UtahDirt
Well-Known Member
This is the saddest thread ever... I need a beerThis is probably the most unique 4xe mod that you have ever seen, or HEARD, that is.
Now you may be saying since it’s a 4xe, it doesn’t make sound, right? Well let me introduce you to the ACTIVE EXHAUST SOUND SYSTEM.
First, background: I had a V8 Titan and loved the power and sound from it. Would’ve gone to a 392 if the price difference wasn’t another $50K or even the Diesel if I wasn’t forced to have the red trim.
So obviously getting a 4xe meant I get all the good stuff, but no “sound”. I posted a thread about my initial research on sound systems HERE and HERE and while people pretty much thought I was crazy, another poster later on did create a thread HERE about wanting a sound mod, so I know that I’m not that crazy!
In full disclosure, I will admit that I wasn’t fully committed to 4xe at first, as noted by my Diesel interest HERE and 392 interest HERE (both mainly because I get Power AND Sound). I almost went with the Diesel when I found out I could eliminate the red interior by adjusting settings to a unique build (HERE). But, after getting most of what I want in a new Jeep with the 4xe, it was only the sound that was missing. I even thought about getting a regular exhaust for the 4xe HERE so I can get sound in gas mode, but still wouldn’t get the engine start up sound. Plus would really have to drive it in Manual mode to enjoy the sound and that will kill my MPG.
I started researching ways to get sound from the engine, but really gained traction searching YouTube for “EV Exhaust Sound”. I found many Tesla owners who added a sound system that’s tied into their internal system to get that exhaust sound. It may sound stupid at first, but these are systems connected into your CAN-BUS so the sounds are tied to RPMs and are real sounds.
I found three main distributors (Thor tuning, Milltek, and Kufatec). After speaking and researching them, they all seemed the same. In fact, I think there is just one manufacturer and these are just different distributors, because the devices look exactly the same, price is the same, and all are controlled the same way. Went with Thor because their rep was always available and answered every question I had, promptly. So nothing against Milltek or Kufatec, but it just seems Thors reps are more engaged. However, I don’t think the quality of the devices makes a difference from who it’s coming from. I think they are all the same.
After committing to buying the system ($1000 for one, or $1500 for two), I then had to find anyone who would install this. As you can imagine, everyone I talked to was like, WTF are you talking about. Never mind the fact that we’re talking about a 4xe that hardly anyone has worked on, but now we’re talking about a sound system that is so niche (EV) that no 4x4 store was comfortable with. And of the ones that were willing to try to take a stab at it, were charging 10+ hours for install since it was brand new to them, even though the manufacturer says its no more than 3-4 hours. So I had to expand my search outside of where I live and found a couple places about an hour from me. Ultimately settled on MT Auto in downtown LA, because they are a shop that actually installed a Milltek one on a BMW/Tesla a few years ago, so they had an idea of what I was talking about.
There was a bit of drama during install as Thor made it seem like all we had to do was install it without help, but in reality, they needed to connect to the software DURING install to get the right settings. Mainly because I’m the first Jeep 4xe to use this so they needed the logs to review so they could code it. So while I had to go through this, others with the 4xe won’t because now Thor has the event logs. Considering Thor is based in Russia, coordinating with the 10 hour time difference was a pain. Nonetheless we got all that sorted out. Shout out to the great team at MT Auto for their flexibility and accommodating for me.
Install took about 3 hours and no major modifications needed. They did have to weld a piece to the muffler to hold the device but that was really it. Mainly because there is no space under the 4xe due to all the components. In a regular car, there would be more space so it’s more attaching a big U bolt through and sits next to another part without affecting it. After that, you connect wiring to the CAN-BUS to tie the sound to the RPM. When you hit start (even in electric) it will make a real engine start up sound, and then as the RPMs go up, the sound gets louder. The design/shape of the device allows for authentic exhaust sound. You can select sport cars, muscle cars, among others. And all controlled/adjusted via an app. You can adjust settings like sound, City/Sport, Idle sound, number of chambers, etc. So you can really customize it to your preferred sound.
Here are the videos of some of the options
Driving in Corvette mode. You can hear me drive, then lay off the pedal for bit then step on it again. Whole time was in electric mode
4xe in idle (MB G Wagon 4x4)
4xe in idle (Corvette)
Here are some pics of the Thor ECU unit, and Sound Device
If are you interested in hearing more sounds, you can download the Thor tuning app from your app store and run it in demo mode and it will play all the different types of vehicles on your phone. Or if you want me to post a video of mine with all the sounds (as well as changing any of the settings i.e. more backfire, less drone, etc.) I can do that.
I know many of you are seeing this kind of a mod for the first time and think it’s like sticking a Topps card on your bike as a kid. I thought the same when I first came across it. And I’m not sure if the videos do it justice, but this is a bad ass mod that I love, and makes the 4xe have everything I could possibly want in my new Jeep. Not to mention the obvious sound, but also the way the device is built, you actually can feel the vibrations when the sound is loud, like a true exhaust.
This is now a beast that is FUN to drive!
What do you guys think?
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