Baffle Packing? Effect? Performance or Just Sound?

[adlerx]

OK, if your baffles come with fiberglass packing, we all know that a couple thousand miles and all that stuff is gonna blow out of there. I have no problem with this, my question is regarding performance. I know the pipe is louder once the packing is all eradicated, I have no problem with this.
If I have me bike dynotuned with the packing in and a couple thousand miles down the road that packing is gone, does it affect the tune and AFR?
I ask because I am about to spend the big bucks and travel 650 miles for a good tune. The pipe I am using on y 08 is a V&H ProPipe HS that I retrofitted with o2 bungs to make compatible with my 08.
The pipe is almost new and still has it's packing mostly intact. If it's gonna change the tune if tuned with packing and later packing blows it out, I'll either secure it or remove it.
Like to hear thoughts on this and if some of you tuners could weigh in, that would be great. Especially FLTRI since you are the one tuning it!

[JohnS_Rosamond]

Losing the internal packing will (I think) change the exhaust flow rate.  I would guess that the packing, to some small extent, directs exhaust gas flow.  I don't think that it should change your AFR though.  In the instructions for the Supertrapp system, it states that removing the baffling will not increase the performance of the exhaust system (but I suppose that it might hurt a little if the baffling is helping to keep exhaust flow high).  Also, I think you're being a little pessimistic about the fiberglass packing disappearing in a few thousand miles.  Good packing should last much longer than that.  SuperTrapp actually sells a "heavy weave" replacement packing if you're insterested.  Has lasted quite a long time in my 'Trapp.

[05FLHTC]

On my old propipe we had pulled the packing & placed 2 hose clamps around the packing area to close off a couple rows of holes. This helped with the bottom end Tq & ever so slightly reduced the HP at redline. The clamps were a permanent fix. Mine was quite loud & obnoxious on long road trips without the hose clamps or packing in the baffle.

[MMOCGuy]

If you are going to spend the big bucks to have it dynotuned, then I would suggest making sure that your baffling is going to stay the same throughout the useful life of the tune. Anytime the baffles change, it effects the exhaust flow to one degree or another. Even if it is a slight change that is unnoticeable in the "Seat of your pants", it would probably effect the state of the dynotune. Just my humble opine.

If you are concerned that the fiberglass wrap will blow out, then I would replace it before you have the bike tuned. Replace it with a higher quality wrap that will stay put. Or, as you stated, if you don't care about the noise, remove the fiberglass wrap ahead of time. In any case, I'd be sure that I like the sound of the system before I spend the money for the dynotune.

I hope this helps.

NormS.

[adlerx]

HAHAHA! I pulled the baffle to have a look. There was just enough packing in there to have the little shard coming out the pipe! Few hundred miles on this bike and it is GONE! On my way to hardware to get some hose clamps. Had a propipe on prevoius bike as I recall, that packing only lasted a few hundred miles too. Had the hose clamps on that one as well as a washer attached to a bolt down the center with holse in the end of the baffle. worked well, kinda loud, sounds fast! Haha
thanks for all the replys

[Ed Y]

See the link below. This is the baffle on my Pro Pipe HS on a 2002 RG that I have. I have it packed like the picture shows with 10 oz fiberglass cloth and a couple of wraps of mechanic's wire around them. It has held up for at least 8,000 miles. I also have a large hose clamp around the inner most set of holes.

http://www.westendmotorsports.com/vance-hines-into-pipebrreplacement-competition-baffle-p-2922.html

[Boe Cole]

I've been avoiding pulling the baffles on my SuperTrapp mufflers due to plain lazyness but have wondered if the tune was getting affected by the glass slowly going away.  Have 22k miles on the bike since the pipes were installed and I'd really be surprised if anything was left in the mufflers.  The above posts are really making me feel guilty and will pull the pipes this weekend to see what is most likely not there any longer!!!!!