How to quiet mufflers?

[Offcenter]

Hey gang. Recently got my '76 on the road with a pair of seemingly new Harley takeoffs from a FLH.
Despite being new and appearing to be unmolested, they have a heck of a bark.
My ears are ringing. I've always liked QUIET bikes.
Anyone have any tips on quieting these things down?
I was thinking of getting a roll of stainless steel wool and shoving it into the inlet of the mufflers.
Will this quiet them without causing any power loss?
Thanks for any and all ideas, guys.

 

[brianinpa]

Aren't the baffles at the back side of the OEM muffler? Steel wool was my first thought also.

 

[zman]

If you can take the baffles out and wrap them in fiberglass that would work, doubt steel wool would work or even last a day.
I am not familiar with harley pipes.

 

[Offcenter]

Just checked. No removable parts. Mufflers are all one piece.
Looking into the tail end of the pipes with a flashlight, the baffles are
further inside on one pipe than on the other. I assume that this is
because of the different pipe lengths for the front on rear cylinders
on the Harley.

 

[zman]

That makes sense, shorter pipe will have a longer baffle, if the inner diameter is much larger then the diameter of the header then you could use a smaller baffle inside the baffle, maybe 8 inch long or longer if it will accept it.

 

[brianinpa]

Hey and George, turns out steel wool catches on fire easily too, so that wouldn't work either. I have seen it mentioned bronze or brass though.

 

[mcgovern61]

I did the steel wool trick a few years back when my '82 had an aftermarket exhaust system. It worked great at reducing the noise! :yahoo:

Until I fired an orange grenade out of the pipes at my buddy on his 1800 when the steel wool made a firey exit! :shock: :smilie_happy:

 

[slabghost]

Wrap in rock wool insulation.

 

[Ansimp]

Ride faster and leave the noise behind!! :smilie_happy:

 

[toytender01]

Get a Honda Muffler :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

 

[tuna boy]

Funny because when you go to the several how to Harley mufflers on a wing sites there is some reference to the sportster mufflers being a little on the loud side but never the big twin mufflers. Any chance someone drilled out the main baffle plate. I have a 3/4" drilling set up for old style bmw mufflers, even did my 1100. Did not make a huge difference in sound but just a little growl running through the gears

 

[zman]

tuna » Wed May 06, 2015 4:08 am[/url]":3bv75mo4]
Funny because when you go to the several how to Harley mufflers on a wing sites there is some reference to the sportster mufflers being a little on the loud side but never the big twin mufflers.

Very true, even on the FLH they are pretty quiet, maybe they are screaming eagles or aftermarket pipes..Look for the harley part# on the pipe to be sure they are Harley stock part, some aftermarkets look identical to the stock part only louder.

 

[Omega Man]

mcgovern61 » Tue May 05, 2015 7:50 pm[/url]":jf8yoj6g]
I did the steel wool trick a few years back when my '82 had an aftermarket exhaust system. It worked great at reducing the noise! :yahoo:

Until I fired an orange grenade out of the pipes at my buddy on his 1800 when the steel wool made a firey exit! :shock: :smilie_happy:

That story is still funny... Ahh the classics.

 

[Offcenter]

zman » Wed May 06, 2015 12:30 pm[/url]":1o9c6ufh]

tuna » Wed May 06, 2015 4:08 am[/url]":1o9c6ufh]
Funny because when you go to the several how to Harley mufflers on a wing sites there is some reference to the sportster mufflers being a little on the loud side but never the big twin mufflers.

Very true, even on the FLH they are pretty quiet, maybe they are screaming eagles or aftermarket pipes..Look for the harley part# on the pipe to be sure they are Harley stock part, some aftermarkets look identical to the stock part only louder.

I checked them carefully. They are genuine Harley mufflers, complete with Harley part numbers. Looked inside with a flashlight. They have not been drilled out. I expected them to be quieter than they are.

An orange grenade out the back?? That's funny!!! :smilie_happy: