Modding A 900 Exhaust.

Posted 18 September 2009 - 09:46 am

[All usual disclaimers are applied: anything you do is done by you and you're on your own should you love it or hate it... this is just an account of what I have done.]

At first glance there's nothing too unusual about this bike, certainly not for the layman.



However, there a a couple of bits missing from each exhaust tip...



They were cut out using one of these...


attached to one of these...


And the result is this

keep your first cut to just behind the outside weld, this will give clean edge and a flush fit for any replacement pipe.

The pipe that gets left in place is welded to the baffle wall, it's not going anywhere without significant force, so it's safe to leave it there.

In retrospect, I would not have gone as deep into the exhaust on the second cut, my bike is now quite loud. Not so loud as to attract attention through normal riding, but when you whip it it barks. So, if you were to do this, I would recommend making the inside cut about 5mm inside the can... ride it, test it, then make more cuts if you like.

A steady hand and gentle rocking motion will help give a neat cut, don't try and force it through the metal; it's stainless and it will chew the cutting discs to bits if you do. I used a dozen discs on the first can, but only two on the second can... guess I finally got my hand/eye together.

If you make the final edge as square as possible you can replace the cut pipe, returning the can to stock "sewing machine" sound again.

Edited by AzzA, 18 September 2009 - 10:06 am.

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Posted 18 September 2009 - 11:46 am

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Posted 18 September 2009 - 12:17 pm

I've slipped the cut-out pieces of pipe back into place, with the bike running giving the odd rev', and it returns the sound to stock.


Short of welding in replacement pieces, to return to stock, you could use a bead of HT RTV silicon sealant to hold the pipe in place. (For a Road Worthy Certification etc)

Take it out again, by breaking the RTV, and it's loud again.

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Posted 18 September 2009 - 02:13 pm

QUOTE(AzzA @ Fri 18th Sep 2009, 01:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've slipped the cut-out pieces of pipe back into place, with the bike running giving the odd rev', and it returns the sound to stock.


Short of welding in replacement pieces, to return to stock, you could use a bead of HT RTV silicon sealant to hold the pipe in place. (For a Road Worthy Certification etc)

Take it out again, by breaking the RTV, and it's loud again.

The Pictures don't show up for me , what am i doing wronge, would love to see the pics........

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Posted 18 September 2009 - 02:21 pm

So if I want to get to there I would just need to cut out the section with the holes drilled into it?


How does your technique sound?

Always tell the truth, it will gratify some of the people and astonish the rest. (Mark Twain)
£

Stebel Nautilus air-horn, Corbin seat, MRA Touring screen, single Delkevic silencer.
"I see by your outfit that you are a spaceman"(MkI (3VD) TDM Review)
Hints for using Carpe-TDM. (photo's, links, etc).

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Posted 18 September 2009 - 02:37 pm

QUOTE(Buddner @ Fri 18th Sep 2009, 03:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Pictures don't show up for me , what am i doing wronge, would love to see the pics........

Are you looking at work?? Might be site suppression as I can't see them either on the work network, but it's fine via Safari on my iPod Touch.

MY06 TDM 900 Blue over Silver
-----
Fuel Pipes
Givi Top Box
Renthal 758's
Grip Puppies
MRA Bubble
Dip & Hi HIDs

To-Do:
LED DRLs
Loobman
Powercoat Wheels
Hand Guards
-----
MY04 TDM 900 Blue over Silver Parts Bin
MY02 TDM 900 Yellow over Black RIP
............

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Posted 18 September 2009 - 02:42 pm

QUOTE(Buddner @ Sat 19th Sep 2009, 12:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Pictures don't show up for me , what am i doing wronge, would love to see the pics........

Try "F5" or refresh the page, or a different browser... the pic's showed up in the quote of your post (to me, at least). PM me if all else fails.Cheers,AzzA

QUOTE(tdm850rider @ Sat 19th Sep 2009, 12:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So if I want to get to there I would just need to cut out the section with the holes drilled into it?How does your technique sound?

I don't have an 850 to play with, so I can't say for sure, but it's likely to be so... from what I've read the the 850 can is three parts like the 900's, cut into the back end and you bypass the last section, which is placed in the middle of the can.

