JC Whitney Fishtail Mufflers - Too loud? Here's a solution

[phertwo]

***Sound Clips added at the bottom this post***

 

Hi Everyone!

 

So I spent my time going through the many available exhaust options only to decide on a nice pair of fishtail mufflers. Yep, that's the look I want. I found the infamous youtube video of the Brazilian guy who put them on his RSTD. I thought, boy those sound really good! And wow they are totally affordable at $88.99 each. I figured that if I didn't like them its not much of a loss.

 

So I whipped out my card again and made the purchase on JC Whitney. here.

 

*** I had actually first made my order with Jireh Cycles, as the same mufflers are $59.95. here. However after a week of no order being shipped, I called them up to find out what was going on, politely. They told me that they are on back order, rudely. I asked when they might get them in stock? The guy actually told me "there's no way to know that, probably a while!" I told him that I would like to cancel my order immediately, politely. I won't be buying through them again.

 

Well these awesome looking mufflers came in a week later (shipping to Canada takes a while getting through customs) and I couldn't wait to install them on my 05 RSTD. Literally I was trying to get through the garage door to the bike while opening the box with my keys, all at the same time. Is there any better feeling?

 

I installed the new fishtails in about an hour or so and I was smiling! Oh it looks so good. But when I took off for the day, my smile quickly changed to a worried look. Geez, these are LOUD! I heard from previous posts that they where loud before, but I thought to myself that they probably aren't that bad. Well they are bad. Getting going in 1st is like a neighborhood wide alarm. I had to pass two cops on my way to the highway and the only way I felt comfortable getting by them was riding in 4th going 30km/h (19mph)!! Maybe I'm a wuss, but I ain't no fool.

 

However, they did provide me with much enjoyment on the highway, bringing back my smile for a short-while. Honestly, sounds like a nascar. But I realized that most of the cars that were behind me were staying WELL back from me, probably out of annoyance, and my ears had started to go all fuzzy from the sharp sound. So I rode home and said, that was interesting, time to fix it!

 

I was looking up all sorts of baffles online but I thought that they were mighty expensive for tubes of steel and I can definitely make something for nothing here! So I started the process by knocking out the existing baffle. There is one small tack weld holding the stock baffle in place. You can see it in the fishtail end of the muffler. I ground the weld down and I just took a long metal bar, inserted it into the inlet of the muffler until it rested on the back of the stock baffle and started hammering. Out they came.

 

***I didn't remember to take pictures during the building process because I was... in the groove... Next time... So instead, to help illustrate, I created some 3D cad models to help explain. Just click on the photos to see a zoomed up version with some helpful notes.

 

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/phertwo/fishtail%20mufflers%20with%20custom%20made%20baffle/mufflerwitholdbaffle.jpg?t=1276018046

 

Then I measured up the old stock baffle to determine its outer diameter, 1.75". I then went to the local auto store and bough some exhaust tubing. The only stuff they had in stock was 18" long by 1.75" diameter with a tapered end. I bought three of them for a total of $10.

 

I then drilled many many holes along the exhaust pipe (refer to pictures) and spent a good while cleaning the burrs out of the holes. From there I took a washer, welded on some support bars to them and welded that to the end of the tapered section of the exhaust tube. In the end I has some handsome looking full length, straight through baffles.

 

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/phertwo/fishtail%20mufflers%20with%20custom%20made%20baffle/newbaffleassembly.jpg?t=1276018127

 

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/phertwo/fishtail%20mufflers%20with%20custom%20made%20baffle/newbafflesectionview.jpg?t=1276018177

 

Then, I slide the baffle half way into the muffler and began to pack in pieces of fibreglass insulation with a thin metal rod. I worked my way to filling most of the muffler with fibreglass before I slide the baffle right into its final position. I just put a tack weld in place to hold the baffle in, but you can definitely install a set screw to make it easier to remove in the future. I was lazy, so I "set it and forget it".

 

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/phertwo/fishtail%20mufflers%20with%20custom%20made%20baffle/mufflerwithnewbaffle.jpg?t=1276018234

 

Installed the new muffler on to the headers and fired up the bike. Ahhh, perfect! The sound level is at a much more controlled level, lets say less than medium loud. I have no fear of firing my bike up in the morning and waking the neighborhood, no fear of passing a cop thinking I might get a ticket, no funny looks from pedestrians that hate being irritated by overly loud exhausts. The new baffles make the mufflers sound meaty, deeper, less harsh, and pleasant to the ears. I can drive it fairly quiet for the neighborhood sneak out, and can also get it pretty loud when you lay on it - best of both worlds. I am a very happy camper now.

