Replacement muffler tips [Archive]

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SteveYem

03-21-2015, 08:48 AM

I have an AWE Touring exhaust system and I do not really like the way the rear muffler tips look. The slant cut is nice, but the thin wall at the edge coupled with the 'conical' inner contour of the tip gets covered in soot really quickly and makes the tips just disappear. Case in point, and keep in mind that these are the chrome plated versions and fairly dirty in the first photo, but closer to clean than dirty on the filth spectrum in the second photo:

http://i.imgur.com/nqQNhWZ.png

http://i.imgur.com/vhc0Xwq.png?1

I much prefer the rolled-edge tip look - I even prefer the stock rolled-edge oval tips over the AWE tips - so I started searching for replacements. I came across these Vibrant Performance tips which have rolled edges and are slant cut and was wondering if anyone here has used Vibrant products before and could offer any reviews of the finish, durability, etc. NOTE - I have not yet measured the outlet pipe size on the AWE mufflers so I'm not sure whether the 2.25" inlet diameter on these particular tips will work:
http://vibrantperformance.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1022_1034_1056&products_id=90

The price is "right" on these Vibrant tips...$140 for a set of 4 to revamp the rear view of my car. I have seen APR and Borla tips going for ~$55/each which seems a bit steep. If anyone has other recommendations for aftermarket replacement muffler tips, I am open to suggestions!

IceSilverS4

03-21-2015, 09:07 AM

dibs on the tips if you are interested in selling the AWE tips. were they originally silver or black tips ?

Thank you

drevil2k2

03-21-2015, 09:16 AM

I think the OP's tips are chrome.

IceSilverS4

03-21-2015, 09:18 AM

I think the OP's tips are chrome.

indeed, I re-read and saw it. Great.

SteveYem

03-21-2015, 09:18 AM

dibs on the tips if you are interested in selling the AWE tips. were they originally silver or black tips ?

Thank you

They are the silver tips. The outsides clean up nicely with some basic car wax (I used the cheap green Turtle Wax stuff) and a polishing wheel on a rotary tool. I will let you know if/when I sell them.

fasttoys

03-21-2015, 03:54 PM

http://www.kinneysmufflershop.com/kinneysmufflershop.com/PRODUCTS.html

Ask for Kurt he is the owner. He did my 2011 s4 Saxons old S4

Amorphic

03-22-2015, 01:01 AM

I agree on your opinion on the AWE tips. The walls are way too thin. Even a lot of aftermarket double wall tips are still too thin for my taste. The OEM tips stand out a lot better. Just too bad those AWEs blend in so bad with the soot.

phillips2024

03-22-2015, 03:33 AM

http://www.kinneysmufflershop.com/kinneysmufflershop.com/PRODUCTS.html

Ask for Kurt he is the owner. He did my 2011 s4 Saxons old S4

do you have pics?

fasttoys

03-22-2015, 09:28 AM

Send me a pm and I will email them to you. I used the corsa ( corsa exhaust company) tips very pricy. Kinney's has in house version now that are at a better price. Same doubled wall tips that came with my new 2015 z06. I was going to replace my new to me 2014 s4 tips but she will be sold early next year for a new daily driver which will be a m3 or m5 so holding off on upgrades

mattchat

03-22-2015, 10:46 AM

I actually own two sets and believe it or not, after every winter swap them out as its really easy to clean them when they're off...so in between seasons I steal wool them (#0000) then use some polish like Never Dull and the like to shine them up and protect them.

SteveYem

03-22-2015, 10:55 AM

I just purchased a set of the Vibrant tips P/N 1304, 2.25" inlet x 3.5" outlet, slant cut, rolled edges, 304 stainless steel. I don't think 2.25" is a perfect fit for the AWE outlet pipes but it should be close. Hopefully I will get to installing them next weekend.

