can I drill a few small holes in the baffles?

[Little Al]

2019 RG Ultra. I put on take offs from am '18 or '19 CVO EG (so I was told) The mufflers have a small HD B&S logo if it helps you identify them. I also attached a pic looking down the muffler. Pic isn't so clear but I can see the perforations on the side walls of the baffle tube and the solid plate at the front end of it.
My question is can I use a long bit and drill 3-4 maybe 3/8" holes it the solid plate? I'm only looking to make it a bit louder but not LOUD lol.
I'd drill one hole at a time until I get the level of loudness I'm looking for
Thanks in advance
Little Al

[PC_Hater]

The baffles were drilled on my bike when I bought it used. The sound wasn't as good as you might hope it to be!
YMMV etc with your 2019 bike vs my 1999 bike.
If you got the mufflers cheap - try it, there's nothing to lose.

[Hossamania]

I agree on the sound not being as good as you might think it would be. I did a set of stock pipes, and while a bit louder, sounded goofy, and had some whistling going on.
But, as PC Hater says, might be worth a try if the other option is buying new mufflers anyway.

[Little Al]

thanks guys
I think I'll leave them alone
Little Al

[kd]

There are baffle alternatives that work well in the OEM mufflers.  Many here have used them and the dyno results have been positive too. Hopefully some of those members will share their experience.  I can tell you my experience with drilling holes as you describe produced a weird tone that was not desirable.

[RTMike]

The Fulsac replacement baffles work and sound good

[jmorton10]

I tried drilling holes some years back helping out a buddy of mine.

We both thought the sound was awful & as soon as he could afford it he replaced the stock mufflers with Rinehart slip-ons.  He absolutely loved that setup & has run Rinehart exhaust on every bike he has owned since then.

~John

[Leed]

If they are CVO mufflers the Fullsack conversion works well and sounds great too. I did it on my old 06 EG and wish I kept the mufflers when I sold it.

[Little Al]

thanks for the advice all. I wasn't aware that the baffles could be replaced. The mufflers are definetly stock from a CVO EG, just not positive of the year, was told either '18 or '19.

How do the old ones come out? once you take off the end cap is there a screw or bold that holds them in?
It sounds like the Fullsac is the way to go. I just want to go a bit louder, not LOUD, lol
Thanks again
Little Al

[Little Al]

so I looked at the Fullsac baffles, easy install (and they even have pictures! lol) and choice of sound levels.
Gonna go with them.

as always, great advice from my brothers at HTT 

[kd]

Aha!  There may be a problem.  Aren't the 18 or 19 vintage CVO mufflers cat mufflers?  (2014 up?) If they are, and stuffed with cat material, can they be converted?

[HogMike]

Aha!  There may be a problem.  Aren't the 18 or 19 vintage CVO mufflers cat mufflers?  (2014 up?) If they are, and stuffed with cat material, can they be converted?

Baggers still have the cat in the header pipe.

[rigidthumper]

Small spot welds hold the stock CVO baffles in place- easily defeated with a rotary bit.

[Little Al]

I've actually done a bit more research and now I'm thinking I can take out the baffles and remove some (maybe all) of the matting, replace the baffles and happily ride away with a bit louder pipes.

Any feedback on that approach is very welcomed

thanks
Little Al

[Leed]

That sounds about right. I loved the sound of the Fullsac 1.75 in baffles.

[motorhogman]

I drilled holes in some Harley Performance mufflers years ago.  Caused a lot of decel popping. I closed them off with toggle bolts and some Canadian coins I drilled holes in.

[FLSTFIDave]

Aha!  There may be a problem.  Aren't the 18 or 19 vintage CVO mufflers cat mufflers?  (2014 up?) If they are, and stuffed with cat material, can they be converted?

No, both 18 and 19 CVO cats are in Head pipe, this I know for sure, have owned both.  Do not believe any CVO touring had cat in the muffler.

Fullsac baffles work great in CVO mufflers.  Good mellow sound when cruising, loud when getting on it.  The also make good power, not wide open so torque is good at low RPM.  Use Fullsac head pipe and fullsac mufflers with the Tech Mat and screens on both my 13 CVO King at 138.5 HP and 140 torque and on my 19 CVO Road Glide with over 160 square

[HogMike]

Aha!  There may be a problem.  Aren't the 18 or 19 vintage CVO mufflers cat mufflers?  (2014 up?) If they are, and stuffed with cat material, can they be converted?

No, both 18 and 19 CVO cats are in Head pipe, this I know for sure, have owned both.  Do not believe any CVO touring had cat in the muffler.

Fullsac baffles work great in CVO mufflers.  Good mellow sound when cruising, loud when getting on it.  The also make good power, not wide open so torque is good at low RPM.  Use Fullsac head pipe and fullsac mufflers with the Tech Mat and screens on both my 13 CVO King at 138.5 HP and 140 torque and on my 19 CVO Road Glide with over 160 square

Harley offers an exhaust system that still has the cats, but in the mufflers, not the head pipe.

I have my Fullsac exhaust setup like Dave's , been using the same setup for years on my baggers. Quiet power right where you need it!
Long trips at higher speeds won't wear me out, I'm all about stealth! LOL
You may want to contact Steve at Fullsac and ask some questions about what you want, he's no BS and will give it to you straight. Punching holes and removing baffles never works as well as someone with a dyno and the expertise to make a quality product.
Ooops, I don't work for him, not an endorsement, just my own experience over the years!

[mkd]

little al. i had se mufflers on my touring bike and the three bolys that hold the tips on also held the baffles in place. a bit of spray lube between core and muffler and mine came right out.

[Big Cahuna]

Let me throw my 2 cents in on this one. I was given a set of stock mufflers from a '12 Ultra, and deided to use them to replace my SE mufflers that were rotting thru. I decided that being the mufflers were pretty much hollow anyway, I would try doing soom drilling on them so they weren't so quiet. I found a 9/16 hole saw and extension in my garage, and decided to drill out the only obstacle in the way of the exhaust leaving the muffler. Was easy enough, and drilled both out. It sounds a bit louder then stock, but not raspy or tinny. And won't give you a headache after a few hours. Other then that ,they look completely stock. And the bonus was, they were free.,,,

[bobrk1]

Have  you  removed  the  cat? I  have  stock  mufflers  off a cvo with  the  cat removed , made  it  a  little  louder sounds  good  to  me . 12 ultra 

[Big Cahuna]

The mufflers I have didn't have the cats in them, they were and still are in the head pipe. They would be easy to drill out if that's what you wanted to do. You would need an drill bit extension, and what ever you were gonna use to drill it out.,,,