Another Muffler Experiment coming soon....

[Brent_Baumer 5]

As some of you may recall I spent about 140 bucks on a SuperTrapp muffler from Jack's a couple years ago - and was super dissappointed! One of my few complaints about these tractors is how loud they are. I have tried the IH-1 Cub mufflers, additional plumbing, routing outside the hood and pointing the exhaust down, brand new $70+ mufflers from the dealer - and just about everything I have seen on here. Some ideas helped a little, some not at all, still my Kohler K341's are too loud for my liking and for that of the Mrs. - who is the main grass mower in our house. Anyway, I remarked before how quiet my Dad's JD 210 is compared to my 916 and 716 - and all of the 20+ large frame Sim and AC's I've owned. Well, Mrs. Baumer was over at my folks house Saturday and came back also remarking how quiet Dad's tractor is. I told her I'd look on ebay for a JD muffler that may work, she said go for it. Well, just bought this one [img]http://i20.ebayimg.com/01/i/02/8b/8d/19_1_b.JPG[/img] http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50374&item=4371843385&rd=1 - it is similar looking to Dad's as I recall. Don't know if it is the real McCoy or not but for $42 including the shipping I'm about to find out. I plan on mounting it on the primary mowing tractor below the hood out front (I have a cheap can muffler mounted there now) as it will be easiest to do that so I'll get quick results. I'll keep you all posted. - And please don't tell me new mufflers like this are only $10 or some garbage from the dealer. I do have some concern that I overpaid since nobody had bought it yet after being listing for a few days. If it works I'd have paid triple this amount anyway. If it doesn't, well another lesson learned I guess. Brent

[PGL 431]

Good luck. Wonder what's inside? Some must be filled with gold leaf.

[johnmonkey 4]

Thanks for the update. I thought that I was the only one worried about LOUD tractors. JH

[Kent 435]

quote:

---

Originally posted by PGL
Good luck. Wonder what's inside? Some must be filled with gold leaf.

---

Nah, not gold leaf -- just a familiar shade of green paint! ;)

[KVANDY12 0]

Go for it brent, and don't worry about a little greeninside the muffler it will soon burn out anyway. Hope it works for you. let us know.

[BLT 717]

If it works for you, that will be fine. Exhaust noise is a judgement call from one person to another, unless you do a drive by with metering equipment to record what's happening.

[ikipp 0]

Why not use ear mufflers. Like ear muffs. They cost about $6 at Northern Hydraulic and work great.

[Brent_Baumer 5]

ikipp - I DO use ear muffs - which help a lot, but a 916H plus a Swisher 60" trail mower in tow makes a lot of noise. The less noise, ear muffs or no, the better in my book.... I do have a dB meter at work. If this sounds quieter I'll bring it home again and take measurements like I did with the SuperTrapp. Brent

[comet66 0]

We should all remember to use ear protection at all times on our machines. (This from a man with $5000.00 worth of hearing aids) Some of us had to learn the hard way.

[BrianP 1]

Brent, As one who has used these machines for years, (from age 10 or so until now...age43) I can really appreciate all your experimental work. For me it's not just exhaust noise, but the general cacophony of sounds the machines produce. Like John mentioned I now use the Ear Muff protectors but I only started using them when I got into my 30's...hopefully in time to save what hearing I now have. Here's some perspective: 0 dB represents the threshold of normal human hearing, 130 dB represents the threshold for pain, 140 dB causes irreparable hearing damage, and 150 dB can cause instant deafness, anything greater than about 192 dB can kill you. Sound dB-(decibels) Jet engine at 3m 140 Threshold of pain 130 Rock concert 120 Accelerating motorcycle at 5m 110 Pneumatic hammer at 2m 100 Noisy factory 90 Vacuum cleaner 80 Busy traffic 70 Quiet restaurant 50 Residential area at night 40 Empty movie house 30 Rustling of leaves 20 Human breathing (at 3m) 10 Threshold of hearing (good ears)0 I have never run my machine by a dB meter, but I think most garden tractors are at least at the 80 dB level if not more. If you ever read tests of new machines, the testers always recommend hearing protection. I for one agree with them. Brian

[johnmonkey 4]

Thanks for the info Brian. I work with loud machines and I try to protect my hearing with ear plugs. I still like the idea of a quiet muffler. JH

[BigSix 0]

