DIY silencers
Silencers appropriate for carrier can be tricky to come by. The dustbin type was almost ideal but they seem to be difficult to get hold of now and to be honest, they don't do much silencing. The ones supplied with most engines are normally very effective but very prone to damage during heavy carrier landings. So, there's only one thing for it, make my own!
I have read a few times about the homemade mousse can type silencers. These seemed like a good idea. They are light, and can be arranged in such away that they are not prone to damage. Mine differs slightly to most because I will be making the important joints by brazing rather than epoxy. Hopefully, they should be long lasting items. Here's how I made mine.
Step 1: Obtain a suitably sized deodorant can. Remove the plastic top.
Step 2: Remove most of the paint. Knock the valve through into the can. I used a small chisel and hammer.
Step 3: Turn over the can and make a hole in the bottom that is a couple of millimeteres smaller than the aluminium tube we will be brazing to the can. Ideally, the tube wants to be the same size as the exhaust manifold. Remove the valve that was knocked through earlier. Make sure the can and tube are nice and clean ready for brazing.
Step 4: Brazing.
Step 5: You should now have a nice strong joint. Tidy it up if you like.
Step 6: Enlarge the hole in the can to the same size as the tube.
Step 7: Whilst not strictly necessary,the silencer will look more pooffesional if you spend a bit of time shining it up with wet and dry paper.
Step 7: Obtain a pressure nipple if required. Make a hole just big enough so that the nipple will thread itself into the can. Secure it with JB-Weld or a similar high temp epoxy.
The same thing can be done with any size can to produce a silencer to meet your needs.
Here is the complete silencer. Join it to a tuned pipe exhaust manifold suitable for your engine and it's ready to go. Altogether it weighs only 49g. Standard silencers often weigh 100g or more!
Here's the silencer connected to a Jen 37 in a carrier model.
A simple wire assembly will help keep the silencer in position.
Ready to roll!
This article was first published: 18/05/2011