MorganM Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 This year I'd like to attend to events at our first state created/operated OHV park. Tech inspection is pretty stringent and I'll need to update my redneck exhuast system. Sighted in 2004-05 OHV Saftey and Regulations, on pg. 16. OHVs must be equiped with a federaly approved spark arrestor muffler, may not exceed 99 decibles at 22 feet distance, and exhuast may not have a cutout / bypass. To my understanding most any muffler is a 'spark arrestor' with the exception of straight through mufflers like cherry bombs and other glasspacks. The only 'glass pack' that I have seen with a spark arrestor are Super Trapp mufflers equiped with the baffel discs at the muffler tip. As much as I love the sound of my Subaru it's better to be legal then to sound 'cool' :-p (gawd.... am I turning into my dad already? ) Need some opinions on baffeld mufflers. What do you run? How durable are they offroad? Thanks !_! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavenTBK Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Actually, those rules are intended to be applied to motocycles and ATVs that usually lack mufflers and are just straight pipes. In the subie, you've got a cat, and a muffler too. You are right in your assumption that almost any muffler would meet those requirements. In addition, I doubt that the Sube makes enough power to exceed 99db at 22 feet, even with open headers. :/ With the catalyst and any generic muffler on there, I doubt you could have ANY issues with passing that portion of the inspection. I've got a Flowmaster 40 on the Brat. Still allows the flow, gives it a throaty sound.. specially when the secondary openes up.. and doesnt allow me to spit fireballs (even though I really want to). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 While it's intent was most likely to only include ATV and OHMs it was applied to all OHVs in Minnesota They lump ORV, ATV, and OHM all into "OHV" and just start applying any regulations and restrictions they can come up with. Fighting a bill right now in legislation thats trying to ban snorkels and tire treads > 1" deep... again really only applies to ATVs but its being applied to OHVs as a whole I was also thinking of a Flowmaster 40 series. Have to look into getting one I spose. Any other favorite mufflers out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushbasher Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 In addition, I doubt that the Sube makes enough power to exceed 99db at 22 feet, even with open headers. Im not so sure about that I have 6" of pipe off each head, and that is pretty frickin loud. Its just temporary, I needed something better than open heads to bomb around my backyard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Im not so sure about that I have 6" of pipe off each head, and that is pretty frickin loud. Its just temporary, I needed something better than open heads to bomb around my backyard. agreed, my Y is only attached one one side, and there's less than a foot of pipe left after the remains of the cat (which is completely rotted out), and it's almost as loud as my friend's custom straight-piped 460 lincoln Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudduck Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 No snorkle? Why would that make any difference in any thing? I know guys that run snorkles just for the reson that it raises the intake up out of the dust quit a bit. Any way, the catyletic and pre muffler should be considered a spark arrester, unless you gutted the catyletic, you should be leagle as far as having a spark arrester. as far as a muffler, a glass pack would probly make it quiet enough, but if not i know parts stores sell decent hi porformance mufflers for under 100$ whitch beets a factory muffler. you just have to fab up a way to hang it all up there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted January 25, 2005 Author Share Posted January 25, 2005 No snorkle? Why would that make any difference in any thing? I know guys that run snorkles just for the reson that it raises the intake up out of the dust quit a bit. Any way, the catyletic and pre muffler should be considered a spark arrester, unless you gutted the catyletic, you should be leagle as far as having a spark arrester. as far as a muffler, a glass pack would probly make it quiet enough, but if not i know parts stores sell decent hi porformance mufflers for under 100$ whitch beets a factory muffler. you just have to fab up a way to hang it all up there It specificly states spark arestor muffler for US Foresty Service regulations (so any national forest) and our states DNR has adopted that for all state forest trails and recreational areas. Weather the cat does that or not isnt up for negotiation with the DNR during a tech inspection The only spark arrestor glass pack I've seen is a Super Trapp. Those are out of my price range however... but they do have just the end cap disc kits so that might be an option to put that on my existing thunderbolt glasspack. The snorkle ban was geared twoard ATVs but was applied to all OHVs. Ban snorkels and you've esentially baned water crossings. This is already illegal for ORVs so you are right; it SEEMS pointless. However this bill would 'set the standard' for OHV regulations. Making it easier in the future to 'adhear to the standard' of regulating OHVs... to death. It's much easier to do small regulations that effect only a few so the rest say "meh, dont effect me, I'm not worried about it" and they get passed with little oposition. Unfortunatly it seems to be working because a lot of ppl are adopting the 'dont effect me, dont care' attitutde instead of supporting motorized recreation as a whole I'm rambeling now.... :-p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavenTBK Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Heh, well, I know of several federally approved spark arrestor muffler brands.. for ATVs. I have never seen nor heard of an actual car muffler being labelled as a federally approved spark arrestor device. Heh.. just slap one of those $10 discount auto muffs on there and see what the gestapo, uhm er, inspectors say about it. Worst they could say is no, at which point you can find out from the source what is a good muff to dive into.. er uhm.. put on your Ru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavenTBK Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I partially take back the "not loud enough" thing I said before. 