How to Choose an Aftermarket Exhaust for a Holden Rodeo

 Holden has always stayed true to making vehicles that perform day in and day out no matter the conditions and challenges you put them through. The same goes especially for their ute, the Holden Rodeo. This is a reliable utility vehicle that Holden used to fit with a 3.2 V6 engine and a manual transmission.

Newer models came with a turbocharged 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel. You still have all the torque you need to propel the Rodeo even with a heavy load at the back of this 2650 kg rated road muncher. You can't go wrong with a Rodeo especially if you back it up with some aftermarket upgrades that support its powerplant yet aren't part of it.

What Matters in an Exhaust

Material

One of the most important factors of a new Rodeo exhaust system is the material it comes made of. It can be made of aluminised steel, stainless steel and titanium. Aluminised steel Rodeo exhausts are the most affordable but also don't have the longest lifespan. Stainless steel exhausts have a much longer lifespan because they are more impact and corrosion-resistant than aluminised steel systems. A titanium exhaust is the toughest and most durable system you can get but also the most expensive.

Bends

With an aftermarket exhaust, you get to choose between two types of bends and those are mandrel and crush bends. A mandrel-bent exhaust is what you should go for in all honesty, since it's smooth throughout and retains the same diameter from beginning to end. A crush-bent exhaust has wrinkles where the bends are which restrict airflow.

Thickness

The thickness of the material an exhaust is made of affects its strength and durability. Thicker Rodeo exhausts may weigh more but they are also able to survive heavier impacts and reduce annoying sounds in the form of exhaust drone.

Midpipe

The middle section of a Holden Rodeo exhaust is called the midpipe where multiple pipes meet only temporarily to even out the pressure in the system. The shape of this section affects how well exhaust gasses are evened out and usually, it's in the shape of the letter “H” or “X”. The choice is simple as an X-pipe configuration is much better at reducing backpressure and thus allows for a more streamlined pathway for exhaust fumes and gasses.

Diameter

The diameter of the piping affects airflow a great deal as the larger the diameter the more gasses can pass through at the same time. This makes for a better-performing engine and a more efficient one too. Make sure not to go overboard though, as too large of a diameter can create very little back pressure. This is why it's best to have an inch of diameter for every 100HP your Rodeo can make.

Types of Exhausts

Cat-Back

The most reasonable exhaust you can get is a cat-back system which replaces everything from the catalytic converter back. A cat-back exhaust is not the most performance-oriented or the least performance-oriented either but it sure is a popular upgrade since it doesn't cost a fortune nor is it difficult to install.

Header-Back

If you want to replace your Rodeo's whole exhaust system you should consider getting a header-back exhaust. Starting from the manifold (header) to the tailpipes, every single component gets replaced down to every nut and bolt. This makes for a much better performance improvement as well as a much more efficient system as you get to choose every part and have the option to fit a custom Holden Rodeo exhaust. Keep in mind that this is a more expensive system than a cat-back one and it also takes more time to install.

Axle-Back

If you want a minimal upgrade in performance and just a shiny new exhaust consider getting an axle-back exhaust since it only replaces a handful of components from the rear axle to the tailpipes. This makes it the most affordable but also the one that will make very little difference in how your Rodeo sounds and performs. This is the only exhaust that you can install on your own without spending a whole day under your ute.

Turbo-Back

Talking about spending the day working on your Rodeo, a turbo-back system is guaranteed to give you that. But a turbo-back exhaust is also able to increase the number of HP substantially as it replaces not only the exhaust but the turbocharger too. It costs the most and as you would expect, it requires a tune-up after installing the new turbo in order to make the engine work with it accordingly.

Advantages of an Aftermarket Exhaust

Price

The biggest reason why you should go for an aftermarket Rodeo exhaust system is because of its price tag. It's definitely much more reasonably priced than any OEM system and even performs better than a stock one.

Availability

Aftermarket exhausts are much more available than OEM ones which you can only get from the official manufacturer which, in this case, does not produce vehicles.

Versatility

With aftermarket systems, you get to choose every single component and you get the option to go for the most expensive or the least expensive solution. There are a lot more options in terms of what you can upgrade and how far you can go.