Not All Exhausts Are Created Equal

The Story Of Sourcing Our HMF Racing Titan QS Full-System

Story By: Staff of UTV Sports
Photos by: Brandon Bunch

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It’s safe to say exhilaration is the first emotion around the purchase of a new, or new to you UTV. The possibilities now available to you are almost incalculable, everything from researching new ride spots, exploring new areas, simply experiencing life in a whole new way. Powersports not only provides adventure, but gives each owner the ability to modify their rig to the exact specs they want for an individualized riding style. Many of these diehards even have multiple cars in their fleet specifically built to accel in numerous styles of riding, or better yet - one car that can do it all.

The aftermarket has done a great job providing the industry with more than enough options to support the personalities in it. There are countless parts on the market, so no matter how you want to build your car out, there is a part for you and probably in a wide range of price points. Whether you are into mud, sand, or snowy tree-lined trails, a very popular upgrade we have seen is an exhaust system of some sort. If you are the guy that says “loud pipes save lives”, there are systems out there for you. If you are the type that wants a great tone while remaining fairly quiet, there’s one for that too. But all systems are not created equal.

Over the years, we have installed a long list of exhaust systems on numerous platforms. The fit and finish on some are stellar, some deliver proven gains, yet some sub-par offerings are simply a marketing marvel with claims of 5x the HP increase than they actually provide. To be blunt, some exhaust systems record a loss in horsepower, but that information won’t come from the manufacturer or most media outlets. The brands that build quality parts continue to do so, and the tricky ones provide more marketing power than horsepower.

We recently started the process of building out a 2019 Polaris RZR XP Turbo S Velocity to BITD Rally Class specs, and one of the first improvements was going to be an exhaust system. We quickly realized there’s more “Tech Time” in the research of products like this than in the install itself. We decided on the HMF Racing Titan QS system. The Ohio based manufacturer has been consistent in building top-notch products, with stellar fit and finish, using quality materials and not over dramatizing their power gains. The pride in their work can be seen all the way down to the problem-free packaging. Upon initial inspection, the product was nothing short of a racer’s delight with extremely nice welds and high quality materials. A safe expectation to have.

Small, strong hands are recommended for a turbo back install as the bolts holding the downpipe to the turbo are in a very tight area.  Add in the heat cycles the turbo goes through and the lack of anti-seize from the factory, and they are generally pretty tough to get out. Be careful, use some good penetrating lube, and take your time here. With the stock exhaust out of the way, it was time to hang this shiny new system. Installation was a cinch, but make sure to dab a little anti-seize on the bolts. We also recommend that you leave all the fasteners loose while you get the whole system in place, then tighten starting at the turbo and working your way back. The flanges are straight and flat, so when you fire it up for the first time, there is a strong chance that there will be no exhaust leaks. A challenge we have amongst many other systems. The deep and throaty note gives the illusion of big horsepower gains, but HMF Racing is very realistic and says this system gains 5-7 HP and more importantly 3-5 ft lbs of torque. If you break that down into percentages, it is a solid gain from a simple bolt on.

HMF surely kicks off any project on the right foot. Quality and reliability will be the theme throughout our build, and we had a great start to that testiment. Finding parts for your UTV is easier than ever, but ensuring you decide on the right parts can be a little time consuming. Look behind the cool factor and do your research to figure out exactly what system is right for you. There are a few quality systems on the market like HMF, just always be cautious where you spend your hard earned money. Reach out to an experienced rider, investigate further, and explain your expectations. In the end, you get not only what you pay for but also what you asked for.

Posted Thursday, April 04, 2019

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