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Dilemma

I have a 1980 Suzuki GS550L. Not only did one of the previous owners completely remove the baffles from the exhaust pipes, but they welded fender washers on the end of the pipes, so the OEM baffles are no longer compatible (not that you can even find just the baffles for this bike anyway). I'd like to quiet the bike back down to a reasonable level, since I live in an area where vehicle noise laws are enforced. Oh, and I'm a considerate neighbor. ;)

My Possible Solutions (so far)

  • Pack with fiberglass muffler insulator
    • I'm not sure how to do this or what the product is named
  • Jury-rig a baffle using custom baffle tubing and some not-so-expert welding skills
    • This sounds like an okay idea; I'd just need to visit the hardware store for an hour or two (every trip…)
  • Buy new pipes
    • This is the easiest option, but also the most expensive I think
  • Buy a used exhaust system from a wrecking yard (also available online) [thanks, Peter]
    • This could be hit-or-miss, since a used exhaust may have corroded baffles or a leak, or really any number of problems
  • ???
  • Profit
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  • Have you tried getting a used exhaust from a wrecker?
    – Sir Swears-a-lot
    Commented Jul 23, 2014 at 9:31
  • I didn't check yet. Good idea!
    – Oran D. Lord
    Commented Jul 23, 2014 at 12:53

2 Answers 2

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You have a few possibilities

  • Get used off Ebay. I always see those stock pipes on there.

  • You can drill a hole through the side of your current junk pipe and rivet the baffle in place as long or short term temporary solution. You will need to get a rivet gun and rivets to get this done.

  • You can repack your baffles, as you suggested, and then use the rivet gun.

As an aside, tin cans are good for gerry rigging exhaust. They can take heat better than aluminum cans. You can drill out a tin can and jam into your exhaust and rivet it into place as a temp solution. If you don't know much about tuning your carburetors, don't do this one as it will mess up your mixture. You can use pieces of a tin can in riveting your baffle and what not too. Have one handy if your going to gerry rig it.

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1

You can also keep the headers and add universal slip on mufflers.

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