ARK GRiP Exhaust Review

[JDM_Man]

Ok,

so let me say this the exhaust sounds amazing but WOW is there drone especially on the highway between 105-120 KPH.....Its pretty loud. You can combat this by rolling 120 in 7th or 6th gear or not pressing on the gas at all. it could be A LOT worse but this exhaust is defiantly NOT drone free.

but still sounds sexy.....lol

 

[Tonkabob]

If the drone gets to you, i swapped my ark mufflers with flowmaster dbx's. Made the sound deeper and lower volume and drone. You do lose some of that WOT race car unique sound however.
The ark mufflurs have another drone chamber inside of them. Only 3/4s of the muffler is muffeling.

 

[JDM_Man]

Why buy a $2500 CDN cat back system to just gut it out lol.. I would have just gone with a custom cat back. I just wanted to warn the others out there lol.

 

[Tonkabob]

I was the second person to install the Ark and had not heard it in person. Louder than i expected. Wasn't the best route to a $2000 US exhaust but i really like it now. At the time Ark and Borla were the only 2 exhausts out there.

 

[Ozstung]

Just got the Ark grip exhaust installed today after a 4 month wait. Nice note under exellaration, but boy the reverberation in the cabin! The console was shuddering from the noise, I'm hoping once the exhaust settles in the drone might decrease? Early days but if this it I'm not sure I can live with that. The music was effected from the stereo by the sound vibration from the exhaust, quite weird. I may have to look into sound deadening in the boot. Must say paddling down the gears was wicked that put a smile on my face.

 

[Grizzog]

The console was shuddering from the noise, I'm hoping once the exhaust settles in the drone might decrease?

Generally exhausts get louder as they age as the insulation and sound deadening material starts to break down a bit.

 

[Ozstung]

In that case I'm going the sound deadening route. I.e . Dynamatting the boot area. Thanks.

 

[Jonathan]

That sucks, I'd assume this thing would rattle my radar detector/dash cam :O

 

[falanger]

I have an Ark too and also experienced drone/harshness/vibration after it was installed. It was so bad I honestly thought about taking it off and going back to stock. My exhaust installer told me to give it a few hundred miles, and it turns out he was right. Within 500 miles it really seemed to settle down and smooth out. The drone is still there but only under load and in high gears; on flat roads at steady speed it mostly fades to little more than a nice rumble.

And I know conventional wisdom says exhausts get louder, but, unless my hearing is suddenly going bad, I swear it's actually quieter (and better sounding).

 

[Tonkabob]

Agree, my Ark mellowed a bit befor i modified it.

 

[Joshua]

Just got the Ark grip exhaust installed today after a 4 month wait. Nice note under exellaration, but boy the reverberation in the cabin! The console was shuddering from the noise, I'm hoping once the exhaust settles in the drone might decrease? Early days but if this it I'm not sure I can live with that. The music was effected from the stereo by the sound vibration from the exhaust, quite weird. I may have to look into sound deadening in the boot. Must say paddling down the gears was wicked that put a smile on my face.

Had the same issues months ago from the Ark and went the sound deadening route. Quieted down a few decibels, but overall not much change. Would still rattle both my ears and the entire cabin. Ended up going with the Jun b.l. evc. Won't sound as loud, but still sounds nice, and you can actually live with it valves open or closed.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Just got the Ark grip exhaust installed today after a 4 month wait. Nice note under exellaration, but boy the reverberation in the cabin! The console was shuddering from the noise, I'm hoping once the exhaust settles in the drone might decrease? Early days but if this it I'm not sure I can live with that. The music was effected from the stereo by the sound vibration from the exhaust, quite weird. I may have to look into sound deadening in the boot. Must say paddling down the gears was wicked that put a smile on my face.

Sad to hear your issue, take it back to the installer, they may be able to offer advice or an add on silencer to negate the drone.

 

[Ozstung]

Sad to hear your issue, take it back to the installer, they may be able to offer advice or an add on silencer to negate the drone.

Thanks I'm hoping the sound deadening works. I'm going to do the floor in the boot. I've read some have done the sides too but that's a harder job pulling off trims- no thanks. Hopefully it quitens down naturally as some of the guys said.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Thanks I'm hoping the sound deadening works. I'm going to do the floor in the boot. I've read some have done the sides too but that's a harder job pulling off trims- no thanks. Hopefully it quitens down naturally as some of the guys said.

That’s a lot of extra work to do, but if hope it works out for you.

