Just installed a set of JBA axle/backs. Got them from AJ USA for $311 shipped in 4 days.

Looks like a nice prodoct. I wish they were all stainless instead of aluminized, but they should last long enough. Tips look really good, fill up the cut out hole much better than stock. Shiney chrome with etched "JBA" on top. Slant cut is about 15%, so little less than stock 45% slash cut, but looks like most after market.

Install took a little longer than I expected, about 2 hours. I found I could take off the stock ones by just loosening the pipe clamp, but installing the new ones I had to take off both mounting brackets to get enough maneuvering room. No big deal, a total of 8 bolts. I just found it hard to twist, push, and tap with rubber hammer all at the same time. If I had an extra pair of hands, could have gotten them on without taking off the hangar brackets.

Sound is very mellow. That's best word I can describe it. It's very smooth and deep, but not too loud. Startup and idle is just a little louder than stock, but very deep and smooth. Driving around with windows up, you can hear them a little more than stock, but like a said, smooth, deep, and mellow. Cruising around neighborhoods, the transmission gear whine and stock engine intake are about as loud as the exhaust. In other words, you can barelly tell it's there. They are less raspy and have less burble than the stock pipes. At WOT, they sound smooth and deep, but don't really get too loud. They don't open up and WAIL! like some exhausts do at WOT, they just sound smooth, deep, and powerful.

Drone is there, but barely evident. I drove all around 1500 to 2000 RPM trying to isolate it, and it sounds most prevalent at 1500-1700 RPM in fourth gear. Not sure why, but in fifth gear, it's not as evident, which is good because 5th gear at 55mph is right around 1600 RPM (not that I drive 55, except in a 45mph zone). If I tried really hard, I could get the drone to vibrate an empty RedBull can in the center console, but it took some work. This drone is barelly evident, and very easy to drive around. More of a hum than anything else. In other words, not a problem, but I'll keep "an ear on it" as the exhaust breaks in.

If you're looking for an exhaust to scare small children, annoy your neighbors, and be the loudest at the local hangout doing the infamous "give me attention / revlimiter check in neutral", this is not the exhaust you're looking for. However, if you want something that wouldn't be too loud on long trips, had little or no drone, a deep Mustang like sound, that wouldn't burble and pop a lot on decel, wasn't raspy and metallic (rice), looked much better than stock, and didn't cost an arm and a leg., this may be the exhaust for you.

I like the JBA's, I'll give them a



I have a sound clip, but can't host it. It's huge, about 11 MB winamp file, and if someone wants me to email it to them so they can shrink it and host it, I'd be happy to.

 

JBA has sound clips on their site:

Accel and Rev

Passing - Drive By

 

thanks for the info, i've been considering there full exhaust and have been looking for feedback.

 

Thanks for the link. I have heard that clip before. I'm willing to bet that sound clip was taken from a Mustang with the JBA off road H pipe, Long tube headers, as well as the axlebacks. That sound is much louder and has more of a straight thru hollow sound than just the axle backs. Too bad I can't post sound clips to hear the difference.

But that's pretty close and will give folks a pretty good idea of what they sound like.

 

Your axlebacks will get somewhat louder after they break-in a bit. You'll get a better sound from them but still not overly loud.

 

That is good to hear. Driving around today (just put them on this morning), I found myself rolling the windows down just to hear them. A little too much on the quite side right now. Glad to hear they'll break in nicely.

 

Thanks for the review. Sounds like the axle-back I'll be getting.

 

Great review, but I think you make them out to be a little quieter than they are. I only have 750 miles on my JBA axlebacks now and they are definitely getting louder. Some pedestrians turn and look as I go by at a steady speed. If I'm accelerating, almost everyone looks. The tips look perfect IMO.

 

You are probably right. I've put in a few rolls of Dynomat in the car, so it may be louder than they seem inside the cabin. Seems like people are always turning and looking at the Mustang, before and after the exhaust. I've never had a car before where I got so many waves and

 

At the time I installed mine I was disappointed they were too quiet. It seemed like for the next three days, everytime I started the car, they got a little louder. They sounded great. Now with the X-pipe added, I cool it when I see a patrol car.

 

Good review, glad I went with them.(no car as of yet though) I also was looking for something a little more on the "mellow" side.

 

I rode in and drove Brad's car Thursday night and they are anything but the way he described them that first day. He evern said they sounded louder when he first cranked it up.
I was very impressed with the sound. It's loud w/o being raspy. Much louder than stock at idle, cruise and accel. I can barely hear my stock exhaust, but I had no problem hearing Brad's. (didn't even know he had Dynomat installed)
Right now it's between JBA or SLP. I've heard clips of MagnaPacks (which I had on my '03 and LOVED) but the sound just doesn't fit the car. MAC sounds as raspy as a set of FlowMasters on a 99-04 GT. That "Coffin" muffler just plain sounds terrible. Bassani sounded surprisingly bad. For that much money I would've expected better.

About the only complaint I could come up with on the JBA is it sounded a little muffled (no pun intended) even though it was loud. Maybe "restricted" is a better word. But maybe that's what gives it the mellow tone that I liked.

 

Yep, they are getting little louder every day, still sound great. It's funny, I thought of using the word "muffled" to describe the sound as well. But I'm sure after a few more weeks, they'll be just right.

 

Combine the axle backs with a X pipe and they won't sound "muffled"!