Packing material substitute?

[NO HAND]

Hi,
I would like to know if there is a good substitute for the prepared muffler packing material. I've tried glass wool for a while but it only lasts one afternood of riding at best. I've heard some people using steel wool. Is that a good idea? I'll buy the ready prepared packing if it is the only reasonable option but it would be great if there is a cheaper way to get away with it.
Thanks!
J-S

 

[MBFTY]

Maybe

Steel wool may work, but fiberglass is superior because it deadens sound far better than metal.

It could be worth a shot, though.

 

[spanky250]

Steel wool will give the bike a very raspy, tinny sound, not very pleasant to hear, and it doesn't absorb oil well at all. If you are blowing your fiberglass out in one ride, you aren't packing it tightly enough or something. I use household fiberglass in my silencer, and I usually repack every 5 or 6 rides. I have no trouble losing my packing.

 

[Pete Payne]

At alot of your local home hardware stores you can buy loose fill fiberglass. This is a little harder to work with but lasts way longer than the fiberglass that is matted and rolled up. The loose fill is kinda like the silent sport packing.

 

[Chief]

No Hand,


I just bought fiberglass at the hardware store the other day. It is the same material as house insulation, only denser. Sold as pipe insulation. It is appx 1/2 thick, 7'' wide, and 30 ft long for 7 bucks. Seemed perfect for the job. Haven't put it in yet.


Joe Chief

 

[RYDMOTO]

I use old Motocross Action magazine paper......hahahahahaha

 

[scott_ktm]

DO NOT use steel wool. It will catch fire and come out like a cheap July 4th party favor. I once learned you can use flashlight batteries and steel wool to start a campfire.

 

[MBFTY]

The paper

I just read that post about paper, and, is it possible?

Seems like if you use a magazine with waxy pages (i.e. RacerX), it could work.

Any thoughts?

 

[David Trustrum]

I think you will find that was a JOKE.

Magazines, good one! Maybe you could tune it depending on content, say some tracks may favour a “soft core” or more open ones “hard core”??


Look ya cheap mongrels, . . . actually I’ll change my tack ‘cause at least you guys are repacking your mufflers, so good on ya.

But the proprietary packing like Daytona & that Rockwool stuff are the quietest & least likely to loose power. If I am feeling cheap & it is a big muffler I will wrap a layer of this stuff around the perforated core & then pack cheaper fibreglass insulation stuff around that to make up the outer space.

One of the local bike muffler manufacturers sells pre-packaged fibreglass but the Daytona stuff compared back to back new (measured with a meter) is quieter. Sort of like White felt with a woven outer.