Catback Vs Axleback? Tanabe Medalion Touring Vs Concept?

TrevorS · 04-18-2008, 12:35 PM

My jack slipped while working with my car and put a healthy dent in my stock muffler

. Consequently, I'm looking at buying an exhaust.

I've read some people seem to like the Tanabe Medalion Touring, and so I searched and found they have two catback exhaust systems available for the '08 xB. The Medalion Touring and the Medalion Concept.

Given an otherwise stock exhaust, do these catbacks make much difference relative to an axleback (TRD for example)?

Also, anybody have any sense of the physical and practical difference between the Touring and the Concept catback?

If there's anything else I should be considering -- I'm listening thanks

!

burstaneurysm · 04-18-2008, 03:23 PM

Verify that these are actually true catbacks. Odds are they only include the axleback section. Either way, you'll get better gains with something other than TRD (not that the gains are significant at all anyway)

I'm currently looking to trade my TRD for a Magnaflow setup, personally, but I do love the sound of the Tanabe ones. They're some of the quietest exhausts out there.

TrevorS · 04-18-2008, 03:44 PM

Here are the listings I was viewing, look like real catbacks to me:

http://autosportstyle.com/shop/scion...t-p-70503.html

http://autosportstyle.com/shop/scion...t-p-70496.html

It occurs to me the cheapest solution would be to remove the stock axleback, take it to a muffler shop, and have a new muffler installed (or perhaps install it myself with hacksaw and clamps.) If I were to take this approach, any idea what would be a good muffler to get? Oh, yes -- you mentioned Magnaflow! Is that based on the sound?

burstaneurysm · 04-18-2008, 04:15 PM

At that point, I'd assume that those are only axlebacks. A true catback system would run closer to $600. I know a lot of the exhausts listed for the first gen are listed as catbacks, but, in reality, they are only axlebacks.
$350 is about right for an axleback.

Obviously, custom is another good option. Magnaflow make great mufflers, so that would be my suggestion. You would also want to increase the pipe diameter between the cat and the muffler. I'm not sure what the stock pipe diameter is on the '08, but you don't want to go too much bigger (that's when you will lose backpressure resulting in an overall loss of power.

TrevorS · 04-22-2008, 09:18 PM

It's funny, I'm noticing absolutely NO difference following the damage to the stock muffler -- I'd say roughly 1/4 of the circumference is crunched. That probably means my normal driving results in an exhaust flow that is well under the normal muffler capacity. Perhaps I should just ignore it and wait for the right time to pick up the right aftermarket exhaust!

burstaneurysm · 04-22-2008, 10:18 PM

Yea, I'd wait. There aren't a ton of offerings for the 08 yet. But there will be more and more coming.

The stock muffler is pretty resiliant, so I wouldn't expect to see major issue unless your really crimped the pipe.

BippuBoss · 05-22-2008, 10:41 PM

sorry according to your claim that tanabe makes a catback for your car it's false. just wanted to clear things up that they only make an axleback in both styles of exhaust, just because there would be little to no gains with a catback setup. the touring is a more mature tone and the concept g has a more racey tone to it. there are other two differences in exhaust where the medalion has an oval canister and the concept g a cylendrical.

i do suggest tanabe for an exhaust. I have found that some exhaust manufacturers put wedges inside their exhaust to give it a lower resonant sound. tanabe uses a straight through design with advantex as their packing material. just check it out and read up on everything.

burstaneurysm · 05-23-2008, 12:11 AM

You're almost right on that... no, neither Tanabe exhaust is a catback, but you would see more gains with a catback rather than an axleback.

The reasons these companies don't offer a catback for the xB is because the xB would require cutting and welding for installation (or clamps) but either way, you gotta cut the stock system. That would significantly decrease their market for people who only want bolt on stuff.

BippuBoss · 06-06-2008, 08:45 PM

funny we should be talking about this right now, a friend of a friend just ordered the 08 xB concept g exhaust. so i'll hear news shortly. should be pretty good.

BippuBoss · 07-14-2008, 10:03 PM

alrite i'm gonna let you check out both exhausts cuz i didn't post that earlier
concept g

medalion touring

i got these off their website, so just go there for more specs.

