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DG Hard-Krome 3" Straight Baffle Modification

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Written by Mike VanDenburgh   
Friday, 11 June 2004

Several people have complained that their after market pipes are too loud.
This can be very annoying on long trips. Here is a cheap and easy modification for the DG HK baffles.

1. Go to Home Depot and buy 2 Danco Crumb Cups. Located in the sink repair department. Danco part #89049. The price at my Home Depot was $1.48 each. They appear to be stainless steel.

2. Remove the baffle set screw with a 3/16" Allen head wrench.



If the baffle has been in for a while, a squirt of WD-40 around the inner edge will assist with the removal.

3. Place the baffle in a vise.

4. The lip of the crumb cup needs to be ground so it will fit inside the baffle. Slowly turn on a grinder using a pair of pliers or welders gloves (it will get hot!)

5. Cut between holes on 4 sides of basket using a pair of dykes. Bend up and down where cuts were made.

6. Insert basket into baffle. Push down until the lip on the basket contacts the lip inside of the baffle. Tap lightly around the basket's outer edge with a screwdriver or drift and a hammer if necessary. The cut and bends on the 4 sides will hold the baffle in place. I also recommend taking a punch and lightly staking the basket around it's lip. 3 or 4 light stake points should assure a rattle free assembly.

NOTE: The crumb cup (basket) goes in the end coming from the header pipe.

7. Put baffle back in exhaust pipe. That may be the hardest part! Lining it back up takes practice!

Be sure to use some Loctite on the set screw when reinstalling. Be sure to wipe away any remaining WD-40.

The resulting sound will be somewhere between a stage 1 and stage 3 mod on the OEM pipes. This will result in a slight loss of power. You can continue to fine-tune the sound and performance by drilling out the center hole of the inserted cup (see below).

I personally did the additional mod pictured above on the right and am very happy with the volume and performance.

EDITOR NOTE: Mike also sent us this picture of an alternative suggested to him by Starman with the following note: "Alternatively, you could attempt the same mod without removing the baffles as pictured above.  Wedge the crumb cups into the back of the baffle and seal with a hi-temp silicone"  -Thanks Starman!



Questions should be asked in our forum (Use discuss link below). The forum is very active and you stand a good chance of getting your questions answered there. If you would like to leave feedback for the author, or have additional information you think will benefit others, please use the comment section at the bottom of this page.

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DISCLAIMER: This information and procedure is provided as a courtesy and is for informational purposes only.  Neither the publishers nor the authors accept any responsibility for the accuracy, applicability, or suitability of this procedure.  You assume all risks associated with the use of this information.  NEITHER THE PUBLISHERs NOR THE AUTHORs SHALL IN ANY EVENT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OF ANY NATURE ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS INFORMATION OR LACK OF INFORMATION.  Any type of modification or service work on your motorcycle should always be performed by a professional mechanic. If performed incorrectly, this procedure may endanger the safety of you and others on your motorcycle and possibly invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty.


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  Comments (10)
silicone trick doesn't work.
Written by Jaybo, on 05-26-2017 12:40
I tried, they lasted at best 10 miles. They need to be screwed or wired or something.
Written by fxrshog, on 11-15-2013 20:07
Installed the cups per the instructions above. No noticeable change in the excess noise. Finally, took the things off and installed a nice V&H Pro Pipe. Wow, what a sweet sound. The neighbors and local officers also appreciate the swap. :)
HK 3"
Written by Fiddlekop1, on 08-09-2011 15:46
About to put some on my 07. We will see how it sounds, but I am ready to get the crumb basket if needed.
Written by Tek4bama, on 12-11-2010 20:58
I have a 2007 Yamaha Roadstar Midnight Silverado with the factory hard saddlebags and have the Hard Krome K2`s on order to arive 12-13-2010.  
Does anyone have these particular exhaust on their bike? 
These exhaust are not straight, and turn up some for more ground clearence and just wanted to know if they will fit under the hard bags? 
Any information you can give about jetting would also be helpful, as I have a Dynojet stage 1&2 jet kit coming with the exhaust!! 
Also would like to know how they sound, should anyone have these type of aftermarket exhaust? 
One more thing, should I block off the AIS, as my bike backfires and coughs a great deal!! 
Thanks For All Of Your Help and information. 
 
Tek
Easy and Quieter
Written by colobiker, on 04-29-2010 13:25
I used 2 7/8" Domed Strainer Covers I got from Home Depot.Took a Dremel and cut out the center around the inside row of holes. Put a bead of hi-temp silicon on the back side of the strainer that will contact the baffle. I used a seal driver to tap them into place against the baffle.I then drilled and installed 2 small sheet metal screw in each strainer .The pipes have a much mellower tone now, and after 500 miles, no problems at all. The whole project only took about 30 minutes, and cost about $5.00
Hard Krome Noise Reduction
Written by Scot Thompson, on 10-16-2009 20:37
I like the 3" straights Hard Kromes...but they are noisy after several hours of riding. Gets attention though and that is a good thing in traffic.  
I wanted a little more quiet, so I read these posts and here's what I did. Went to Lowes Home Improvement and bought two Strainer Dome Covers. These are distributed by Keeney Manuf. Co. and have Lowes P/N K5064PC. They look like simple chrome sink strainers. My Hard Kromes have the straight end caps secured by the allen head set screw. Take the end caps off, insert the strainer and tap it in with the end cap to make it square to the pipe. Install the end cap and secure with the set screw. That's it. I did it in the parking lot! Instant noise reduction, easy to remove. When I got home, I took the Dremel and enlarge the center hole to meet the first set of radius holes on the strainer. I did not change the jetting and it is quieter, throaty and my neighbors appreciate my bike a little better. The end caps hold everything in and I can remove them with the allen wrench used to remove the end caps.
Hard Krome 3" noise reduction
Written by Scot Thompson, on 10-16-2009 20:28
better
Written by okbye1, on 03-20-2009 00:35
I did the basket thing, only not really a basket,'strainer Dome 2-7/8 inch frp, Ace part # 4135836 I think you can use this only if you have the smartpartz baffles in already. just a lip on the edge and it fits perfectly into the 3" pipes. I drilled some more holes on the outside circle and opened up the middle just a bit. The opening in the center is almost as big as the one from the smartpartz baffle so I was really surprised how much it changed the sound. Way more mellow and it sounds great, feels great and from the nose test, way less hydrocarbons out the pipe. some high temp caulking to hold it against the baffle and the tip mounting acorn nut is all to hold it in. Makes me want to ride the bike more than before. Made sure I pulled and gave it an outward curve so there is a gap between the screen and the baffle tip.
hk 3"
Written by okbye1, on 03-18-2009 00:24
second hand bike had the 3" HK . I also put in hard core baffles, still to loud (without earplugs, which means for the public that I ride past) I wrapped the new baffles with header wrap, better, but still to loud. i may put stock back on and get the better gas mileage also. The HK look so good though.
Tried but only worked 2 weeks
Written by afb284, on 09-11-2008 19:37
I have HK 3" straights. They were too loud so I tried the crumb cup mod. It worked great for 2 weeks then pipes went back to louder and vibration. 
I just installed the Hard Kore baffles but still loud plus vibration. Could it be there is an exhaust leak which is causing this? Any help would be appreciated. Al

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