I finally got around to installing the cherry bomb xl on my old truck last weekend, and honestly, the difference is night and day. If you've spent any time hanging around garages or browsing car forums, you know that the "Cherry Bomb" name is basically legendary. It's been the go-to for anyone who wants their engine to sound like it actually has some life in it without spending a small fortune. But the XL version? That's a slightly different beast than the classic glasspack your dad probably had on his high school cruiser.
Most people think a muffler is just a metal box that makes things quiet. But if you care about how your ride feels when you step on the gas, you know it's more than that. It's about the character of the sound. The cherry bomb xl takes that classic, aggressive growl and gives it a bit more "thump." It's larger than the standard version, which changes the physics of how the exhaust notes bounce around inside. I wanted something that sounded mean at a red light but didn't make my ears bleed when I was just cruising down the highway at 60 mph.
Why go for the XL over the standard?
The main thing to understand about the cherry bomb xl is the "XL" part. It's got a bigger body, usually around 11 inches long or more depending on the specific model you grab, and it's wider than those skinny red tubes you see everywhere. Because there's more volume inside the muffler, the sound has more room to resonate. This results in a deeper, throatier tone rather than the high-pitched, raspy "crackle" that some smaller glasspacks are known for.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good cackle now and then. But for a daily driver or a project you actually want to spend time in, that rasp can get old fast. The XL smooths out those rough edges. It still has that straight-through design—which means your exhaust gases aren't hitting a bunch of baffles or walls—so you're still getting that performance boost and the raw sound. It's just more mature, I guess you could say. As mature as a bright red muffler can be, anyway.
The installation process was surprisingly chill
I'm not a professional mechanic by any stretch, but I can turn a wrench and I'm not afraid to get a little dirty under the chassis. Installing the cherry bomb xl was pretty straightforward. Since it's a universal fit, you do have to make sure you've got the right inlet and outlet diameters to match your existing pipes. I went with the 2.5-inch version because that's what my header-back system was running.
I decided to go with clamps instead of welding it on right away. I know, I know—welding is "better"—but I wanted to make sure I liked the sound before I made it permanent. Plus, if I ever want to swap it out, it's a ten-minute job instead of an hour of grinding. If you're doing this in your driveway, just make sure you have some decent jack stands and a bit of patience. The cherry bomb xl is a bit beefier than some other options, so you might have to get creative with the hangers to make sure it doesn't rattle against the frame.
Once I had it tucked up in there and tightened down, I lowered the truck and gave it the first crank. That initial fire-up is always the best part. There's that split second of silence before the engine roars to life, and with the XL, it gave off this beautiful, low-frequency rumble that I could feel in my chest.
How it handles the "Daily Driver" test
One of the biggest fears people have when switching to a performance muffler is the dreaded "drone." You know what I'm talking about—that annoying, vibrating hum that fills the cabin when you're maintaining a steady speed. It's the kind of thing that makes you want to sell the car after a two-hour road trip.
I took the truck out on the interstate to see how the cherry bomb xl behaved at cruising speeds. To my surprise, it was actually pretty tame. When you're just maintaining speed, it stays in the background. It's a constant reminder that there's a V8 under the hood, but it isn't intrusive. You can still have a conversation with the person in the passenger seat without shouting.
However, the second you drop a gear and hammer the throttle, the cherry bomb xl wakes up. It's got this satisfying "bark" when you accelerate hard. It isn't just loud for the sake of being loud; it sounds powerful. There's a certain mechanical honesty to the sound that you don't get with those expensive, overly-engineered chambered mufflers.
Durability and that iconic red paint
Let's talk about the look for a second. The bright red finish is the signature of the brand. Does it stay that way forever? Well, not exactly. If you live somewhere where they salt the roads in the winter, that red paint is going to take a beating. Over time, it'll probably turn a bit darker or even start to flake if you don't keep an eye on it.
But honestly, who cares? It's a muffler. It's tucked under the car. The important thing is the construction. The cherry bomb xl is made of aluminized steel, which is pretty standard for this price point. It's sturdy enough to handle the heat and the vibrations of a high-output engine. I've seen guys run these for years without any blowouts or major rust issues, provided they aren't dragging them over speed bumps every day.
Is it the right choice for your build?
Choosing an exhaust setup is a really personal thing. Some people want their car to be as quiet as a library, while others want to wake up the neighbors three blocks away. The cherry bomb xl sits right in that sweet spot in the middle. It's definitely louder than stock—way louder—but it doesn't have that "look at me" desperation of a straight-pipe setup.
If you're working on a budget and you want that classic American muscle sound, it's hard to beat. You could spend five times as much on a fancy stainless steel setup, and yeah, it might last twenty years, but will it sound five times better? Probably not. There's a reason this design has stayed popular since the 60s. It just works.
Another thing to consider is backpressure. Because the cherry bomb xl is a straight-through design, it offers very little resistance. This is great for horsepower, especially on older carbureted engines or turbocharged setups where you want the air to move as fast as possible. If you've got a modern car with a ton of sensors, you might notice a slight change in how the engine breathes, but for most DIYers, it's all upside.
Final thoughts after a week of driving
After putting about 300 miles on the truck with the new setup, I'm totally sold. Every time I start it up in the morning, I get a little smirk on my face. The cherry bomb xl gave my truck the personality it was missing. It sounds "expensive" even though it was one of the cheapest upgrades I've done so far.
If you're on the fence, I'd say go for it. It's a low-risk, high-reward kind of project. Even if you decide it's too loud for your taste later on, you aren't out much cash. But my guess is, once you hear that deep, melodic idle and the way it screams when you hit the redline, you won't want to change it. It's just classic, old-school fun, and sometimes that's exactly what a car needs.
Just a word of advice: check your local noise ordinances. While it isn't the loudest thing on the road, it definitely gets noticed. But hey, that's half the point, right? Driving shouldn't just be about getting from A to B; it should be an experience. And with the right muffler, even a trip to the grocery store feels like a lap at the track.