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VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!)

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ttexastim
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VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) Empty VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!)

Post  Steve-O Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:36 pm

VT1100C Baffle Mod

This modification to the mufflers is simple and effective. If you are considering loud pipes you should try this mod first before laying out $$$ on new pipes. The mod removes the last baffle in each stock pipe creating a deeper, throatier, sound. NOT wake the neighbors loud, Just deeper and a bit louder.

The mod involves taking a 2" drill bit and drilling out the back of the pipe. A 2 1/4" is supposed to work also. The 2" bit did leave a little gap at teh end, but not much. You can grind this down smooth, or just wait for a little soot to cover it up. It's not noticable once covered with soot.

No rejetting of the carb is necessary. Best of all, if you don't like the sound, you can JB weld the baffle back in (I'm told).

Here is the process:


These are the pipes before modification. These are stock pipes.

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) 1.Pipesbeforemod.jpg

Here's David drilling out the baffle. The drill bit fits right down into the pipe. Just go slow and keep in the center.

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) 2.drilling.jpg

Here is the end of the pipe showing where the drill scores the metal. Notice that the sides of the muffler are unaffected.

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) 3.ScoredBaffle.jpg

Here is a better picture showing how tight the bit fit.

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) 4.closeupdrill.jpg

Here is the removed baffle. Save this in case you don't like the sound. You can JB Weld this back in (I'm told).

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) 5.BaffleRemoved.jpg

Here are the pipes after modification.

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) 6.PipesAfterBaffleMod.jpg

PM me or Dark Shadow if you have any questions.


Last edited by Steve-O on Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Post  DS-Wing-Nut Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:29 pm

Nice write up and pics Steve. Wow.. that guy in the monkey suit was working hard! ha ha LOL..
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Post  ttexastim Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:38 pm

Hahaha. I was thinking more along the lines of "How did Steve-O convince some guy in a monkey suit to mod his bike for him". lol

Great work guys!! I'm really jealous that I couldn't come out and have some fun with you. We'll have to do another Shadow M&G sometime. Sounds like there are some nice roads down near Ennis, so David will have to put something together.

I still can't believe you couldn't get that tire to seat. Did you hit it with a mallet at 125 psi??? (NOTE TO ALL YOU IDIOTS READING THIS: THAT WAS A JOKE .... DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS OR YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR A DARWIN AWARD!)
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Post  DS-Wing-Nut Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:54 pm

ttexastim wrote: Did you hit it with a mallet at 125 psi??? (NOTE TO ALL YOU IDIOTS READING THIS: THAT WAS A JOKE .... DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS OR YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR A DARWIN AWARD!)

believe it or not............... I did! Ask Steve-O, but it was at 110, not 125. I honestly think nothing would have seated that tire other than one of those bead seater tanks, maybe??
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Post  Steve-O Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:47 am

We pretty much tried everything to get it to seat. Tried 7-8 times. Wouldn't pop. I still have the tire and will try again. But, I have a car tire on now that will last for 20k miles. MIght have been best anyway. This size is a lot like my old tire.
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Post  twin1300 Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:38 am

Steve-O,

That is really really weird that the Douglas 205 would seat and the 165 did???????? I didn't notice a difference from seating one to the other. They both took two tries to get either one to seat and the same amount of pressure. That does confuse me a little why one mounted and the other didn't. Did you use a large compressor with a big tank. You might not have enough volume to get the job done, being your 165 had been mounted already...that maybe could have made a difference.


................bobby

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Post  Steve-O Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:07 am

Several guys asking about this on hondashadow.net. Thought I'd bump it to the top for them.
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VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) Empty Before I drill

Post  TexasShadow Sat Apr 04, 2009 6:39 pm

I bought the 2" drill bit and ready to do this mod. I am just curious before I scar the metal, how does the baffle come out? does it just fall out or do you need to twist it out? First time working with pipes.

Also found this through the post on HondaShadow net. Thanks to the fellow who did that.

Cheers

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) Shadow

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Post  DS-Wing-Nut Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:42 am

TexasShadow wrote:I bought the 2" drill bit and ready to do this mod. I am just curious before I scar the metal, how does the baffle come out? does it just fall out or do you need to twist it out? First time working with pipes.

Also found this through the post on HondaShadow net. Thanks to the fellow who did that.

Cheers


Texas Shadow,
It will take some good pressure to get the bit started into the metal.. But the fact that you have a new bit, it will probably grab quickly. It might also skip around some.. Just keep letting the bit spin and push into the muffler. It will eventually score enough that it will stay in one spot and truly start drilling the metal.. once the drill bit drills all the way through the whole piece will just come out. It is not screwed in or anything.. what you see in the picture is what will you will get. the baffle is just held in place where you are drilling it out. Enjoy! Have fun... Hope you like your new muffler sound.

David W.
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VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) Empty Exhaust mod complete

Post  TexasShadow Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:00 am

To complete this mod I bought a 2 & 1/16" cavity drill bit for metal / wood from Ace Hardware, about $15. You were right, go slow. I was patient and it cut through after about 5 minutes per exhaust pipe. Here are the results. I think 2 + 1/16 inch is the perfect size. I have no overhang and nothing to grind down. Any larger diameter would be too large. One last thing, after the drilling, I had to twist out each resonator with pliers - about 2 turns for each. It is late or I'd fire my 1999 Shadow Spirit 1100 to see how it sounds. THANK YOU for the post and the advice!
Photos:
VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) Tools13

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) Mod10

VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) Mod210


Last edited by TexasShadow on Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:25 am; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : resontator instead of baffle)

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VT1100C Baffle Mod (aka Dark Side Pipes!) Empty The sound....

Post  TexasShadow Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:18 pm

Oh man, why did I wait so long! The pipes sound GREAT. Throaty, Low end bass with a snarl that I didn't know these stock pipes were capable of.

I did not have to adjust anything on the carbs. Engine runs just as before - nice. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face the entire ride to work this morning. I was even laughing out loud at one point. :pirat:

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Post  Eric4u43 Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:36 am

Those are some great pics of the mod...I have tried to find pics of this mod that are as clear and detailed and you guys did a awesome job!
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Post  Steve-O Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:03 pm

Bumping this up by request
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Post  Painter D Sun Apr 04, 2010 9:04 am

In addition to the baffle-removal, I went one step further to get an even better sound. I plugged the crossove tube on mine with a round disc (washer with a bolt in the hole to make it a solid disc) It takes away the hollow sound and gives the mufflers a more promounced "thump' each time the engine fires. Sounds alot better now. Should've done it right away. PD

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