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Home Built Muffler?

7K views 42 replies 13 participants last post by  underpowered 
#1 ·
anyone ever built their own muffler?

yes i do realize the cost effectiveness of this is terrible considering the numerous muffler options and relatively low cost of many of them. i want it more the the novelty than anything else really. That, and i am building the entire rest of the exhaust myself including the headers, so why not the mufflers as well.

thoughts, opinions, any input at all?
 
#3 ·
I would look for a dissected Flowmaster (or something similar) and basically copy the design. If you can scale the drawing, you should be able to get pretty close on the dimensions.

It would actually be pretty simple to do if you have CNC Plasma/Laser/Waterjet capability. You can cut the top/bottom halves with all the little "slots" for the baffles to lock into. Just cut the baffles with "tabs" to fit into the upper/lower slots. Drop it all together and weld the slots closed.. locking the baffles in place. Would be a fun project.. especially in polished 304 Stainless :D
 
#4 ·
i just happen to have a few piece of polished stainless laying around and and old flow master to cut up as well. but i want to modify the design a bit to possibly get a different sound out of them. possibly try an arc instead of the wedge flowmaster uses. who knows what i will end up with, but it will sure be unique.
 
#6 ·
thats pretty cool, thanks.

his is built much thinner than mine will be. 18ga simply won't cut it IMO but with all his internal baffles it will strengthen the inside considerably but i plan on building mine more like a flowmaster, which his in no way resembles any flowmaster i have ever seen.
 
#10 ·
Yeah.. if there's a chance the muffler is gonna be dragged over obstacles (like rocks), I'd probably lean more toward something like 14ga.. maybe even skin the underside with 1/8" or 3/16".

I had an old Flowmaster that had been dragged over the rocks to the point where you could see the baffle "outlines" in the mangled lower skin.
 
#11 ·
You could also take a straight tube, drill it a bunch of times then build a box around it and even pack it with fiberglass to keep it quiet. This is how Dynomax builds some of theirs and I believe a few other brands are similar.

I've thought about this multiple times. I've got a few designs in my head but never put it on paper
 
#13 ·
You could also take a straight tube, drill it a bunch of times then build a box around it and even pack it with fiberglass to keep it quiet. This is how Dynomax builds some of theirs and I believe a few other brands are similar.

I've thought about this multiple times. I've got a few designs in my head but never put it on paper
a glasspack is a simple design and would be easy to execute. i am thinking of a chambered (flowmaster) style with a unique internal baffle system. something truly my own.
 
#15 ·
that is basically the plan. i know what the insides of both a flowmaster 10 series and a 40 series looks like. i plan on essentially mocking their design but with my own style baffle. maybe look at others (spintec, hooker aero chamber, thrust, Cherry bomb) and kind of see what makes each one different while all still being a chambered muffler. then use one base idea but with my own twist.

current thinking is use a flowmaster 10 series design, but possibly use a curved baffle instead of the angle baffle flowmaster uses.
 
#16 ·
got started on this. doing 2 1/2" in/out. muffler case size is 8"x14"x4". case is 11ga, baffles are 16 ga. went heavy on the case as it will undoubtedly come into contact with rocks and other offroad hindrances.

here is a few possibly baffle setups i am thinking of.

1.


2.


3.
 
#17 ·
I'm kind of liking the first one.. that splits the flow and forces it into the 2 side baffles. However, I have no idea how that would affect actual exhaust gas flow.. nor soundwaves.

Here's where a CNC Plasma Table would be nice. It would allow you to make those 1/2 tube shapes, and position/cut them precisely where you want them in the top/bottom of the case.. so you could plug weld them.

I'm really looking forward to seeing/hearing the final product:thumbsup:
 
#19 ·
I'm kind of liking the first one.. that splits the flow and forces it into the 2 side baffles. However, I have no idea how that would affect actual exhaust gas flow.. nor soundwaves.

Here's where a CNC Plasma Table would be nice. It would allow you to make those 1/2 tube shapes, and position/cut them precisely where you want them in the top/bottom of the case.. so you could plug weld them.

I'm really looking forward to seeing/hearing the final product:thumbsup:
the first one is what i originally had in mind before ever starting this project. the other 2 were just thinking physically since i had the parts in hand to see what other possibilities i could come up with.

And i am slowly but surely collecting parts for one. it is next on the big things to buy list. buying the plasma in the next couple months, already have a computer with up to date copies of Mach 3 and mastercam. it would certainly be much easier that way.
 
#20 ·
possibly make it more of a true two chamber design.



thinking i am gonna roll with this setup and measure it all out and weld in place tomorrow.
 
#21 ·
Nice idea. Just thinking out load here but couldn't you tack the shell of the muffler together with the baffles, then install it to hear it. If you don't like the sound cut the tacks and move around the baffles till you get the sound you wanted.

Sent from my XT881freeze ray gun using JeepForum
 
#22 ·
that is an option but it may not get a true sound unless the case is pretty well sealed and almost fully welded.. I do know i am going to install it with clamps before i weld it just to be sure it is what i want.
 
#24 ·
well here they are. just gotta build the headers so that i can get these installed and see how they are gonna work out.

Baffle set up


Case


built a 2nd identical to the first and added a bit of High temp paint
 
#27 ·
Thanks.


sadly it will probably be 2 weeks or so before i can hear them. Headers will be built next week, then it will probably be another week before i can get my hands on the exhaust bender to bend up the rest of the exhaust.
 
#29 ·
I have a feeling they're gonna be freakin' loud. But if that's the goal, then perfect. The link I posted on the first page said his sounded like a deeper Flowmaster and flowed just as well on a flowmeter.
 
#33 ·
exactly. If these sound nice, then maybe i might play with one for the jeep as well, though IMO it is hard to make the straight 6 really sound good.

I have a feeling they're gonna be freakin' loud. But if that's the goal, then perfect. The link I posted on the first page said his sounded like a deeper Flowmaster and flowed just as well on a flowmeter.
loud is not an issue as i run open headers currently, talk about LOUD. the goal is quieter than that, but not really going for any certain sound level.

This is pretty neat. I didn't have any good advice to add but interested in the idea for sure. I'd like to see how it sounds!
i will post a sound clip as soon as i get them installed.
 
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