Trust me on this. You must have a xover pipe between the banks, or it will sound like a 4cyl oddfire when it passes.
Also gets some flow improvement and really evens out the sound into a good rumble instead of a raspy sound. This is not an issue with rear exit duals, but it is in side dumps.

There's lots of room for the exh at the sides where you can armor it up well. I'd joint the exh at the places where it goes straight down the sides to make it easier to remove with the rock bars in place. Ever think about making the rock bars the exhaust pipes?

Not responsible for advice not taken...