[muaymendez1]

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My old exhaust was leaking so I decided to go the harley sportster way because i Dont have an extra $300 to drop on a new exhaust.

The harly pipes I have had no baffles.

I have heard of valves buring on a gl with no back pressure.

I installed large washers . They fit snuggly in the pipes but I think I may have installed a washer with too small a hole. The hole is about the size of a nickel. From idle to 4k rpm she sounds great above 4k I get a loud sound from the motor. I feel as if the motor is struggling, not having enough exhaust t breath.



Does this sound like its the problem and can this damage antything. I already purchased washer with a larger diameter hole but was not sure as to why the engine was so loud now.

 

[DaveO430]

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Yes, too much back pressure would cause what you are describing. Burning valves from too little back pressure is just a myth. Warping valves because of too short of pipes or bad leaks may have happened once upon a time in a galaxy far far away.

 

[muaymendez1]

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Ok then larger diamter washers will go in this weekend. The right side is niice and tight but for soem reason the left side is leaking and giving me that raspy sound.





Once I get the pipes they way I want them, they will be welded and wrapped.Im glad I didnt weld them yet before changing the washers.





Any other ideas on how to make baffles. I was thinkinig an empty butane can but the diameter of the can is too large.

 

[Mr Magic Fingers]

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Hi,



I would love to find out more about making a baffle. I have installed a new set of Harley Road Kings on my 82 1100 A. It's a bit loud for me but I am getting use to it. I would love to quiet it down.



So please tell me more about the washer process!!



Tim.

 

[muaymendez1]

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I have sportster pipes. WOuld love the road king pipes but with the new laws in new york , stock pipes are going up in price,A buddy had a set of sportster pipes so this is what I am working with.



The original baffle is like a deep fryer in a cone shape, just deflecting and dirrecting the exhaust towards the fiberglass for filltrationg of gasses and noise. I took my pipe to home depot and found zinc, iron washers. Tried different sizes till I found an outside diameter that would not go through the pipe.



I let one fall in and it got stuck as I wanted I then proceeded to tap on the washer in order to get it flat or level. This jammed it in pretty good.

I repeated this on the other side and viola.



Not as quiet as stock and as you have read I still have some trial and error to go through but i should find the swweet spot soon



The first washer slows the gasses whiel the second one allows some gasses to be forced through the fiberglass.Maybe removing the first one closet to the engine may help.

Will update and please tell me how it turns out for you.

 

[Hatchetman]

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You can bolt in baffles from Harley. They are cheap. You would bolt them into your pipe just before the mufflers because they are designed to fit strait pipes. Than, bolt your mufflers on & give it a test run!

 

[muaymendez1]

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I havnt found baffles for so cheap in this neck of the woods.
New law in New york regarding motorcycle exhaust. all the staraight pipe owners are rushing tyo get baffles to put back in thier pipes. The baffles alone are around $30.

 

[GSMacLean]

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I've heard of stuffing stainless steel wool in the pipes to use as baffles. Regular steel wool will rust, it has to be stainless.

I just typed "stainless steel wool" into Google, and this was the first page that came up:

Rhodes American Stainless Steel Wool

A quote from that page:

Our stainless steel wool is also the product of choice for packing custom mufflers for motorcycles and automobiles. Stainless steel wool is a better packing material for this application than the cheaper and less durable glass wool often used by low-cost muffler manufacturers. Stainless steel wool is not affected by the pressures and hot gasses found in vehicle exhaust and, unlike glass wool, will not compact and degrades less over time.

 

[muaymendez1]

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After messing with different size washers, I still wasnt happy so I ran the pipes without baffles for 400 miles. No issues with running too lean, no popping or any other coughing from a lean mixture, what i did notice it the power band was upset grossly.

Power from 2-4 k was almost non existant, Plaion and simple I hated it, at top end she redlined before I knew what was going on, Big Cauna , found some old pipes with baffles in them , somewhere in his garage.Amazing teh things that show up when your looking for something not linked to what you find.

I will be throwing these on ,and from what i have heard from others who have run this type of pipe, I should be pleased.

P.S. The headache from runing those straight mufflers is killing m e now. It wass cool toiting around town, and I ignored teh noise on the highway but I can sincerely blame this headache oon the bass filled deep tone emmiting form the wing.
I wont put this up as another failure, I just gave up because a better opportunity arose.
Thnaks BIG C