I picked up a 99 3.0L 4x4 and i'm having fun with it.. Needed a tune up badly but is running good. Lookin for cheap projects to do on it with my son. I see mixed reviews and such on losing cats but always thought if it breathed easier the better. Especially since the 99 has two cats stacked on each other wouldn't it be better to at least loose the second? Just smash out the guts or cut out and pipe it? How about the muffler, straight pipe it or put on a glass pack? Appreciate your help...

Aside from being a federal offense, the cats aren't that restrictive to justify removing them.

__________________
ɹǝʌo ǝɯ dılɟ

Last cat I looked at in a box sure didn't look like full flow to me. I guess I'm interested in performance gains or losses with torque, back pressure, etc.

__________________
Recently bought 99 Ranger, 3.0L, 4x4, 5 Spd, XLT. Cleaned the mouse nest out of the air filter box, much needed oil change, new spark plugs and wires and a front end alignment. Doing 24 MPG hiway. Commuter, toy and project for my son and I.

You can get a full flow straight thru cat from summit or jegs for around 130 if your worried about passing inspections. But out here in VA we just gut em with some sharpened rebar.

__________________
No more ranger. Traded in

Jay is right
unless your cat(s) are really plugged, then just leave 'em on your truck cause they arent to restrictive plus its a federal offence and it even helps the environment
and glass-packs are cheap to buy but most of th etime you only get what you pay for so....

__________________
GOING TO BUY a 2009 ford ranger sport 4X4 ..currently saving up enough money
debating on the colour (red, blue or black?)
updating once i buy my baby