99db is pretty dern loud, and at 22ft it would take some tuned pipes to make it, but I guess it could be possible on just straight headers.. if they're directed out the sides of the Ru. I'd believe that if they dumped underneath, and you werent lifted too much, the underbody and the ground itself would do a knockout job of muffling the sound below 99db @22ft...unless its measured on pavement. I'm still curious about the "spark arrestor" deal though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted January 26, 2005 Author Share Posted January 26, 2005 Heh, well, I know of several federally approved spark arrestor muffler brands.. for ATVs. I have never seen nor heard of an actual car muffler being labelled as a federally approved spark arrestor device. Heh.. just slap one of those $10 discount auto muffs on there and see what the gestapo, uhm er, inspectors say about it. Worst they could say is no, at which point you can find out from the source what is a good muff to dive into.. er uhm.. put on your Ru. Yeah it's kinda weird eh? I read the reg on it and said "okay imma find me one of them fancy federaly approved spark arrestor mufflers for an ORV"..... dug around for hours. Only one I found that said it was an actual spark arrestor muffler designed for a car/truck was by Super Trapp. From talking to local Jeep duders it seems that they all pass tech inspection with anything but a straight-through glass pack. For instance the Flowmaster 40 series I guess is a spark arrestor muffler. Is it federaly approved? I dunno! :-p Thankfully I don't think its that big a deal; DNR/USFS just dont want straight pipes, open headers, or straight-trhough glass packs out on the trails. Time to price out some Flowmasters I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 do you think they'll spaz out if i go catless? hmmmm....I need to put more thought into this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted January 27, 2005 Author Share Posted January 27, 2005 do you think they'll spaz out if i go catless? hmmmm....I need to put more thought into this. While tech inspection regs say nothing about a cat; it is federaly mandated already that a cat exist. One of those things that depends on how anal the inspector is that day :-\ Might just look at your muffler and say "yep" or he might bust out the mirror on a stick and go around your whole vehicle; then lecture you on federal and state statues :-p The only way around a cat, legaly, that I have found is for 'racing or event purposes'. So race cars and event trucks dont need one for the event or race. Now if you drive that vehicle on a county/state/fed road; you are then required to have one. Rules suck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 Im not so sure about that I have 6" of pipe off each head, and that is pretty frickin loud. Its just temporary, I needed something better than open heads to bomb around my backyard. subarus are louder with straight pipes, than open heads. its wierd... glasspack, to supertrap endcap! or, i can try and find you another harley supertrapp to use, forgot about that... oh, and ... cats are for suckers=] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudduck Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 In a away it would be safer to not have a cat seeeing as how hot they get. They can get hot enough to catch dry grass under the car on fire, exhaust pipes dont get nearly as hot as the cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 do you think they'll spaz out if i go catless? hmmmm....I need to put more thought into this. If you're worried about that, just gut the cat and leave the shell in place for them to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravityman Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 If you want you can install an exhaust by-pass valve. There are different models some controlled by a cable linkage and some controlled electronically both inside the car. Anyway when its installed and your at an inspection or having emissions tested set it to flow through the full exhaust(cats and muffler). When you leave pull the switch and BAMM you by-pass the Cats and muffler, Gain power with increased flow and sounds cool also. I think that would be awsome! The valves start around 40 or so and go up from there. I saw a 2" manual cable linkage type valve in a JEGS magazine but you can find larger if you search. Food for thought. Scott Schinsky 05 Legacy 2.5 GT 84 Brat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 If you want you can install an exhaust by-pass valve. There are different models some controlled by a cable linkage and some controlled electronically both inside the car. Anyway when its installed and your at an inspection or having emissions tested set it to flow through the full exhaust(cats and muffler). When you leave pull the switch and BAMM you by-pass the Cats and muffler, Gain power with increased flow and sounds cool also. I think that would be awsome! The valves start around 40 or so and go up from there. I saw a 2" manual cable linkage type valve in a JEGS magazine but you can find larger if you search. Food for thought. Scott Schinsky 05 Legacy 2.5 GT 84 Brat Reg states no by-pass or cut-outs allowed at time of inspecton. Rules upon rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravityman Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Suck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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