Quieter muffler.....

GTSRider · May 23, 2017

Hello....own a 2017 Craftsman 26 hp model....same as Cub Cadet XT2.
I love this garden / lawn tractor, except for the engine is so loud.
My 2003 Cube Cadet is WAY quieter than this 2017 model !
How could a 14 year NEWER model be WAY more noise ?
The 2017 has a cheap box muffler.
Is there any after market muffler that is quieter ?
Pete
Hudson Valley , NY

Oaktree · May 23, 2017

About 10 years ago I was looking for a quieter muffler for a rider mower I had at the time and didn't have much luck. Went to a couple of big lawnmower/yard equipment places and they didn't really have much either. Maybe find a way to run 2 mufflers in series?

Oldpath05 · May 23, 2017

That' one of the reasons why I dont like diesel engines, to loud. I've walked by new cars before and I could bare here it running, why cant small engines be the same way or at least alot quieter, maybe some has the answer. I have a new Craftsman T3000 riding lawnmower with Briggs engine, wish that was quieter.

Wagtail · May 24, 2017

I simply don't start or hop on either of my tractors without ear-defenders on. I have spare defenders (2 extra) for anyone who might be in the vicinity whilst they're running.

Snobdds · May 24, 2017

Noise control is more than quieting the exhaust. A lot of noise comes from the intake, and the running gear in the motor itself. I had a generator that was super loud. I put a motor cycle muffler on it and it did hardly anything to the noise level. So I researched the topic. Quiet generators had a special intake that made the intake quiet and sound deading all around to deflect the noise.

I cut plywood and glued 2in foam insulation on it, about the size of the generator. I then just laid them around the generator facing towards the dirt. It worked. I followed this video...

4x Quieter generator in 1 seconds - YouTube

thepumpguysc · May 24, 2017

Snobs right on the money except you'd look awful funny riding around in a box of plywood..Lol
They DO sell "quiet mufflers" but at 100.00 apiece, they can keep'um.. & its been proven they don't do squat..
I did the same Snot.. followed the same instructions too.. works like magic..

JRobyn · May 25, 2017

Just bends in the flow path will quiet things down a bunch. And many exhaust ports on small engines are still made with 3/4" or 1" NPT female threads. So use some galvanized or black iron pipe elbows and nipples to make a couple of 180 deg bends and then screw an old-style NPT-thread muffler on that. Quite quiet!