Adding muffler to DD 3-53

[mf40diesel]

Hello,  I have a TJ 225.  Love the sound of the detroit, but holy smokes is it loud.  Getting a plan together to add a muffler and piping and such to hopefully tone that monster down a bit.

Do I still need to have the spark arrestor in there if I add a muffler downstream from it?  I was thinking about cutting that out, add a straight pipe up to the roof following the limb riser, to the muffler and out the side.  Might make a little cleaner looking job.

[treeslayer2003]

Hello,  I have a TJ 225.  Love the sound of the detroit, but holy smokes is it loud.  Getting a plan together to add a muffler and piping and such to hopefully tone that monster down a bit.

Do I still need to have the spark arrestor in there if I add a muffler downstream from it?  I was thinking about cutting that out, add a straight pipe up to the roof following the limb riser, to the muffler and out the side.  Might make a little cleaner looking job.

if you can see thru the muffler, then yes you still need a spark arrestor.

[longtime lurker]

Our 4-53's have the muffler before the spark arrestor, the arrestor is always supposed to be the last in the line.

HUGE difference with both compared with only having one or the other!!! Trust me, you won't regret doing it if you're using the machine regularly.

[mf40diesel]

Thanks for the information.  I plan to add a muffler that does a 180,  follow the right limb riser up, 90 into the muffler and right back out beside it.

I'm pretty twisted,  I want to be able to see the exhaust coming straight out beside me!

[longtime lurker]

My pipe runs up beside the riser, got the muffler and the arrestor inline above me -  little short oval muffler so it all fits - with the outlet out the back. There's a secondary canopy over the roof to protect the entire system.

Don't matter which way the exhaust faces, some days the wind is wrong and you get to suck it down all day.

[coxy]

we made a 12x12 box out of 1/2in steal put it behind the spark arrestor at the end of the limb riser where the roof starts  and drilled a bunch of holes in it that made a huge difference in the noise

[Spartan]

Don't matter which way the exhaust faces, some days the wind is wrong and you get to suck it down all day.

Mine has a 45 degree up from the back of the canopy.  I've never had a problem, just when it was straight out the back.

[Neilo]

The roof of the cab gives quite a bit of protection from sound. It will be louder beside machine than in it. Your muffler will help but watching stack will reduce the benefits.

[timberlinetree]

We put one from Napa on that was big. Didn't seem to help much.

 

[mf40diesel]

Thanks for the information.  I may not do it right off, but I will do something.  I know that hearing protection will always be required, I just want to keep the neighbors happy if I head down in the woods at 0600!

[crazy4saws]

Check this thread out, tantoy did a nice job building a muffler for his 3-53. I was planning on building something similar for detroit aswell. https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,82615.msg1260330.html#msg1260330

[danbuendgen]

I just want to keep the neighbors happy if I head down in the woods at 0600!

Just tell those whining neighbors that you are doing them a favor, now they don't need that alarm clock!

Trust me, your neighbors wont be happy with your skidder mufflered or not. Detroit's are just loud, period. A good muffler will tone it down a tiny tad bit, but you wont be to happy with the end result with your exhaust/muffler project.

I just went through the DD muffler thing last year. The landowner was complaining about the noise, said they could hear the skidder from inside the house and they couldn't take it. So I bought some pipe, muffler, steel, and had a mobile welder come out and weld up a exhaust system. In the end..... It was only a tad quieter and the landowner was still not happy, and could still hear the skidder from inside the house. I ended up spending around $300 on supplies, plus I paid a welder to make a good system and it was a total waste of money.... So my suggestion is keep your money, and invest it into a good hearing protection for yourself and tell everyone else to go home and leave you alone.

If the neighbors don't like hearing chainsaws and skidders, they can go MOVE BACK to the city.

[jd540b]

Look into a COWL muffler.  They are common in marine applications here.  I put one on my 230 with a 3-53 and it made a huge difference.  Super quiet and full flow so zero loss in power.  They are wicked compact as well.  Just my 2 cents.