I have to post this positive thread about Jim over at STS baffles because he really delivered on his product. I just got his baffles the other day and got a chance to install them last night. Very straight foward install and alot of tuneability built into them. As he stated that the center cap can be drilled to a specific size or be completely removed for decibel or HP control. As the young and crazy vette enthusiast I decided to test out all my options. First I ran the open side tubes with no baffles in them and they were way too loud. Then I installed the STS baffles without the center caps. Now they sounded good for a track only setup but I still couldn't bare the sound levels that it made for street use so I welded back on the caps. With the caps on it sounded great!!!! I could live with the sound at that level and I even noticed that it idles way better too. With the stock baffles it sounded like it was being choked down by the flow restriction and now it had no problem idling without stalling from a cold start. The entire test and tune procedure took ME about 3 hours to complete but that's because I wanted to hear the differences between the setups for myself. Since my camera isn't the best for sound I didn't get the different setups on film but later I will post a final sound video. I was most impressed with the packaging that they came in.... I attached a few pics and like I said, I will post a video later.

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Nice! How much?

 

You using Hooker sidepipes? Just curious, but what baffles did you have in before? You can buy the sidetubes without any baffles right?
I am about to order new Hooker sidepipes and I also was gonna try those STS baffles so any tips would be great

 

Nice I should get mine mon or tue and cant wait. I need to breakin my new sidepipes/2004r trans/new 7qt oil pan. Im going strait for the quiet caps on, the open sidepipes are just going to get me in trouble.
I hope it will be quiet enough dont want it loud. Next will be the covers for the pipes but have to wait another p-day or so to keep wife aggro to a managable level. Good luck and have fun thankyou for the great picks.

Best Regards

 

I went from hooker glasspaks this week to spiral turbo baffles, it sounds louder at idle but after idle i don"t think it"s much if any louder than the glasspaks i to was afraid it was going to be too loud. I left the center caps on.

 

It was $335 shipped and the install went fairly well. You do have to be carefull when drilling the mounting holes to make sure they are straight. I lined it as straight as I could and still had to use the dremel on the holes to get the baffle mounts to align with them. When you tighten the allen screws it covers any imperfections with the washers. The nut is welded onto the baffle so you don't have to reach in the tube to hold it when tightening it. I originally bought the Hooker super comp sidepipe system and it comes with it's own glasspack style baffle which is very restrictive. If you get just the sidepipes they don't come with baffles but I think if you add up the price of the headers and side tubes separatly it might be cheaper to buy the system like I did. I got my Hooker system at Summit for $950 shipped, but I got the black ones. The stock baffles also rust very quickly as I found out last night when I pulled them after about 2 months. They did slide right out though. It is louder at idle and when you rev it up but when at any constant rpm it's not that bad. Still working on getting the video on here.

 

Lookin good Strokervette I too have the STS that I will run with cap on. Only problem is...I have no instructions on how to mount them. (bought from a forum member) PLEASE...Is there any way you could send the mount instructions to me? Scan & email....pic then email...mail a copy??
Let me know via PM.
Thank you very much
Eddie

 

Did you try to drill the caps at all? I'm putting in a 383 soon and have the Hooker sidepipes with the STS baffles. I'm curious about perhaps drilling a 1/4" hole in the cap. Not removing them completely but Jim had mentioned that as yet another tuning option. Anyone here tried this? I'd also be curious to see a dyno sheet of the various set-ups too.
-CR

 

If you have a fax you can use I can fax them to you.

 

I didn't even try them with holes drilled because I thought it would be too loud. I'm fine with the caps being on and it way better than the stock baffles. Mabey down the road I might drill them a bit but I'm happy. I don't think there will be as big a marginal difference between capped and drilled compared to being capped or uncapped so that's why I went with capped. I will tell you that it will be louder though.

 

Here ya go
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And here is a couple of videos I made after the baffles were installed. It was raining today so I didn't get to go outside and the garage acoustics don't make it sound that clear. The second video is of my exhaust evac system for the garage.

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Thankyou for the video sounds good. I sure hope that was without the caps if not I might have to get something quieter. Maybe like you said its alot louder due to the garage guess ill find out the hard way.


Best Regards

 

It's not really that loud now that I got it out of the garage. Actually my friend says it's quieter than the stock baffles. I think it has a tinny sound to it and it might just be louder at idle but not at cruising speeds. The sound resonates off of objects more, like cars next to me or driving along side a barricade.
I don't think you can hear it but I still have a pinging issue to resolve. I have a Holley 750 DP that had 71 primaries(now 76) and 81 secondaries. I went up 5#s on the primary and now it don't ping until I get into the secondaries. So now I just have to get like a 85 or a 86 jet for the secs. I STILL have a blubbering rpm until around 2000 rpms and then it smooths out nice, I don't what it is ......still too lean or mayby the primary accelerator pump adjustment. Here are some better videos I took today.

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Looks like I can make them for 15 dollars

I just need a 4 inch hole saw

I'm going to make them now

Sound good

Pretty quiet

 

Yes, you could make them yourself but the accuracy of the spaces between each spiral was spot on, I measured them. I also thought I would be able to make them and then I decided that I didn't want the hassle of the "fit-cut-fit-cut...etc to get them right. IMHO money well spent and fast shipping too. The spirals have a unique bend to them as well that is uniform all the way from end to end. To all their own. I'd really be interested to see yours when your done and let me know how much time you spent on them, and then I might reconsider the choice I made. Good luck.

P.S. Mine are made of aluminized steel, just something to think of when shopping.

 

That's what I did to mine, just drilled a large hole through the plug.

Here is my Vette w/ STS baffels "Uncapped".....

http://videos.streetfire.net/search/...07498824be.htm

 

I think Les dynoed his L88 clone with no muffler, capped, then uncapped. I forget the numbers but "uncapped" was only down 10RWHP vs no muffler at all.

 

Yeah sounded much better outside and not to loud. Thankyou for update video. I also had pinging and would only here it when next to a wall and on throttle. a couple degrees off the timing took care of it. I was on stock exhaust dont think you can hear it with pipes on. I know now exactly where to put my timing so no worries now with the pipes.And a gallon or so of 117 octane will allow me to bump time back up a couple degrees for safe measure. Thanks again like your gauges nice install car sound nice and fast. No tickets now Im sure going to try to be good myself.

Best Regards

 

Thanks

I have a lot more time than you and a lot less money