installation process.
And right up front, I can tell you depending on your cab and bed size, there might be the
smallest amount of cutting needed, but it's one cut, very straightforward anybody should
be able to do it.
So, I'm sticking with one out of three wrenches on the difficulty meter, with some more detail
later on in the video.
So, the four-inch aluminized steel version that we have here from Heartthrob should appeal
to the Coyote truck owners out there looking to go with one of the most affordable large
diameter systems for their more modified setups.
And one that will appeal to truck owners out there who might not be concerned with having
the flashiest materials or a finished appearance right out of the box.
With all that said, this is also gonna be a very tame system in regards to overall volume
both inside and outside of the truck, which I think does make it appealing as well.
I do wanna stay on the topic of sound here with the Heartthrob because this was a system
I was very impressed with, it delivered a very unique tone on our EcoBoost-powered trucks
here at the shop, and it really did the same with our V8 power truck as well.
It's a higher pitched tone overall and again, one that really wasn't all that loud despite
the larger diameter.
So, what does this all mean when it comes time to talk about your neighbors?
Well again, this isn't the loudest system out there.
We've covered that quite a bit by now, and going to my wake the neighbor scale, I have
this coming in at a soft three out of five and honestly guys, I struggled to get even
there.
Keep in mind, a one is essentially gonna be your factory exhaust system.
You might think this thing will be a boomer from that larger diameter tubing, but it's
just simply not the case here with this system.
You do hear it a little bit on the inside of the truck while cruising, but again, really
not overpowering by any means.
Let's move away from the sound and talk a little bit more about the construction, appearance,
and materials here with the Heartthrob, and this is where things get a little interesting
with this system.
I mentioned earlier this is a bit unfinished, and it's certainly not gonna win you any beauty
contest sitting on the table here.
But keep mind guys, this is an exhaust.
It's gonna live underneath your truck.
You're only gonna see probably 1% of this entire system while it is on your truck.
And after all, you have to keep in mind the number one factor you should be considering
when buying an exhaust system, should be sound and of course performance as well which this
thing will deliver depending on your application.
You also have to factor in the price here as well.
400 bucks is really all you're dropping for the Heartthrob, which again, don't expect
the same level of quality of build materials as Borla or Corsa for instance.
You are getting full aluminized steel tubing here with this system.
A very small amount of three-inch tubing for stepping up into that four-inch diameter that
this thing is advertised as.
All of it mandrel bent, and it does exit...or pass through rather, this velocity series
muffler here from Heartthrob.
Full disclosure guys, this thing doesn't include a tip.
So basically, you're gonna be getting a four-inch piece of raw aluminized steel dumping right
behind that passenger side rear tire, which again, goes back to that unfinished word I
used a little bit earlier.
If you wanted to, you could definitely buy an aftermarket tip online, spice things up
a little bit, or you can just leave it unfinished, totally up to you.
Let's go back and talk about that velocity series muffler here from Heartthrob because
it is gonna be the number one force or the number one influence when it comes to shaping
the sound with this particular system.
This is a double wrapped shell muffler, which basically means it's gonna keep the volume
down according to Heartthrob, and that does seem to be the case here with this system.
You heard the sound clips, you can judge there.
Now, if you were to blow the top off of this thing, you'd find three separate baffles or
chambers with the velocity muffler.
You got two on the end here, and a V-shaped baffle in the middle which Heartthrob claims
is gonna help keep some of the drone down while cruising on the highways.
I puttered around in the truck with this thing installed, happy to report it seemed to do
the job just fine.
Let's move into the installation here with this system, and as I mentioned at the very
top of this video, there is gonna be the smallest amount of cutting needed depending on your
cab and your bed size.
But again, it's one cut as long as you take your time, follow Heartthrob's very detailed
instructions, get your measurements down correctly.
You should be banging this thing out no problem.
So, therefore, I am sticking a one out of three wrenches on my overall difficulty meter,
maybe an hour or two in the garage or shop before you're making some noise.
As far as tools needed for the installation, basic socket set is gonna be the biggy here,
in addition to that cutting tool, if you do need to actually trim the system.
I like using a Sawzall with a fresh metal blade, but you can use whatever you have laying
around the shop or garage.
Now, reference those instructions first before getting started with the install, because
you will need to determine if you need to cut, so just make sure you know your wheel
base before getting started.
Check those directions out if you do need to cut, now it'll be the time to do it.
Once your cut has been made, go ahead and work on removing that factory system so you
can get the new Heartthrob in place.
You remove that forward most clamp, and basically, the entire system will drop after you remove
those hangers.
This thing is one piece, it can be a little big and bulky to move around by yourself.
So if you have a buddy around the shop, now would be a great time to grab him.
With the factory system out of the way, you can get to work installing the new Heartthrob.
They recommend starting from front to back.
I think it's a great idea.
Get everything hung, get all your hangers and clamps in place before your final tighten
up, and you should be good to go.
As my final thoughts on the Heartthrob, well, for an EcoBoost truck, this is one of my best
bang for your bucks on the site.
For the Coyote powered truck, on the other hand, I think the four-inch diameter tubing
might be on the verge of overkill for an otherwise stock or naturally aspirated setup.
Sure the fit and finish leave a little bit to be desired, but the sound is gonna be very
unique, and you're really not dropping a whole lot of dough to get this system.
So, that is my review of the Heartthrob Four-inch Aluminized Steel System, which you can find
right here at americanmuscle.com.