Tubi installed. My impressions and pics of welds(per request) Cliff notes: Couldn't be happier!
08-25-2008, 05:00 AM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Tubi installed. My impressions and pics of welds(per request) Cliff notes: Couldn't be happier!
The install couldn't have been easier. I had been quoted by high end car shops 4-6 hours of labor. I still don't understand WTF they are doing esp with a lift and pro tools. Anyhow don't waste your time or money.
With Ramps and jack stands a friend and I did the job in an hour and a half. Only tools needed were 13mm socket, a flat head screwdriver(to get the square nuts out of the stock exhaust), and a sawzall with a torch blade. This assumes you've already capped off your vacuum lines. If not then you'll need some pliers, plugs or caps and zip ties.
The Tubi comes with excellent clamps so no need for aftermarket ones. Get the car up in the air, test fit each Tubi muffler under the stock. Draw a cut line, cut, remove the cross brace with 13mm socket, pull each muffler out of the single rubber hanger(much easier to put the Tubi back in the hanger). And discard. But make sure you pry up the flap and reuse the stock nut for the cross brace.
I couldn't be happier with the sound. I can't imagine how loud this would be with no resonators, downpipes and the rumore (loud) version of the Tubi exhaust. This is already PLENTY loud for me with the rest of the stock system. No drone, no resonance. Nothing but awesome Tubi sound.
I don't know how they do it, I assume some type of timing of the exhaust pulse but the sound is the best thing I've heard short of a Ferrari. Even with everything else remaining stock the exhaust pops and burbles when you lift off the gas(possibly FSI has something to do with this?) and rev matching downshifts have never been so much fun. In fact I had a really hard time rev matching before because I wasn't given it enough gas because I couldn't hear what was going on. Not a problem now.
The exhaust sounds so much better than any video I've heard I'm just floored. I thank those that did post their sound/video clips of the exhaust but they just don't do this thing justice. That said, you can really control the volume even though it doesn't have flaps by just upshifting and getting the revs down to 2500 or less and it's nice and calm for leaving your neighborhood or passing a cop or having your mother in law in the car. etc.
From the moment I fired up the RS4 after the install and during the whole "test" drive I had a perma grin from ear to ear. It was worth every penny.
I'll try to record some in and our of car video, if I feel they sound better than what has already been posted I'll throw them up on youtube.
In my previous post someone asked for weld quality pics so here they are:
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubiwelds1.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubiwelds2.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubiwelds3.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubitips.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubirear1.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubirear2.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubirear3.jpg"><ul><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Och4pBGWpco#">RS4 Tubi cold start video(watch in high quality for the best sound)</a></li></ul>
With Ramps and jack stands a friend and I did the job in an hour and a half. Only tools needed were 13mm socket, a flat head screwdriver(to get the square nuts out of the stock exhaust), and a sawzall with a torch blade. This assumes you've already capped off your vacuum lines. If not then you'll need some pliers, plugs or caps and zip ties.
The Tubi comes with excellent clamps so no need for aftermarket ones. Get the car up in the air, test fit each Tubi muffler under the stock. Draw a cut line, cut, remove the cross brace with 13mm socket, pull each muffler out of the single rubber hanger(much easier to put the Tubi back in the hanger). And discard. But make sure you pry up the flap and reuse the stock nut for the cross brace.
I couldn't be happier with the sound. I can't imagine how loud this would be with no resonators, downpipes and the rumore (loud) version of the Tubi exhaust. This is already PLENTY loud for me with the rest of the stock system. No drone, no resonance. Nothing but awesome Tubi sound.
I don't know how they do it, I assume some type of timing of the exhaust pulse but the sound is the best thing I've heard short of a Ferrari. Even with everything else remaining stock the exhaust pops and burbles when you lift off the gas(possibly FSI has something to do with this?) and rev matching downshifts have never been so much fun. In fact I had a really hard time rev matching before because I wasn't given it enough gas because I couldn't hear what was going on. Not a problem now.
The exhaust sounds so much better than any video I've heard I'm just floored. I thank those that did post their sound/video clips of the exhaust but they just don't do this thing justice. That said, you can really control the volume even though it doesn't have flaps by just upshifting and getting the revs down to 2500 or less and it's nice and calm for leaving your neighborhood or passing a cop or having your mother in law in the car. etc.
From the moment I fired up the RS4 after the install and during the whole "test" drive I had a perma grin from ear to ear. It was worth every penny.
I'll try to record some in and our of car video, if I feel they sound better than what has already been posted I'll throw them up on youtube.
In my previous post someone asked for weld quality pics so here they are:
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubiwelds1.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubiwelds2.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubiwelds3.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubitips.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubirear1.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubirear2.jpg">
<IMG SRC="http://www.jlosee.com/images/rs4/tubi/rs4tubirear3.jpg"><ul><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Och4pBGWpco#">RS4 Tubi cold start video(watch in high quality for the best sound)</a></li></ul>
08-25-2008, 06:40 AM
#5
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maybe it's the angle of the photo, but the tips don't look centered in the valance.
I can't believe those guys charge what they do for basically 1/2 of a cat-back system, but whatever floats your boat.
08-25-2008, 06:54 AM
#6
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Do you ever post anything positive? ;) It's the pic/angle as the tips are centered.
I fully admit the exhaust is overpriced, but in the end it is cheaper for me just to get the sound I want the first time.
On my STI and 996 I had several exhausts on each before I found the right one. The 996 went through 4 setups before I found my favorite exhaust on a car I've owned. GHL, loud version. Great around town, sounded like a GT3 Cup car on the track. You can hear it outside the car here:
<A HREF="http://www.jlosee.com/images/porsche/BeaveRun/BeaveRun_outside_small.wmv">BeaveRun 996 GHL Loud</A>
That said, the RS4 Tubi has replaced the 996 GHL Loud as my favorite exhaust to date. As I've said before I have no doubt the Milltek sounds great, and is a better value, but if I bought that I knew once I heard a Tubi in real life on another RS4 owners car I'd have to have it so in the end it made sense just to get it from the start.
On my STI and 996 I had several exhausts on each before I found the right one. The 996 went through 4 setups before I found my favorite exhaust on a car I've owned. GHL, loud version. Great around town, sounded like a GT3 Cup car on the track. You can hear it outside the car here:
<A HREF="http://www.jlosee.com/images/porsche/BeaveRun/BeaveRun_outside_small.wmv">BeaveRun 996 GHL Loud</A>
That said, the RS4 Tubi has replaced the 996 GHL Loud as my favorite exhaust to date. As I've said before I have no doubt the Milltek sounds great, and is a better value, but if I bought that I knew once I heard a Tubi in real life on another RS4 owners car I'd have to have it so in the end it made sense just to get it from the start.
08-25-2008, 07:40 AM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Tubi Style USA. Was the last one available from them. Now it's Tubi NA (edited)
<ul><li><a href="http://www.tubistylena.com/p/Audi/RS4/">http://www.tubistylena.com/p/Audi/RS4/</a</li></ul>
