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Weed Burner or Stack?


oletimer

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I have a 2006 Volvo VNL with a D12.  When I was building the bed to carry all the "toys" I removed the stack and used most of the piping to convert to the weed burner.  No muffler.  The older I get, the softer Susan's voice gets, and even though the truck doesn't sound too loud to me, I can't here her over the truck.  Top Dog says "YOU NEED TO INSTALL A MUFFLER"!!!  Sooo,  I need some help/advise, maybe even a picture or two.  I have looked at several sites for parts, like the one RandyA posted in one discussion, but don't know how I can install one without getting to close to air, fuel, and electrical lines.  We dry camp much of the time, and I hate to hang everything too low, or under the drive shaft, but I know I can't have my cake, and eat it too.  I will drive by the Volvo dealer in Kansas City in the next few days (75 miles) for some ideas, but any comments would be helpful.  As always, Thanks.   Dick T       

2006 Volvo VNL 630(VED12 400HP)
10 speed autoshift,3.58 gear 236" twin screw, w/ET, Jackalopee, Blue Dot
2016 Space Craft 37'

Blu/Dot, Dexter 8K triple axel, HD Drum hydraulic brakes

Feather lite air ride
2005 Jeep Rubicon
2007 Suzuki DR 650

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Dick,

You asked for any comments so thought I would share my experience.   Might help others.   Our truck is 2001 770 powered by Cummins so our routing of muffler etc is likely different than what you face. Our muffler is attached to the top frame under the passenger part of  the cab.  Heat shield etc in place.  The mistake I made during conversion was to daylight the tailpipe pointed at the ground.  Rooster would kick up so much dust on non-paved surfaces it was embarrassing, not to mention annoying to others.  I had the tailpipe redirected horizontally.

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My truck (Cummins) had a factory weedburner mounted just behind the right fuel tank outside the frame. It discharged toward the center of the frame. I flipped it over and ran the discharge out thru the fairing with a down spout (to be legal ). Works fine, but you probably don't want to know Volvo's price.

You'd have to see the movie to understand..........

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I have a Volvo 770 with a Cummins ISX 450 that I converted to a weedburner.  I installed a Walker Noisebreaker 22980 muffler.  Supposedly designed specifically for attenuating exhaust/engine brake noise.  When I bought it, Advance Auto had the best price with their 20% off and free shipping coupons.  I paid $135 including shipping.  Amazon currently has it for around $170 with shipping for Prime members.  Here is the main product site:

http://www.walkerheavyduty.com/en-US/products/mufflers/mega-flow-noisebraker

And here, on the first page, are the dimensions for the 22980 (and all of their other mufflers)

http://www.walkerheavyduty.com/downloads/english/catalog/2014-2015-WalkerCV-MufflerSpecifications.pdf

The body of the 22980 is 10" in diameter and 44" long, not including the inlet/outlet pipes.  Those are 3.5" long each, so it is 51" tip to tail.  The inlet/outlet pipes are 5" in diameter.  I mounted it on the other side of the frame rail from the passenger side fuel tank (inboard).  The center of the muffler is just a bit below the bottom of the frame rail.  It runs next to the drive shaft.  I put a tip on it that aims the exhaust down and toward the center of the truck.

You may find that an offset or oval muffler fits your space better, but I preferred the Noisebreaker 22980 for my application.

Prior to that exhaust, I had a very short "muffler" in the same spot that really didn't do much in my opinion.  I could hear it over the radio most of the time.  Not a big deal, but not quiet.  With the new exhaust, I really have to listen for it, and it completely disappears with the radio on.  A passenger and I can talk comfortably while under way.

The exhaust aiming down does kick up dust if I drive over gravel or dirt while under power.  If I let it idle in gear, the dust is minimal.  I just keep that in mind when in campgrounds and do my best to keep the dust down.

My personal experience is that the weedburner isn't going to be as quiet as a regular stack, but the exhaust that I installed is pretty close.  I couldn't be happier with it.

The hardest part of the installation is figuring out where to attach the exhaust hangers on the truck.  But it's really pretty simple.  You'll probably need some straight sections of 5" pipe, a couple of exhaust pipe unions, a couple of hangers, a couple of elbows and a tip.  You can easily cut the straight sections to the length that you want with an angle grinder.  I'm sure that a hack saw could do it too with a little more elbow grease.  If you're not in a rush, order the muffler that you want and a couple of clamps, a straight section, etc.  Go minimal.  Mock it up, see what fits where and what else you'll need.  It will become obvious as you start to fit it all in there.  Then you can order whatever you're missing.

Hope that some of this helps.

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Dick,

I just replaced our muffler last week.  Donaldson muffler w/ 5" in/out for $65 at my local Mack dealer.  Don't know if it's as quiet as the muffler described above, but it seems pretty quiet to me.  I put the same muffler on our Mack last winter and am happy with it.

But, both our trucks are vertical stack, so I guess I did little to answer your question............

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com

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Dealers have a generic catalog, be it Walker, Donaldson, or another brand, that will have a picture, and measurements of more mufflers than you ever dreamt of. 

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


Please e-mail us here.

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I have actually considered converting the Trolley weedburner back to a single vertical stack just to get the dust down and to keep from getting the one finger salute from walkers and bikers on the sidewalk......

 

Even at idle our little M11 has about twice the exhaust volume as a dodge / GM / Ford diesel pickup......

 

Perhaps our worst "gas-attack" occurred at the Four-Corners Fruit Inspection just West of Parker AZ when our weedburner was feeding right into the window AC unit at the inspection station.........Not good juju.......

For the most part we try to drive the back roads when we travel to the horse camps but it seems that when we get to town we sometimes get stuck in traffic and wind up gassing the folks on the sidewalk........

Often in some parts of the world I would be operating aircraft on crowded airport ramps and it was vital that I would not let the aircraft prop-wash injure folks on the ramp and it took a lot of care, however often with a truck you have no choice where you are and the exhaust location is fixed......

 

Drive on..........(some locations can be ........;.exhausting....) 

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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1 hour ago, Av8r3400 said:

d168b8daf1106c73a3fe53b64496f502.jpg

Poor copilot.....she has to stand on the battery box and hang onto the mirror...

 

Drive on. ... (Copilot's get no .....respect)

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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Got real tired of hearing rain caps rattle while running a Farmall "M" in my youth..........

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com

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Thanks for the comments, and suggestions guys.  I have been away from the internet for a couple days, so just got back to read them.  The muffler I removed is in good shape, and it is almost like the one recommend here by shifted's post.  I went to the weed burner about 6-7 years ago for more deck room for all the toys we carry, plus I was getting soot on the trailer, mostly the awning . Might just leave it a weed burner, because I can't remember how to plumb the stack!!   Not even sure what I had for breakfast a few minutes ago.  I think though I will try to find an oval muffler for more clearance for the fuel tanks/lines, might be easier than a heat shield.  Thanks again.    Dick T

2006 Volvo VNL 630(VED12 400HP)
10 speed autoshift,3.58 gear 236" twin screw, w/ET, Jackalopee, Blue Dot
2016 Space Craft 37'

Blu/Dot, Dexter 8K triple axel, HD Drum hydraulic brakes

Feather lite air ride
2005 Jeep Rubicon
2007 Suzuki DR 650

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Dick, I sincerely doubt that an oval muffller will give you enough addition clearance, as opposed to a round muffler, to negate the need for a heat shield. The mufflers and pipes on a HDT radiate a LOT of heat that can cause problems to nearby components. This is just my thought,  based on being in close proximity to mufflers and pipes before they have had time to cool down.     Charlie

Don't ever tell a soldier that he doesn't understand the cost of war.

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