4-Inch vs. 5-Inch: Why You Need to Upgrade Your RAM 1500 Exhaust Tips
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You walk around to the back of your 2019–2026 RAM 1500 (New Body).
It looks incredibly tough. The dual exhaust cutouts in the rear bumper give it a premium, muscular stance.
But something looks... off.
The factory chrome tips are only 4 inches wide, while the bumper cutouts are almost 6 inches wide. There is a massive, ugly gap surrounding the exhaust tip. It looks like a pea shooter sitting inside a cannon barrel. RAM originally designed it this way to allow for extreme engine movement during towing, but they heavily overdid the spacing.
The easiest and most impactful visual fix? 5-Inch Exhaust Tips.
Premium aftermarket tips from brands like MBRP and Magnaflow are engineered specifically to fill that awkward void. They bolt directly onto the factory ball-clamp, require absolutely no welding or cutting, and instantly make the back of your truck look flush and finished.
In this guide, we show you the visual difference between 4-inch and 5-inch tips, and explain why "Resonator Delete" tailpipes might be the exact OEM+ sound upgrade you didn't know you needed.
Compare Premium Axle-Back Options
Aggressive Looks, OEM+ Sound, or Both?
|
Upgrade Type |
Top Brands |
Volume Increase |
Installation |
Best For |
|
5-Inch Exhaust Tips |
MBRP / Magnaflow |
None. |
Easy. (Loosen the factory ball-clamp and swap). |
Style. Filling the massive, empty bumper gap on New Body (DT) trucks. |
|
Resonator Delete |
MBRP / Borla |
+15% (Mild). |
Medium. (Cut factory pipe/Clamp new pipe). |
OEM+ Sound. Getting a little more Hemi rumble without being obnoxious to neighbors. |
|
Black Tailpipes |
Magnaflow / MBRP |
None. |
Medium. |
Blackout Builds. Ditching the factory chrome for a stealthy, murdered-out look. |
Frequently Asked Questions (Axle-Backs & Tips)
Will 5-inch tips actually fit my factory bumper?
On the New Body (DT) RAM, absolutely.
The 2019+ DT RAM features incredibly large circular cutouts in the rear bumper. The factory 4-inch tips leave a lot of empty, awkward space. Premium 5-Inch Tips (like those from MBRP) slide right onto the factory ball-clamp and fill that gap flawlessly for a custom, aggressive look.
(Note: On the Classic (DS) body style, 5-inch tips are very tight and may melt the plastic bumper. Stick to 4-inch or 4.5-inch tips for Classics).
Does a Resonator Delete cause highway drone?
Very little, if any.
The massive factory muffler (the big suitcase located in the middle of the truck) does 90% of the heavy lifting for sound suppression and drone cancellation. The rear resonators (located near the tips) just smooth out the final tone. Deleting them with an Axle-Back pipe adds a fantastic, deep growl on hard acceleration but keeps the truck surprisingly quiet at highway cruising speeds. It is an incredible "Daily Driver" modification.
Do I have to cut my factory exhaust to install these?
For Resonator Deletes, usually Yes. For Tips Only, No.
The factory tailpipes are typically welded directly to the rear resonators. To install a resonator delete axle-back, you generally have to make a single cut on the pipe behind the rear axle and clamp the new assembly into place.
If you are only installing 5-Inch Bolt-On Tips, there is zero cutting required. You simply loosen the factory ball-clamp with a wrench, slide the old tip off, and bolt the new one on.
Fill the gap.
Ditch the undersized chrome factory tips and get the aggressive 5-inch look. Shop our verified collection of premium 2019–2026 RAM 1500 Axle-Back Exhausts & Tips.