Product Review Article ...

Keep it quiet with this neat little stinger add-on muffler by T-Mod Racing!

Mufflers seem to be a popular topic these days with most gas boaters, as we frequently hear of club ponds having complaints from nearby residents due to problems with excessive noise. This sport, as with most sports, is very competitive, and no racer necessarily wants the added weight and power loss usually associated with some muffling devices. The T-Mod Muffler just might be the answer for many boaters out there. This add-on muffler is manufactured by Mike Tyson of T-Mod Racing in Richmond Virginia USA.

Construction

The T-Mod is made of 6061-T6 aluminum seamless alloy tubes and end plates. It offers good machineability, appearance, strength, and corrosion resistance. All fasteners are made of stainless steel, with the exception of the two snap rings which are heavily zinc-plated steel. The latter are used to fix the rear end plate on the inner tube. This construction allows for an almost totally rust proof unit, while keeping it lightweight and easy to maintain. The T-Mod mufflers are available for tuned pipes with 1/2" (QD steel pipes) and 17/32" stingers (Hanson, Midwest, Prather, Macs and most other 60-90 nitro and gas aluminum pipes). The body has a 1-1/2" outside diameter and 2" long and the overall length is 3". The complete unit weighs less than 2 ounces. Smaller ones for .20 nitro pipes are also available. Unit is sold with a "mill finish", but it can be polished to a nice shine if desired.

According to Mike, "each muffler requires 32 separate operations and 20 holes to be drilled. All cuts on the aluminum parts are lathe finished. The design parameters included: little or no power loss, light weight, durability, compact functional engineered appearance, reasonable noise reduction within the design constraints, good value. And to pass the current IMPBA muffler rule. In short, a muffler that is preferred for racing applications. So far, the ones I've been testing on race boats have been installed, run hard, and required no attention whatever."

Testing

The unit tested was for use on a Midwest or Hanson type aluminum tuned pipe. Installing the muffler is a breeze. The fit on the pipe is near perfect and the supplied hose clamp works just fine to fix the muffler on the stinger of the tuned pipe. Once installed, this muffler increases the total length of the exhaust system by about 2.0 - 2.5 inches.

The T-Mod is also supplied with a stainless steel safety wire and crimp connector, so that you may secure it to your boat in case clamp loosens and the muffler detaches from the stinger. When using the safety wire, keep it as short as possible to avoid having muffler hit prop in a blow-off. One must keep in mind however, that depending on where this wire is fixed, you may or may not be able to easily interchange mufflers/pipes, as the crimp type connector is permanent.

The muffler, as supplied, has no packing, but packing can be installed by following the supplied instructions for disassembling and reassembling the unit. Taking muffler apart and reassembling can be done in a matter of minutes.

Results

Motor/Pipe used: Midwest G-23 SuperMod with Midwest aluminum pipe (2" mid section)

Noise Level: maximum 90db measured on lake shoreline, sound measuring instrument at 50 feet from boat, facing the side of the boat.

Performance: no noticeable performance loss (on water testing)

Pros

• compact and lightweight
• superior craftsmanship, looks great!
• easy to disassemble and reassemble
• effective noise reduction (meets IMPBA rules)

Cons

• none

Conclusion

In brief, the T-Mod muffler is a compact, efficient muffling device that looks great and actually gave my boat a nice grunty sound. It should keep your setup within IMPBA noise limitations, and have little to no effect on performance...the ideal setup for club racers and sport boaters alike.

Contact Information

Mike Tyson
T-Mod Racing
12303 Sentury Meadow Drive
Richmond, VA 23233 USA
Phone 804-360-5432
e-mail: mtyson@budweiser.com

Payment options: Check, Money Order, Paypal.
Price: $25.00 USD (any size)
Shipping: United States - $4.00 USD for up to 5 mufflers/order, Priority Mail.
Outside USA - post office rate rounded up to nearest dollar.

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