04-18-2008, 12:35 PM	#1
TrevorS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 231	Catback Vs Axleback? Tanabe Medalion Touring Vs Concept? My jack slipped while working with my car and put a healthy dent in my stock muffler . Consequently, I'm looking at buying an exhaust. I've read some people seem to like the Tanabe Medalion Touring, and so I searched and found they have two catback exhaust systems available for the '08 xB. The Medalion Touring and the Medalion Concept. Given an otherwise stock exhaust, do these catbacks make much difference relative to an axleback (TRD for example)? Also, anybody have any sense of the physical and practical difference between the Touring and the Concept catback? If there's anything else I should be considering -- I'm listening thanks !

04-18-2008, 03:23 PM	#2
burstaneurysm Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Forest Park, IL Posts: 725	Verify that these are actually true catbacks. Odds are they only include the axleback section. Either way, you'll get better gains with something other than TRD (not that the gains are significant at all anyway) I'm currently looking to trade my TRD for a Magnaflow setup, personally, but I do love the sound of the Tanabe ones. They're some of the quietest exhausts out there. __________________ Ian 2006.5 Shadow Mica xB

04-18-2008, 04:15 PM	#4
burstaneurysm Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Forest Park, IL Posts: 725	At that point, I'd assume that those are only axlebacks. A true catback system would run closer to $600. I know a lot of the exhausts listed for the first gen are listed as catbacks, but, in reality, they are only axlebacks. $350 is about right for an axleback. Obviously, custom is another good option. Magnaflow make great mufflers, so that would be my suggestion. You would also want to increase the pipe diameter between the cat and the muffler. I'm not sure what the stock pipe diameter is on the '08, but you don't want to go too much bigger (that's when you will lose backpressure resulting in an overall loss of power. __________________ Ian 2006.5 Shadow Mica xB

04-22-2008, 10:18 PM	#6
burstaneurysm Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Forest Park, IL Posts: 725	Yea, I'd wait. There aren't a ton of offerings for the 08 yet. But there will be more and more coming. The stock muffler is pretty resiliant, so I wouldn't expect to see major issue unless your really crimped the pipe. __________________ Ian 2006.5 Shadow Mica xB

05-23-2008, 12:11 AM	#8
burstaneurysm Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Forest Park, IL Posts: 725	You're almost right on that... no, neither Tanabe exhaust is a catback, but you would see more gains with a catback rather than an axleback. The reasons these companies don't offer a catback for the xB is because the xB would require cutting and welding for installation (or clamps) but either way, you gotta cut the stock system. That would significantly decrease their market for people who only want bolt on stuff. __________________ Ian 2006.5 Shadow Mica xB

04-18-2008, 03:44 PM	#3
TrevorS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 231	Here are the listings I was viewing, look like real catbacks to me: http://autosportstyle.com/shop/scion...t-p-70503.html http://autosportstyle.com/shop/scion...t-p-70496.html It occurs to me the cheapest solution would be to remove the stock axleback, take it to a muffler shop, and have a new muffler installed (or perhaps install it myself with hacksaw and clamps.) If I were to take this approach, any idea what would be a good muffler to get? Oh, yes -- you mentioned Magnaflow! Is that based on the sound?

04-22-2008, 09:18 PM	#5
TrevorS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 231	It's funny, I'm noticing absolutely NO difference following the damage to the stock muffler -- I'd say roughly 1/4 of the circumference is crunched. That probably means my normal driving results in an exhaust flow that is well under the normal muffler capacity. Perhaps I should just ignore it and wait for the right time to pick up the right aftermarket exhaust!

05-22-2008, 10:41 PM	#7
BippuBoss Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 3	sorry according to your claim that tanabe makes a catback for your car it's false. just wanted to clear things up that they only make an axleback in both styles of exhaust, just because there would be little to no gains with a catback setup. the touring is a more mature tone and the concept g has a more racey tone to it. there are other two differences in exhaust where the medalion has an oval canister and the concept g a cylendrical. i do suggest tanabe for an exhaust. I have found that some exhaust manufacturers put wedges inside their exhaust to give it a lower resonant sound. tanabe uses a straight through design with advantex as their packing material. just check it out and read up on everything.

06-06-2008, 08:45 PM	#9
BippuBoss Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 3	funny we should be talking about this right now, a friend of a friend just ordered the 08 xB concept g exhaust. so i'll hear news shortly. should be pretty good.

07-14-2008, 10:03 PM	#10
BippuBoss Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 3	alrite i'm gonna let you check out both exhausts cuz i didn't post that earlier concept g medalion touring i got these off their website, so just go there for more specs.

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