--- In DSN_klr650@y..., heeltoetoe@a... wrote:
> I recently repacked my Supertrapp IDS2 with stainless steel
wool. The
> original packing had about 2 thousand miles on it, and I "believe"
the system
> was getting louder. Anyway, I wanted to repack with a different
material in
> the hopes of never having to repack again. I did some research, and
> discovered that some muffler manufacturers are using stainless steel
wool. I
> found a manufacturer of this material in Texas with a supplier in
> Philadelphia, which is just up the road from Newark, DE where I
live.
> According to the manufacturer, their stainless steel wool is used
by Toyota
> and Honda automobiles in their mufflers. They make three grades of
stainless
> steel wool - fine, medium, and course. The person I spoke to
recommended
> medium. I ordered a one pound roll at $14.50 per roll. However, I
used only
> about a half pound, more or less, to repack my muffler. Once the
stainless
> steel wool was wrapped around the attenuator pipe, I also applied a
> fiberglass wrap around the stainless steel wool to act as an
insulator
> between the stainless steel wool and the aluminum muffler. How does
it
> "sound," you may ask. Well, it doesn't sound any different from the
original
> packing to me. Is it louder or quieter? The intensity of the sound
is
> similar to the orginal, but I could be off a few decibels. My hope
is that
> it lasts longer.
> I also found a really interesting material developed at Georgia
Tech for
> sound attenuation. It is ceramic spheres of different sizes with
small holes
> in them which act like Helmholz resonators. Georgia Tech sent me a
sample.
> I tried to convince them to send me enough to repack my entire
muffler. But
> without success. This material could be the perfect solution for
muffler
> repacking if it can withstand the vibration of motorcycle use.
Maybe I'll
> try again to get a larger sample.
> Nick
> A6
> Newark, De
Nick,
Be careful with this stuff, steel wool has a nasty habit of igniting
and blowing out hot glowing bits from the pipe when subjected to heat
in this manner. Take a little quarter size piece of it and hold a
match to it and you'll see what I mean. You mentioned there were
several sizes to choose from and perhaps the larger gauge wont be a
susceptible to igniting. Some also has a coating on it that makes it
want to burn easier. Maybe the stuff you have is better, but surely
test it out.
Frank Sikorski
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]