The HeartThrob cat-back exhaust kits are one of the more popular systems out there for the 2011 to 2014 F150 EcoBoost trucks. The system sounds good and doesn't cost an arm and a leg, so we can see the appeal. While install left a bit to be desired, this kit fit in pretty well on our own 2011 F150 EcoBoost project truck. The kit produces a nice, clean sound when you step on the gas, but is pretty much silent at cruising or idle. The lack of a tip also provides a much more subtle look than your average 4" cat-back exhaust kit so that you get a good sound and some extra performance without a huge change in appearance. While installation and fit weren't as easy as some of the single-exit systems we've put on our truck, the HeartThrob kit is probably one of the better bang-for-your-buck bolt-on cat-back kits out there for the F150 EcoBoost trucks.
To begin our HeartThrob cat-back exhaust kit, we threw the kit in our truck and headed down to Extreme Performance out in Goodyear, Arizona, to get some help from our good friend Kris while we took photos and video. Kris got our truck up on the lift and took off the kit that was currently on our truck. If you currently have the factory cat-back system on your truck, go check out our Solo Mach-X Install Guide for removal instructions.
The first step of getting the HeartThrob kit up on our truck was to install its flanged inlet tube onto our mid-pipe. Now, we did need to do some cutting in order to get proper fitment on our truck's 145" wheelbase. However, HeartThrob wants you to cut the inlet tube and then use an extension pipe. Instead of measuring it out, Kris chose to get the kit on our truck and eyeball where the cut needed to be.
Kris held up the muffler assembly and HeartThrob's extension pipe to the inlet tube and measured out where to cut. Once he figured it out, he busted out his sawzall and got to the slicing and dicing.
Once the inlet tube was cut and deburred, Kris bent the flanges out on HeartThrob's extension pipe and installed it over the inlet tube.
He then slipped a hangar clamp over the extension and fit it into our forward exhaust mount.
With the inlet tube and extension in place, Kris slipped a clamp onto the end of the extension tube and then installed the HeartThrob kit's massive muffler.
After the muffler was installed, Kris then fit on the kit's over-axle tube and slipped on the hangar clamp for the upper bed rail exhaust mount.
Then Kris installed the tailpipe assembly onto the system and fit on the hangar clamp for the truck's rear exhaust mount.
For the final step of our install, Kris went back through the kit and tightened down all the clamps and hangar clamps.
Once everything was tightened and battened down, our HeartThrob cat-back install was complete.
Check out the video below to see this cat-back kit in action.