There's a lot more info re: the 850 cans on the French TDM site, that's where I did most of my research for the 900... translate the site through Google, if you don't read French, like me.

Edited by AzzA, 18 September 2009 - 02:47 pm.

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Posted 18 September 2009 - 05:22 pm

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Posted 20 September 2009 - 08:25 am

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Posted 20 September 2009 - 11:36 am

QUOTE(tdm850rider @ Fri 18th Sep 2009, 03:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So if I want to get to there I would just need to cut out the section with the holes drilled into it?


How does your technique sound?

I drilled some holes in my old stock 850 exhaust went through the outside plate but went through the second plate which is about 2mm thick.
i only drilled two holes to begin with but found that ok that was louder didnt want to drill another 2 holes straight through in case it was to loud!
Looking at your pic you only went through the first outside plate is that correct?
Thought if i did F**K it up then could have a disc made up to fit back on.
How did you get your holes lined up equal all way round did you make up a template first?

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 01:05 am

QUOTE(AzzA @ Sun 20th Sep 2009, 06:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This (here) is an MP3 of a local ride. It was made using a multimedia device, in my back jeans pocket, whilst riding over a local hill road. Usual subjective quality and reproduction issues of these devices and MP3's, and capability of your speakers etc... but it sounds like a fair copy at home on my setup. The file is some 11 minutes long.

Being a winding hill road there is lots of on/off throttle and a few times where I've let the revs drop well below normal riding limits (just to get more noise out of it). The road goes over the hill so there's also lots of descent, off throttle, once the peak is climbed. Then it's back on open road, then a commute through streets and back home.

Went for a brief run with Azza the other day and I was quite impressed with the sound from a standard exhaust. I could tell there was a TDM coming down the road before he arrived at my place

Its not as rounded a sound as the Staintune but its got a very nice bark to it under acceleration. And I could hear him take from a set of traffic lights 4 blocks away after he left

If anyone wants to let some of the twin rumble out without spending a packet on aftermarkets, this would be well worth considering.

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 08:59 am

MY06 TDM 900 Blue over Silver
-----
Fuel Pipes
Givi Top Box
Renthal 758's
Grip Puppies
MRA Bubble
Dip & Hi HIDs

To-Do:
LED DRLs
Loobman
Powercoat Wheels
Hand Guards
-----
MY04 TDM 900 Blue over Silver Parts Bin
MY02 TDM 900 Yellow over Black RIP
............

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 10:32 am

QUOTE(aytcat1 @ Sun 20th Sep 2009, 07:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I drilled some holes in my old stock 850 exhaust went through the outside plate but went through the second plate which is about 2mm thick.
i only drilled two holes to begin with but found that ok that was louder didnt want to drill another 2 holes straight through in case it was to loud!
Looking at your pic you only went through the first outside plate is that correct?
Thought if i did F**K it up then could have a disc made up to fit back on.
How did you get your holes lined up equal all way round did you make up a template first?

Correct.

Kraft paper disk with a centre hole... on retrospect I would have used a punch, made dimples and then chucked the paper.


Sound is actually a bit 'deeper' just the way my digi picked it up.

Always tell the truth, it will gratify some of the people and astonish the rest. (Mark Twain)
£

Stebel Nautilus air-horn, Corbin seat, MRA Touring screen, single Delkevic silencer.
"I see by your outfit that you are a spaceman"(MkI (3VD) TDM Review)
Hints for using Carpe-TDM. (photo's, links, etc).

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 11:07 am

QUOTE(cypher @ Fri 18th Sep 2009, 09:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent work Azza - from reading your description of this in another thread I had somehow managed to get completely the wrong idea of what you had done. I would have cut into the muffler then sat back and looked at it and realised that now would be good time to either find a good welding shop or order that new aftermarket exhaust.....

I reckon I know a bloke with a die grinder that might do this job for a few beers....

Yeah, top job, i also had the wrong idea, thought you were talking about external cut but what you are suggesting is terrific, and reversable. In earlier post i commented on "keeping standard in case" but thats what this does really so obviously comment doesnt apply. Handy thing those Dremmels.
cheers Graeme

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 02:17 pm

If anyone is doing this in the coming weeks. A step by step right up with pictures would be very helpful for us who are afraid to tinker with potentially expensive replacements.

