The "Ultimate" V&H baffle (w/drawing)

[dkdixie]

Don't know if this is the "Ultimate V&H baffle" mod, but it sure sounds good!!

One day, VulcanE (Cliff) and I were discussing all the different mods we have tried to improve the sound of V&H pipes.

Here's kind of a summary of what we tried.

Removed the stock baffles entirely, why too loud and lost torque.
Removed the stock baffle packing, better but not what we were hoping for.
Removed the stock packing and wrapped the baffle with aluminum flashing, much better but, to me, had a tinny sound.
Cut the baffles and removed approx 3" and reattached flashing...louder and lower sound but still tinny.
Removed the flashing and reinstalled "half" the baffle leaving straight tube except for rear end.....now we're getting close. Sound improved, but put too much stress on attachment point and baffle flange mounting cracked, welded and cracked again.

So, "we" thought about machining a "new" stronger solid baffle, retaining same output size tapered hole and beefy enough that it would not crack.

Then Cliff, being a machinist by trade, took it a step further and added a cross pin which some aftermarket exhaust mfgs (Kury for one) use. This pin, supposedly, lowers the sound and improves backpressure.

I came up with a 4"x4" piece of aluminum from another machinist friend which Cliff thought would be enough material to make two sets. Turn out he needed more materail to do it right.....and if you know Cliff, right is the only why he does things.
So he made my set out of the piece of aluminum, each baffle being approx 2" thick and 4" in diameter. He found some brass stock to make his 1 1/2" x4" set....he got the pretty ones!!

Proof that Cliff put a lot of time and design work into this project....to install the "pin," drilled hole through the baffle, threaded one end, slipped the pin through the hole into the far side, and held in place with a set screw.
Everything, outside diameter, which is a few thousands more than stock baffle....the in and out taper, etc is machined.....no file work!

End result.....greatly improved sound. Nice low rumble with a bark when you get on it.
Strangely, the sound at highway speeds is less than anything else we tried and quite pleasant. At low speeds might be a little loud for some but I like it.
Also picked up some increased torque which you can definitely feel.

Pictures show the end result....and I do mean end, at least for me.
Time to get off messing with baffles and on to something else.

PS: When I told Cliff I was going to post this, I also told him to look forward to "somebody" wanting him to make another set. Don't think you'll talk him into it......way too much time and work!!

[classic1]

I also tried different things to change/improve the sound of the V&H pipes, too. I ended up making my own baffles. I had a couple of sets of baffles left over from when I had my 1500 classic with V&H Longshots. I had a set of Thunder Monsters from Big City Thunder and a set of White Bros. perforated baffles out of the J&P cycles "Harley" cat. I got my idea from the bigcitythunder.com web site. They have come out with some long baffles that fit some of the Harley pipes. What I ended up with is straight pipes the diameter of the Longshots inside of my Baggers. That way I can change/try any baffle that will fit the Longshot pipes. Being a machinist too, I made the flange out of 5/8" alum plate. I machined the OD to match the ID of the Baggers and the ID to match the OD of pipes that I got from Advance Auto. The pipe was the right ID for the baffles to slide in. At the other end of the new pipe I went to a muffler shop and had them make me a reducer to fit the new pipe and go into the tail end of the head pipe. I didn't like putting the reducer into the head pipe cause I felt that I was reducing the air flow a little before it got to the baffle area. I used small button head screws to hold the pipe to the flange and screws to hold the pipe to the reducer. I should have them spot welded but just haven't gotten around to it.

[ringadingh]

Nice job on the brass! I have my baffles wrapped in metal and am happy with the sound, but I just may try that idea if I have some time to play around one day.

[dogdoc]

Sweet job guys. Now all we need is a sound clip dkdixie?? :-)

[classic1]

It's going to nice weather here this weekend. I'll "TRY" to get sound clips of all 3 sets of baffles, stock V&H, Thunder Monsters and White Bros. I need to hear these sound clips too.

[macmac]

I can only take your word for it about sound, but the pin will keep it legal. Cops can't shove a billie up the cans, can they

[dogdoc]

But they might some place else mac,,,lol

[macmac]

And that indeed would be a 'dark subject'.

[VulcanE]

Thursday, the wife and I went for a ride. We stopped for gas and to take a break. After filling the bike, I moved it up to the parking area. A Harley RK rider came walking up and said "Man, your bike sounds AWESOME". I have gotten compliments before on my bike from Harley folks, but never had I gotten a complement on the "Sound" before. I said, "It does sound pretty good to be a Kawasaki", he said "No, IT sounds awesome, no matter what kind of bike it is". That compliment meant a lot, coming from a Harley guy, who obviously was a long time rider. He looked about late fifties. We talked for awhile, and I told him about making the baffles, and he said that it has a pin going across the outlet, just like his Rush mufflers do. I told him that's where I got the idea from.

This all started when I was going to make DKDixie some flanges to weld into his cut-off baffles where they kept breaking. I starting the drawing in Auto-Cad, and thought, instead of just making a 1/4 circle to drill & tap, just make a whole "donut" based on crossing the "thunder Monster" and the pin that was in the "Rush slip-ons" (IMHO, the Rush sounds best on the Harleys). You wouldn't believe the difference that pin makes in the sound of the exhaust sitting there idling.
I was running the baffles wrapped with flashing, and decided to make 2 pair. DK gave me some aluminum, and I decided it wouldn't make all 4, so I had some giant ampco-bronze nuts that the threads were stripped out, and decided to make mine out of that. Got them machined up, and installed, and so far, everyone likes them. Very Deep, Low exhaust note, but at cruising speed, quieter than the flashing wrapped baffles. A couple of installed pics...............






PS, that "flat" in the center of the tire is just dust off the parking-lot, The Cobras are holding up well.

[Netnorske]

I have the aluminum flashing around my baffles, but I put one wrap of fiberglass back over the top of the flashing to help eliminate the tinny sound. They sound pretty damn good....!

[Jared]

After I get the drawings I'm going to start looking for a machinist. I'll post my impressions when I get them done.

[ndbigfish]

Is a drawing going to be available?

[dkdixie]

Here's the baffle "reducer" drawing.

And thanks once again to Cliff (VulcanE) for all his work in coming up with this mod!!

[ndbigfish]

Do you remove the original baffle and replace with this? Sorry about my ignorance. Thanks.

[dkdixie]

Originally Posted by ndbigfish

Do you remove the original baffle and replace with this? Sorry about my ignorance. Thanks.

Yes.....and it sounds so good even the Harley boys look twice!!

Ask "Goose"
Charged him a buck to ride behind me yesterday and listen to the sweet sound....never did pay the dollar but did buy lunch!!