Choosing An ATV Exhaust
If you need power one day and less noise another, you will be interested in a tunable exhaust. This type of exhaust uses removable disks to vary the backpressure. You simply add more disks when you need to reduce backpressure. SuperTrapp manufactures a good quality tunable exhaust. Just remember, whenever you adjust your backpressure, it is very important to rejet or upgrade your ATV's carburetor.
It is important to keep in mind that too little back pressure can damage your engine. Your fuel/air mixture is leaned out as backpressure is reduced which causes your engine to run hotter. This can cause damage to your exhaust valves. Unless you are going to rebuild your engine every 10 miles, you need to make sure you consider long term durability when you select your exhaust system.
When looking for an aftermarket ATV exhaust system, it is important to consider the quality. Resistance to corrosion is a very important quality in an ATV exhaust system. Riding through the mud, sand and water reduces the longevity of any exhaust system. If you use your ATV for work, it may come in contact with even more corrosive materials such as fertilizer or insecticides. Some aftermarket exhausts are made of aluminum, which is lightweight and somewhat resistant to corrosion. You can also find exhausts made of stainless steel. This type of exhaust is a bit heaver and more expensive, but significantly more resistant to corrosion. To maximize resistance to corrosion, the finish of a high quality muffler should be brushed or polished.
The finest materials in the world are worthless if they are constructed poorly. Some exhaust systems are held together with rivets and spot welds. This isn’t the best combination for a high-vibration, high-pressure component. You should look for a fully welded exhaust system, which trades rivets for bolts in the areas that are meant to be used as attachment points or in areas where welding doesn’t work.
A quality aftermarket ATV exhaust system will cost at least a couple of hundred dollars. When you select your exhaust system, it is important to evaluate your needs and performance expectations. Upgrading your exhaust system is a simple, fast and cost effective way to improve ATV performance by ten percent. You can usually install the exhaust system yourself in a few hours by using ordinary hand tools.