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 06:22 pm

QUOTE(AzzA @ Fri 18th Sep 2009, 11:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And the result is this

keep your first cut to just behind the outside weld, this will give clean edge and a flush fit for any replacement pipe.

The pipe that gets left in place is welded to the baffle wall, it's not going anywhere without significant force, so it's safe to leave it there.

In retrospect, I would not have gone as deep into the exhaust on the second cut, my bike is now quite loud. Not so loud as to attract attention through normal riding, but when you whip it it barks. So, if you were to do this, I would recommend making the inside cut about 5mm inside the can... ride it, test it, then make more cuts if you like.

A steady hand and gentle rocking motion will help give a neat cut, don't try and force it through the metal; it's stainless and it will chew the cutting discs to bits if you do. I used a dozen discs on the first can, but only two on the second can... guess I finally got my hand/eye together.

If you make the final edge as square as possible you can replace the cut pipe, returning the can to stock "sewing machine" sound again.

VERY interesting, did you pull anything out of the center or just cut off the tube extending in the middle ?
It should let just a little (enough) of sound out.
Tomasni Stockholm, TDM900A 2008, silver, centre stand, heated grips
(Missing my TDM850 2001 with Ixil exhaust)

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 09:50 pm

I think that you are really brave to do that !
Maybe you knew that the inside pipe is stuck on the other side but if I look inside I can't see where, somehow is stuck.
Your bike is from 2008 , isn'it?
Perhaps the exhaust pipes in 2005 of mine are different and they change country by country.
Here in Italy we have RN11 euro2 pollution law ,and RN18 euro3 pollution law.
Anyway inside my Can I don't see anything to support the pipe , except on the outside weld
Cheers, Marco

TDR900 ABS Grey metallic audi"iron jenny"

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Posted 22 September 2009 - 07:09 am

QUOTE(dmmsta @ Mon 21st Sep 2009, 06:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think I'm being somewhat thick...I kinda understand the theory on the taking the centre of the exhaust, but get a little confused with how much to take out.On the 9er, it's the middle pipe that is removed (the centre of the exhaust about 25mm diameter). Now with the cutting discs, do you go inside this pipe, and cut a further down (inside the main part of the exhaust).I know that probably was obvious from Az's original post, but wanted to make sure before I start hacking bits off ;-)

Yes, inside the pipe is where the cutting disc goes, it is much easier and neater this way... less likely to slip and leave marks, and the disc might be too big to cut from the outside anyway.Use a depth gauge on a vernier or just a stick/screwdriver to work out how far to reach in. You want to be behind the weld but in front of the wall (looking from the back of the muffler) for your first cut.As I said, gentle hand pressure, almost none, and small smooth movements for a neat cut and good disc life... but have some spare discs handy.

QUOTE(Kang @ Tue 22nd Sep 2009, 12:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If anyone is doing this in the coming weeks. A step by step right up with pictures would be very helpful for us who are afraid to tinker with potentially expensive replacements.

If Stoomtrooper, or myself, isn't too busy and is obliging in the coming weeks I'll try to do a step by step using his stock mufflers to mock-up the procedure... good chance I might be OS for work though, so it might be 3 weeks before I could do it. Anyone else feel free in the meantime though.

QUOTE(Tomasni @ Tue 22nd Sep 2009, 04:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

... did you pull anything out of the center or just cut off the tube extending in the middle ?It should let just a little (enough) of sound out....

Only thing that came out/off were the two pieces of pipe, as pictured.It lets plenty of sound out, only the real hardcore would want more.

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Posted 22 September 2009 - 07:14 am

For clarity as to what is done, have a look at this section of a TRX muffler:

Link if picture isnt working


The pipe in the picture is bent, but this is not the case for the TDM (it might have happened during the cutting or, that's how the TRX has it... dunno)

From what I can tell the construction is virtually identical.


Edit: OK, not sure if the pic' is working... I'm on mobile service and it isn't for me, yet. Sorry for any disappointment, check back later.

In the meantime look at these:


OK!!! OK!!! gone mental trying to make it work, and it does!

Edit: fixed dead link.

Edited by AzzA, 25 September 2009 - 03:34 am.

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Posted 22 September 2009 - 07:51 am

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