Packing pipes with steel wool...

[Clerek]

Has anyone tried this? I have heard good stuff about this, and was thinking about giving it a try.

For those who don't know what I'm talking about, you just stuff steel wool in your pipes, behind your baffles, and that is supposed to dampen the sound a bit more.

Now for questions for wiser people than myself...

Is there ANY chance that the steel wool will get sucked back into the heads? Is this dangerous in any way? If I were to use Stainless Steel Wool would that keep it from rusting? What sort of baffles should I use to keep these in?

And a question for someone about baffles...Check out my pipes (all four are like this)



Does anyone know of a CHEAP/FREE way to make baffles for short pipes like these? I was thinking finding some steel pipe that is just a little bit smaller and drilling holes in it and somehow capping of the end except for a small hole in the center. Then drilling a hole into the end of the pipe and bolting the "baffle" to the pipe...Sound good?

Thanks for the info everyone!

-Rick

[GARTHXS]

lollipop

I have heard of people welding a washer onto a bolt and putting into their straighrt pipes, you turn the lolli to tune back pressure

[Steptoe]

baffling

I do have loose packed steel wool in my muffler which does work very well, I used fresh pads which still had the soap in them, so you end with a perfumed exhaust.
As for your very short pipes, maybe try stainless swarth from a machine shop / engineering works [not to tightly packed, the exhaust pressure will pack it tighter as well I have found] with a washer full of small holes at the top of the pipe to stop swarth going back into the valves, & use what ever you can find to use on the bottom end
JMHO but if I was given the job, that would be my first shot at the problem
PS if we ran with those pipes down here One would think the distance travelled would be very short before being rained on by the law

[ppv]

wool

I tried the steel wool trick on my kerker baffle. It turned red hot shot sparks out the header melted the kerker sticker and the wool was gone in a very very short time. I used the triple 000 stuff bought at home depot though.hope this helps

[MeatTooth]

I've heard of steel wool catching fire and blowing out hot embers!....and that was when used as a muffler packing not just stuck in the direct line of exhaust gases. I too have heard of the washer and bolt butterfly style and that sounds a little more solid than the steel wool. What is the O.D. and I.D. of your pipes? and how long of a straight piece before the bend? I'll get to the shop this weekend and see if I can find a bolt on solution.





This is a 12 inch long 3 inch case glasspack that we make I might be able to cut it down to fit Or something like this



This is a resonator exhaust tip. It has a little glasspack built into it. It is 3 inch diameter and is 8 inches long. I have access to these as well. You would just have to make sure it would fit. Of course this option is free since you're sending me your standard tank...

[Ivan]

I tried the steel wool trick on my kerker baffle. It turned red hot shot sparks out the header melted the kerker sticker and the wool was gone in a very very short time. I used the triple 000 stuff bought at home depot though.hope this helps

Yep, that's what I was thinking. Especially in the header where the temps are high enough to make them glow at night. Steel wool WILL burn. You can unfold a wad of steel wool and light it with a lighter and it will burn, rather quickly as well.

I ran my XS on just the header once, and that was enough. I think the difference between "the look" and long term hearing loss is worth getting a good set of pipes and a nice muffler.

[MeatTooth]

If backpressure is all you're looking for I might be able to make some washer butterfly's in a little 2 inch modular clamp on design. you would just clamp them on to the end of you pipe and turn the washer until you like it and jam nut it in place.

[Silent]

I have a set of 1.5" baffles laying around collecting dust. I ran them with my turn outs for a couple weeks until I decided it was to loud and went to Dynas. They are used, but functional.

[trbig]

I tried the steel wool trick on my kerker baffle.

Not to mention that the slightest moisture is going to make rust soup in there..


Tod

[CatatonicBug]

I've heard of the old classic muscle car folks back in the day putting steel wool in the mufflers, held in with a nail on a string. The steel wool would cause a huge plume of fire to shoot from the mufflers when the engine rev'd. When the cops would show up, they could just pull the nail and the wool would shoot right out.

Those are not "pipes" BTW. Just headers. You need some kind of muffler on there to add some back-pressure and reduce noise (for your own sake, of not for the neighborhood!).

[Clerek]

Okay so thanks for the info everyone!

Apparently, if I get pulled over for my straight pipes being to loud over here, as soon as they see the bike is over 25 years old, they can't give me a ticket. It doesn't matter how loud they are. That being said, I have ridden the bike like this and can tell that it is WAY too loud and I feel like it needs some kind of back pressure.

Silent, that is exactly what I was thinking of putting on here. I saw your thread a while back and wanted to see where I could get a set of those. Ebay! So I am going to see if I have any other options before buying those. If I were to get those I would definately have to cut the pipes before the bend, and if that is what is needed, then I will just have to do it! To make it quieter I will shorten the pipe...Doesn't make much sense but we'll see what happens.

Meat, I sent you a pm...I am going to measure the pipes today and will email you back with a quote this afternoon.

-Rick

[Silent]

You could just weld on a shot extension piece of pipe. The baffels are only about 6 inches long. There not going to make it a lot quieter, but they should bring it down a notch.