 

One other note for installing the muffler on the bike - I made my own brackets for holding the mufflers in place by using some scrap metal. I welded my bracket to the muffler near half way, and bolted it to the where the stock muffler is hung from. Now you don't necessarily need to do this as the mufflers seemed to hold on just fine with the clamp, but I would definitely recommend making some sort of bracket! These fishtails get much heavier with the new baffles and packing and I would have hated to see one of them get loose and go flying.

 

I will take some audio recordings of the exhaust as it is now. I never took the recordings of the original. If you want to hear what that is like, just take off your stock mufflers and listen to what the headers sound like on there own.

 

***This is just an experimental baffle design, and I'm sure there is a better way/better design. But this design works quite well and I'm very happy with it.

 

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/phertwo/retro%20tachometer/IMG_8547.jpg?t=1276018581

 

...Sound Clips...

These might take a moment to load, patience may be required.

 

Start up and Idling

Reving

Drive By's

Neighborhood Sneak-out

Normal Acceleration

Highway Acceleration

Edited June 15, 2010 by phertwo
additional information

[OddStar]

Hey Chris, wanted to welcome you to the circus. You might want to go to your CP and edit your avatar to put in the model & year of your bike. That way peep's know where you're coming from when you're looking for , or posting your mod's.

 

Have enjoyed your last two mod's and really like the pictoral coverage. I'm running Bub's on my 2000 RSTD (were on when I bought), and like you enjoy how they 'crack' when you get on it, but have always liked the look of fishtails. Look forward to you posting a sound clip. If I bought the fishtails how much would you charge to do your mod?

 

I've also been running Pro-one 4.5" risers and this year added the tach, which complements my speedo nicely. Not as retro as yours, but does the job.

 

Enjoy and hope to meet ya .

[phertwo]

Sound clips are now posted. Let me know what you think. Its probably not as awesome sounding as the bubs system (I haven't heard bub's before in person to know), but its a great low cost solution for toning it down a notch.

 

You will notice some backfiring, but I am going to be working on resolving that once I get some free time - yes I have plugged the AIS.

[OddStar]

SWEET! Especially like the sound at hwy speed. Nice job So...you goin' into production:whistling:

[phertwo]

Well I wasn't planning on it since this is such a low budget 'thingy' to make and install. Really its pretty easy to make for a few bucks and some time. The only thing that's needed is a welder, for my design anyway. But I betcha any money I could make a design that can be done easily without any welding. I have some ideas kicking around in my head.

[phertwo]

I'd like to try getting two of these perforated stainless steel tubes, 24" long, 1.75" OD (I think that's right the size) and put them into the fishtail mufflers with fibreglass insulation. It might sound more muted and muffled than my design due to the amount of holes. Also, there is no restrictor, as in the washer that I added to my design, to increase the backpressure and keep up the bike's overall performance. But experimentation is a great thing!!

 

 

 

herehttp://www.baronscustom.com/images/products/20100301174841.jpg

[bj66]

im gonna have to think about this, my fishtails are awfully loud as well. They are V-Twin manufacturing pipes.

[jrsc4excel]

Excellent job on the CAD drawings.

[phertwo]

Thanks! I enjoy making CAD drawings.

 

Loud pipes can be a great, but for the long haul they get kind-of old. Based on how simple and inexpensive it really is to make baffles, I don't think you can go wrong with a little bit of experimentation.

[mike_kelly_68]

I'd like to try getting two of these perforated stainless steel tubes, 24" long, 1.75" OD (I think that's right the size) and put them into the fishtail mufflers with fibreglass insulation. It might sound more muted and muffled than my design due to the amount of holes. Also, there is no restrictor, as in the washer that I added to my design, to increase the backpressure and keep up the bike's overall performance. But experimentation is a great thing!!

 

 

 

herehttp://www.baronscustom.com/images/products/20100301174841.jpg

 

 

 

You could slit the baffle in the top and tack a washer into place with out separating the entire baffle. I would be afraid that if you did not put the restricter in you would loose your back pressure.