 

[D-C]

Just got the Ark grip exhaust installed today after a 4 month wait. Nice note under exellaration, but boy the reverberation in the cabin! The console was shuddering from the noise, I'm hoping once the exhaust settles in the drone might decrease? Early days but if this it I'm not sure I can live with that. The music was effected from the stereo by the sound vibration from the exhaust, quite weird. I may have to look into sound deadening in the boot. Must say paddling down the gears was wicked that put a smile on my face.

Hi Ozstung that sounds really disappointing, from most reports it seemed like the ARK was one of the better ones for low drone, I’m feeling quite nervous as I have put a deposit on one myself. It was due to be installed in a couple of weeks. I hope they do settle down after a few Kim’s as others have mentioned. Out of interest could it possibly be the exhaust note inhancer playing back through the speaker that’s messing with your stereo ?

 

[Tonkabob]

I would sell it and go with another option. Magnaflow has a crossover silencer that might fit but it would be a tricky install in the area of the cross over and drone tubes. I was worried about the complexity and didnt want to lose the drone tubes so swapped the muffler instead.

 

[Ozstung]

Hi Ozstung that sounds really disappointing, from most reports it seemed like the ARK was one of the better ones for low drone, I’m feeling quite nervous as I have put a deposit on one myself. It was due to be installed in a couple of weeks. I hope they do settle down after a few Kim’s as others have mentioned. Out of interest could it possibly be the exhaust note inhancer playing back through the speaker that’s messing with your stereo ?

Now that's an interesting point D-C, might have look into turning off the sound enhancer option if that's the case. The ARK apart from the drone does sound good. Around 1200-1300 revs it cruises silently but around the 1500-2000 revs is where the drone appears. Drove it 50 k's to work today keeping it in certain rev bands helped. Unlike the Kia Bi Modial you get instant sound when you stamp on it.

Look forward to your impressions when you get yours.

 

[D-C]

Now that's an interesting point D-C, might have look into turning off the sound enhancer option if that's the case. The ARK apart from the drone does sound good. Around 1200-1300 revs it cruises silently but around the 1500-2000 revs is where the drone appears. Drove it 50 k's to work today keeping it in certain rev bands helped. Unlike the Kia Bi Modial you get instant sound when you stamp on it.

Look forward to your impressions when you get yours.

Hi Ozstung

Any improvement turning down the sound enhancer ?

The 1500 to 2000 revs concerns as that’s where the car will be while cruising at 100/110 on the freeway everyday, it would be ok if I could get it to hold 7th gear.

I certainly have some serious doubts after your feedback, I’m tempted to try and back out of the purchase

Cheers

Dyll

 

[Ozstung]

Hi Ozstung

Any improvement turning down the sound enhancer ?

The 1500 to 2000 revs concerns as that’s where the car will be while cruising at 100/110 on the freeway everyday, it would be ok if I could get it to hold 7th gear.

I certainly have some serious doubts after your feedback, I’m tempted to try and back out of the purchase

Cheers

Dyll

Thanks D-C, had coffee with fellow Stingee Stinger Gt ss and gave him a sample of the Ark. Would you believe for the life of me I couldn't replicate nearly the amount of drone I had experienced 2 days before. My wife even suggests the exhaust is not even remotely noisy! So since getting it fitted on Friday to today Monday it has settled so it seems??

No I didn't turn the sound enhancer off, I only remembered when I put the car in the garage. I'm thinking whether with 4 adult bodies in the car today whether crazy as it appears we absorbed the sound?

Can you wait until the weekend for the final analysis? I won't be driving it again until then. I can do the test then.

Today the exhaust met with approval of 3 others. If you are really pressed for time message me and I'll see if I can take her out before otherwise I'm off shift on Saturday PM. Cheers.

 

[JDM_Man]

Drone only shows up once the exhaust is warmed up, so you'll need to drive for at least 15 min to hear it.

Also the enhanced engine sound only pumps engine noise through the speakers (synthesized) and makes the engine RPM hang a little bit when you let off the gas under moderate acceleration.

The plus side to the exhaust is there is quite a loud "Snap"/"Burp" when you either launch the car or shift from 1st to 2nd in manual mode with Traction and stability control off. For some reason if you turn off stability control completely the car WILL NOT automatically shift during manual mode and you can go a little further in the RPM's. I find if you shift from 1st to 2nd around 6400-6500 you'll get the "Snap"/"Burp" I'm talking about. Auto mode or manual mode with everything on usually shifts around 6200-6300 so it doesn't generate that noise.

Hope this helps.