Can someone please tell me the difference between the two of these?

 

axle back has one pipe and cat back has 2.

 

I am going to upgrade my exhaust sys. and I was wondering if I should change my cat converter also. I have 97,000 miles on my XB. I want a 4 to 1 header and Borla exhaust. What do you think?

 

97k? how long have you had it?

 

I bought it with 50,000 miles on it. I drive 180 miles a day to work. I have had it for approx. 14 months.

 

an axle back kit only replaces the exhaust from the rear axle back. a cat back will replace the exhaust from the catylitic converter back to include the resonator. you will get better gains and are more apt to notice the difference with a cat back. as far as replacing your cat, im sure it is still fine and is not clogged. if you want to replace it for a better flowing one for better performance and to match the bigger sized piping from the cat back and header, i would go with a magnaflow ceramic cat. but if you want to save money, your cat should be fine.

 

are there single pipe catbacks?

 

single pipe ?
it is single pipe all the way from catalytic to the muffler. but 2 pieces.

 

arent DC & magnaflow the few that make cat backs for the xa?

 

Uh... no.

As it is stated above, an axleback hooks up to the system at the axle. 99% of aftermarket exhausts available for the xB are axleback - they will bolt on to the existing exhaust system with a clamp.

Catbacks would connect just after the catalytic converter, this requires cutting and welding of the existing system. You will see more gains via a catback system.

Let's throw headerback into the mix also... as you might guess, it's an entirely new system (pipe, cat, resonator, muffler) hooked up at the header.

You can turn any axleback into a catback by having an exhaust shop cut 2.25" piping at a new resonator.