AudiA4Style

03-22-2015, 10:58 AM

MrFunk

03-22-2015, 11:40 AM

Relevant topic for me also...
Has anyone fitted APR tips on the AWE system? I really am not a fan of the AWE tips either - always really liked the APR ones though. I don't want to have to weld them on though... if they are bolt on then maybe worth it. I know people have put the APR's on stock exhaust but had to weld them... (assuming this is because stock exhaust it narrower?)

SForePlayin'

03-22-2015, 11:56 AM

fasttoys

03-22-2015, 08:57 PM

Can you just post the pictures here? I'm interested too.

Thanks.

I don't know how to Add an Image from Url????????????? Never had to this on the Ferrari, BMW & many forms I belong too.

Allowed Filetypes: jpg, jpeg, png, gif

acsgp

03-22-2015, 09:19 PM

I would actually love these, in double wall, like the RS4 versions.

http://vibrantperformance.com/catalog/images/1406_WEBL.jpg

SteveYem

03-23-2015, 06:41 AM

I would actually love these, in double wall, like the RS4 versions.

http://vibrantperformance.com/catalog/images/1406_WEBL.jpg

For a minute I was actually considering dual oval tips instead of round ones, but I couldn't find the size I need, specifically 3.5" wide. Actually, the OEM B8.5 muffler tips would be perfect - 3" x 3.5" oval if I remember correctly. The closest I could find by Vibrant was P/N 1504 which is nice because it is bolt-on, but at 3.25" wide I was afraid it might look too small (smaller than the OEM tips, anyway): http://vibrantperformance.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1022_1034_1062&products_id=173

acsgp

03-23-2015, 07:53 PM

For a minute I was actually considering dual oval tips instead of round ones, but I couldn't find the size I need, specifically 3.5" wide. Actually, the OEM B8.5 muffler tips would be perfect - 3" x 3.5" oval if I remember correctly. The closest I could find by Vibrant was P/N 1504 which is nice because it is bolt-on, but at 3.25" wide I was afraid it might look too small (smaller than the OEM tips, anyway): http://vibrantperformance.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1022_1034_1062&products_id=173

Really want the car to look like this, but with the exhaust more flush:

http://www.supersprint.com/public/images/34158.jpg

by cutting off the OE tips, and welding on the RS4 OE tips. But having spoken to the exhaust shop that does tip replacements, found out that it's impossible to do it nicely.

The S4 muffler has 2 pipes at the exit, to feed into the 2 tips on either side, whereas the RS4 muffler has only 1 exit pipe. There could be fitment issues too, as the RS4 tip could be too long.

So the only option for me it to either install the Supersprint muffler/tip, or the Milltek equivalent.

SteveYem

03-27-2015, 07:41 AM

Update: I received my four(4) Vibrant P/N 1304 exhaust tips which are 2.25" inlet x 3.5" outlet, double wall, rolled edge, slant cut, stainless steel. They appear to be chrome plated, actually. Unfortunately I do not think these will work for me on the AWE mufflers. The diameters are correct - in fact it had a snug slide-fit onto the AWE outlet pipe; however the Vibrant tips are too long, at least for my preference. The problem is that the end of the "collar" portion of the tip bottoms out on the beginning of the radius in the "y" shaped dual outlet pipe from the muffler, and where it bottoms out leaves the end of the outer tip protruding ~2" out from the rear bumper valence. The inner tip would bottom out at the same place but would not stick out relatively as far due to the curvature of the rear valence. But anyway, the amount that the outer tip protrudes is too much for my taste - I prefer the end of the tip not to protrude more than ~1/2" past the valence - but in order to achieve that the tips would have to be 1.5-2" shorter. The 2.25" ID "collar" portion on the back end of the Vibrant tips is only ~1.5" long so trimming that area shorter isn't really an option.

Looks like I will be returning these and going back to the drawing board. If anyone has recommendations for where I could get aftermarket tips meeting the following description, it would be very much appreciated:
Inlet diameter: 2.25"
Outlet diameter: 3.5"
Overall Length: ~5.5"
Slant cut, rolled edge, bolt-on/clamp-on or weld-on type, Stainless Steel

Thanks,