baffles

[tdj45]

ok this might sound crazy but here goes. I met a guy on a ride last sat. with the same bike as me. 06 FLHT fuel injected 88 twin cam. I noticed that his bike sounded really good but the mufflers where stock so i ask him about it. here is what he said. he told me he took a piece of 1/2 inch galv. pipe inserted it into the mufllers and hit it with a hammer until it punchured the baffles. then he started the bike and he said the little plugs blew out. I ask him if the bike was running lean now and he told me no that the plugs looked fine and it ran the same. my question, is this guy (EDIT) !

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[Breeze3at]

I can't verify the "little plugs" getting punched then blowing out. I thought the baffles were more of a diverter system than plugs. If the engine is not getting more air IN, then it won't run richer.

 

[Brutal FXDX]

I have done this before but with a 1/2" piece of long rebar. Some are harder to get knocked through than others. Mufflers(stock) have changed over the years. Right and left sides are different and have different bafflels depending on the year. Seams to me that the newer mufflers are not as restrictive as older ones because of the catalyst converter in the head pipe.

As in running lean...I wouldnt worry bout it as long as the A/C is stock, But of course you would benefit from a piggyback fuel controler like the dobeck TFI or similar. Helps run cooler and better by adding some fuel.

 

[Iceman24]

tdj45; man, I don't know if I'd mess w/puncturing stock pipe baffles nowadays w/all the EPA & noise control measures being addressed. Why not save some cash & get a nice set of slip-on's...??? This way you're guaranteed not to do anything to hurt bike & will have the stock pipes if they're ever needed.

 

[Brutal FXDX]

tdj45; man, I don't know if I'd mess w/puncturing stock pipe baffles nowadays w/all the EPA & noise control measures being addressed. Why not save some cash & get a nice set of slip-on's...??? This way you're guaranteed not to do anything to hurt bike & will have the stock pipes if they're ever needed.

How would it hurt the bike?? All you are doing is puncturing through a restrictive baffle to get more sound. And as of saving money, this would cost nothing, where buying a set of slipons will cost at least 200-300 and some cost upward to 500+. I would say try it if you want and if your not happy with it you can buy a aftermarket set of slipons or by a set of stock take of mufflers for cheap. Heck, as many sets are sittin around here ill send a set if ya pay shipping

 

[Iceman24]

How would it hurt the bike?? All you are doing is puncturing through a restrictive baffle to get more sound. And as of saving money, this would cost nothing, where buying a set of slipons will cost at least 200-300 and some cost upward to 500+. I would say try it if you want and if your not happy with it you can buy a aftermarket set of slipons or by a set of stock take of mufflers for cheap. Heck, as many sets are sittin around here ill send a set if ya pay shipping

Agree to disagree...let me clarify. You're hurting the bike by damaging pipes/baffles which affects backpressure & can cause tuning problems. Not to say it will, but the possibility increases. Also, what happens if he can't get the loose parts out of pipes after punching through?

He's trying to get a nicer/deeper tone from the bike so why not enhance this along w/appearance w/better looking pipes, or exhaust. Pipes aren't cheap, but there are deals to be found...my current set of Bub-7 true duals only cost me $320 via. eBay auction and ended up being profit when I sold my old Rinehart pipes for $350.

Not trying to argue - just giving alternatives...

 

[Brutal FXDX]

Agree to disagree...let me clarify. You're hurting the bike by damaging pipes/baffles which affects backpressure & can cause tuning problems. Not to say it will, but the possibility increases. Also, what happens if he can't get the loose parts out of pipes after punching through?

He's trying to get a nicer/deeper tone from the bike so why not enhance this along w/appearance w/better looking pipes, or exhaust. Pipes aren't cheap, but there are deals to be found...my current set of Bub-7 true duals only cost me $320 via. eBay auction and ended up being profit when I sold my old Rinehart pipes for $350.

Not trying to argue - just giving alternatives...

OK understood,people are going to disagree on some things thats just how it is. It just seems to me that he was wondering if this "cheap" way of getting some sound would cause any issues down the road and if anyone has done this. I dont think it will. True, the possibility increases for tuning problems, just as it would by putting a set of bub7 true duals or any aftermarket exhaust, intake, or tuner for that matter. Im just saying that a lot of people dont have 200+ dollars for an exhaust or mufflers and this has worked for me before.

 

[Jack Klarich]

What got knocked out was like a frost plug the baffles are still intact but less restrictive now and yes it will be leaner

 

[glen073]

Did that years ago. It works for more sound, but to me sounded like garbage. Very tinny sound and not a nice tone you would get from a decent pair of slip ons, but if it makes him happy,I guess that's all that counts.

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

ok this might sound crazy but here goes. I met a guy on a ride last sat. with the same bike as me. 06 FLHT fuel injected 88 twin cam. I noticed that his bike sounded really good but the mufflers where stock so i ask him about it. here is what he said. he told me he took a piece of 1/2 inch galv. pipe inserted it into the mufllers and hit it with a hammer until it punchured the baffles. then he started the bike and he said the little plugs blew out. I ask him if the bike was running lean now and he told me no that the plugs looked fine and it ran the same. my question, is this guy (EDIT) !

Tdj45, punching a hole may have "opened" up a hole in the baffle and knocked out some of the stamped metal "chads" that may have been left over from the manufacturing process. Yes it may be louder, but the results vary.

Like Iceman said, I would leave the stockers alone and get a decent pair of SE slipons and have a nice day...having the EPA cert numbers imprinted on the units helps...and you can still be fined if you intentionally "modify" the existing exhaust system to defeat the compliant design to be louder.

In my case I "had" straight drag pipes that were way too loud. Put in a pair of 12" long baffles from Drag Specialties $12, and that high metallic ringing sound is gone, but the low gutsy sound is still there, just don't rattle windows and only set off a couple alarms instead of the whole street. :newsmile091: