Turn Down Exhaust Tips Installation Questions

[Catfish]

Greetings. I found a pair of the 90 degree turn down tips and was looking to install them on my 04 Response LXI. After I had bought them, I heard from the local dealer that they won't work with the wedge (I have a manual wedge installed). I've looked at it and can't see why it wouldn't work. If it's a clearance problem, I don't see it. Anyone know about this issue?

Also, any tips on the swap out? It looks like the best way to access it is to remove the floor in the trunk and gas tank. Any advice would be appreciated.

Catfish

[eyepeeler]

What exactly is your goal? Why the swap out?

[davemac]

I believe you are correct...the gas tank has to be removed to get access. It is a rather labor intensive install procedure.

[99response]

I bought a pair last year and never had the time for the install because it takes around 2 hours to pull out the interior and gas tank. Clearance around the wedge bracket looked tight but you could always grind down one edge flat on the turn down to make it work.

-Chris

[Catfish]

I wanted to swap them out to reduce the exhaust noise somewhat. I live on a private lake but it isn't just skiers here. I want to be able to hit the course earlier without waking everyone up (we have a few neighbors out to make us miserable, but that's a whole 'nuther story). I had skied behind the same boat with the turn downs before I bought this one and it was noticeably quieter.

[davemac]

I can not speak from experience, but there is another thread on this site where someone claimed that if you have a fiberglass platform, the turn downs may actually make the exhaust louder....as it reverberates underneath. Because of this, and the install labor involved, I opted for "inline" silencers (from a now defunct manufacturer). There are photos of them in the "boat pix" section of my gallery. I installed them as a spring project along w/ insulating the motorbox. The results were very satisfactory. However, since both mods done simultaneously, it was hard for me to differentiate the individual benefits of each.

Edited October 22, 2010 by davemac

[davemac]

Catfish,

Do a "search"...enter the words "inline silencer". You should get 5 threads or so....all of which should have some good info for you...including stuff about turn downs.

[REW]

Catfish,

Do a "search"...enter the words "inline silencer". You should get 5 threads or so....all of which should have some good info for you...including stuff about turn downs.

How hard was it to cut into the exhaust tubing and get the in-line silencers in there. Any performance issues?

[onamission]

90 Degree turn downs will fit with a manual wedge, our 05 RLXi came with them. They work fine for reducing the noise while skiing. Wakeboard speed is a different story. The exhaust does bounce up from the water and hit the platform making a loud reverberation noise, not sure what the difference would be between a glass or wood platform. Inline silencers would be easer to install and should be a little quieter. Gas tank need to be moved when the dealer switch the standard wedge bracket to the stainless steel one. I think the tips could be changed without moving the tank, but I would be prepared to move it if you ran into trouble.

Edited October 22, 2010 by onamission

[Catfish]

Great photos! That's even the same color as my boat. I don't know how my local dealer came up with the compatibility issue. Maybe it was with the power wedge. In any case, it sure looks like they will work.

[davemac]

How hard was it to cut into the exhaust tubing and get the in-line silencers in there. Any performance issues?

Its simple to cut the tubing......UNTIL you hit the nasty, hard steel cable that spirals through it. Thats is when the swearing starts.

Noticeable performance issues, if any, are negligible.

Edited October 22, 2010 by davemac

[onamission]

Great photos! That's even the same color as my boat. I don't know how my local dealer came up with the compatibility issue. Maybe it was with the power wedge. In any case, it sure looks like they will work.

I got them for the looks more then the noise reduction. I have the silent rider mufflers system on the boat also and have been thinking about adding the inline silencers too. Have to keep those neighbors happy with the early morning runs.

(Jerry I might give you a call this winter if you still have yours available)