[phertwo]

Good idea! I may have to try this out in the future.

[camos]

I'd like to try getting two of these perforated stainless steel tubes, 24" long, 1.75" OD (I think that's right the size) and put them into the fishtail mufflers with fibreglass insulation. It might sound more muted and muffled than my design due to the amount of holes. Also, there is no restrictor, as in the washer that I added to my design, to increase the backpressure and keep up the bike's overall performance. But experimentation is a great thing!!

Do you remember the diameter of the original baffle? Is it possible these SS tubes could fit over the original baffle? That would anchor one end with the outside end being screwed or tacked. The exhaust would be forced out the perforations in the SS tube then into the stock tube. Might give enough baffling to not require fiberglass which will likely get blown out before too long anyway.

[phertwo]

Yes, I think that would work, but I did notice one thing about the stock baffle while I was giving the first test ride. I was noticing two different sounds being emitted. One was the very crisp, sharp and very loud sound coming from tail end of the muffler, and the other was a jack-hammering lower sound coming from the center of the muffler. Kind of reminded me of a generator thumping away. The crisp/sharp/loud sound got me worried about my ears and neighbors, and the jack-hammering sound was giving me a headache.

 

Now I can only theorize what was causing the jack-hammering sound, and I may be completely wrong, but I believe it has to do with the stock baffle having that end cap on it (not a straight through design) and the exhaust pressure constantly being forced into it and creating a turbulent flow. With the straight through design I now only have one unified sound. I assume this is because it is more of a laminar flow, not perfect because of the washer though.

 

Perhaps it would be useful to drill a hole in the original stock baffle to let some of the exhaust through. In essence, creating the same 'washer' restrictor effect.

 

Although I am not sure about the % loss of fibreglass over a give period of run time, I don't believe it will be drastic with a straight through baffle design. But in any case, its better to have an easy to remove baffle. I definitely don't have to worry about getting fiberglass insulation as the company I work for makes the stuff.

[phertwo]

Opps! Sorry I will have to measure the original baffle. It has the same OD as the exhaust pipes that I made my baffles from, that I know. I just have to remember to do it what I get home.

[Shipper]

Opps! Sorry I will have to measure the original baffle. It has the same OD as the exhaust pipes that I made my baffles from, that I know. I just have to remember to do it what I get home.

I have the same pipes; and, being slightly hard of hearing, the noise doesn't bother me but it does bother those riding behind me.

When you measure the baffles, describe the end cap. I assume that it's a restrictor and may or may not have a hole in the end. I don't get the hammering sound that you are getting (at least I don't hear it).

I like the idea of slipping a slightly larger baffle over the existing baffle. That would help solve my limited mechanical abilities. Thanks for the great write-up!

[Shipper]

Opps! Sorry I will have to measure the original baffle. It has the same OD as the exhaust pipes that I made my baffles from, that I know. I just have to remember to do it what I get home.

Phertwo: Still anxiously waiting for the baffle measurement. Did you go on vacation?

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Wow...I wish I knew how to run the software that puts out such cool CAD images!

 

I've enjoyed both of your detailed write-ups very much....you're a detail oriented guy..but there may be one detail on this project that you overlooked...Did you drill a couple of 'weep holes' in the bottoms of the mufflers?

 

In an open design as the fishtails were before the mod...any collecting moisture from the engine (when its cold, and/or from rain or car washes) gets heated to vapors and blown out the back of the muffler. But once you introduce fiberglass packing, it will trap moisture in there and if the muffers are steel, they WILL rust. Maybe the mufflers already had weepholes drilled in them...and you didnt mention it.

 

Anyway...keep up the great tech articles...and how long would it take me to learn some basic CAD software?...I tried Google Sketchup and had no luck learning that one.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2010 by tx2sturgis

[phertwo]

Yes I actually was on vacation for once! Sorry for the delay on the measurement - the original stock baffle measures 1.75" outside diameter and it looks exactly like the CAD drawing that I did of the stock muffler setup.

 

Weep holes, I should have done some more homework. I haven't seen that mentioned in most of the mufflers Ive seen, but it will be an easy mod. Just two quick holes and I'm in business. Thanks tx2sturgis!

 

Oh, CAD modeling is a royal pain to learn, but its a joy when you get going. Maybe I should make a model of the RSTD?. Never tried google sketch up, I'm a solidworks guy myself.