BrianP: Thanks for the dba table. Brent: Good to "see" you again. I couldn't agree more with you about the importance of noise reduction. I have some very good earmuffs I got from Grainger (for those who've heard this sermon before, my apologies). They're made in Sweden, and are the Peltor brand. They are the H10A 926 model (that's a few years ago) and were $30.00 then. The company claims they reduce noise by 29 decibels. They're black with a red ring around the cups. They're adjustable enough to accomodate a watchcap and ballcap in winter, (for snowblowing) and fit snuggly with no hat, as well. I use them for snowblowing, leafblowing, chainsawing, mowing, trimming the hedeges (vertically) with the sicklebar, etc.... Actually, if I even start a tractor, I put them on. They're particularly nice when tuning a carb on one of these tractors. Oddly, I can still hear my liberal Air America Radio (on XM), if it's turned up enough, while wearing them, even over the sound of a Dremel, drill, etc.... I think they may block some of the more damaging, machine-generated frequencies and still allow speech to come through--don't know if this is intended in the design, or is just happy accident, but it works for me. I too can't wait for your test results. I hope you see improvement, and follow up with the dba meter. I would also be interested in the dba of just a tractor's drive train, with a deck hooked up, if you ever went to the trouble to spin one with an electric motor, but with the plug out. I'd bet the mechanical noise alone would be pushing safe listening levels.... I don't think you paid too much, either. I too would pay triple that if it made it sound as quiet as a watercooled diesel--okay, even if it was only half that quiet--LOL! Back to the lab with you--lol! Peter

[mowerman1193 0]

I also use the Peltor brand ear protection..I have the ones with the built in radio.They are called "Work Tunes"..My wife bought me them at Walmart I belive for around $50..still cheaper than a good muffler that you still would need ear protection for.. I sometimes wear them in the garage just for the radio..I can still hear kids playing in the yard and the wife calling for dinner ect.even with the radio on at about 1/4- to 1/2 vol. I run my commercial mower several hours per week along with my tractors here at home..Before I got the Work Tunes after a day of mowing it seemed like everything was sooo quiet..But now after a day of mowing when I take the Work Tunes off everything seems loud,LOL Almost makes me want to put them back on,LOL

[evensteven 0]

Brent- Im cheering for you here in northern Illinois. We too have noise issues with the AC 712. We also have a JD 210.We have made the same comments- why is the AC so much louder??? I grew up surrounded by orange equipment and I remain loyal to the old Allis and keep her going. Good to know we are not alone with this noise battle. Good luck with your idea! Steve

[WiscTom 0]

Any progress? This is a most wonderful project. Hopefully you will discover the illusive muffler that actually muffles.

[Brent_Baumer 5]

Got it installed last weekend but had one helluva bad week and didn't bring home the sound meter from work. Here are a couple pics. Preliminary results (my own ears gauge) indicate a slightly quieter idle but not that much difference, if any, as I rev it up. Can't tell in the pics but muffler rests on and is strapped to an L shaped piece of 3/16" bar stock. The stock is bolted to a short piece of unistrut (the green channel in the pic) which is bolted to the engine. I'll try to get actual sound measurements this week. Brent

[papamerkle 0]

Brent, This gentleman "hot-rodded" a kohler K301 motor. He modified the muffler and says it run quieter now. Here is a link to Building a Hot-Rod Kohler K301(This is part 2): http://www.ihcubcadet.com/killerkohler/KILLER%20KOHLER%20Part%20II.pdf Part 1 of Hot-Rod Kohler: http://www.ihcubcadet.com/killerkohler/KILLER%20KOHLER%20Part%20I.pdf My Son and I are going to build a hot-rod K321 using David Kirk's set up.

[Brent_Baumer 5]

Ran the test tonight. JD Muffler on a 16hp Kohler K341 above: idle=80db, full throttle=95db Factor Muffler on a 16hp Kohler K341 in a 916H: idle=78db, full throttle=93db The JD muffler IS LOUDER than the factory muffler. Bummer. Meter was held right in front of my face and both tractors were parked in the same spot in the driveway when readings were taken. Brent

[maxtorman1234 0]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brent_Baumer
As Anyway, I remarked before how quiet my Dad's JD 210 is compared to my 916 and 716 - and all of the 20+ large frame Sim and AC's I've owned. Well, Mrs. Baumer was over at my folks house Saturday and came back also remarking how quiet Dad's tractor is. I told her I'd look on ebay for a JD muffler that may work, she said go for it.

---

The engines that came standard in the A/C's were K301S for example,This means it is an electric start. The engines I have seen in the deeres were k301AQS. Meaning, they have a special oil pan, quiet model and electric start. Just wondering, COuld the deere be a quiet model?

[JackBa 0]

Brent, Saw this on ebay, it may be worth a try. [url]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=82244&item=4375691760&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW[/url]