I just picked up a set of Sampson street sweepers, got an amazing deal on them. They have no baffles installed. I presently have stock headers and rush slip ons with 2" baffles. Motor has heads done, cams, 95"big bore. I don't want to lose a bunch of torque but don't want to quiet the pipes down much either. Thinking from all I've read I will need some type of baffle for back pressure, I see 4" steel baffles for $4.99 all the way up to almost $50ea for 6-10" baffles. Bike was dyno tuned with the rush slip ons and I'd like to get a baffle to get possibly close to my tune. Any suggestions??

 

You're right to be concerned about back pressure. It's an important issue often overlooked. I personally recommend Big City Thunder Monster Baffles. I've installed them in the last 5 sets of pipes I've used. They provide back pressure without lowering sound decibels. They provide a slightly lower exhaust tone compared to running open pipes which sometimes sound hollow. I like Loud Pipes and the Big City Thunders provide the sound I want without sacrificing bottom end torque.

Regardless of what baffles you purchase, as an experiment, run your Samson's "Open" for a couple days prior to installing the baffles. By doing this you'll be able to judge the effectiveness of the baffles.

 

Got'em, love them. Tuning required.

 

What is the diameter of the Samson pipes? I ran the first generation Samson Rip Saws on my 2005 Se Fat Boy for about 2-1/2 years. They were strictly drag pipes and didn't come with baffles. Mine had power cones in them and they were 1-3/4" if I remember correctly.
My bike ran perfect with them. The sound was so obnoxiously loud that I finally switched to a Fat Cat.
I read where you lose a lot of low end running drag pipes, but for some reason my bike performed great with drag pipes. I tried some after market baffles, but they didn't help lower the sound. There wasn't hardly any baffles on the market that would fit in the smaller dia. drag pipes. That was one of the reasons I didn't lose low end power, because of the smaller diameter pipes. When you pull baffles out of 2" and larger pipes it makes a bigger difference as far losing back pressure.
I also read on the forum that power cones wont help. They seemed to work for me.

Another thing you can try is putting in some lollipops in the end of the exhaust to increase low end power with drag pipes. There is a write up on how to fab them in the exhaust section. They are just large washers welded on to a bolt. You can adjust them to increase back flow.
I made a pair and used them thinking it might quiet the exhaust just a hair, but it didn't. I also couldn't tell any difference in performance.
Tom

 

These are the 1-3/4" diameter pipes. The guy I bought them off of told me he had torque cones in them up at the head end and he didn't have any problems other than them being obnoxiously loud. Maybe I will just stick them on and see how it runs. If it runs bad, try the washer trick then the $75 thunder baffles. Thanks for all the input.

Joe

 

I put big city monster baffles in my V&H and my Freedom pipes. Sound was great in both. I like them. Also try and check DK I think they had some kinda lollipop or tunable baffle on their site.

 

DKCustoms Thunder Torque Inserts are an option. A modified lollipop design sold by a Forum sponsor. About $25. They provide a nice rumble at idle, a relatively quiet cruise, and are pretty loud when you put the hammer down. Worth a look.

 

When I was running drag pipes they didn't make thunder baffles that would fit in 1-3/4" pipes.
Tom

 

+2 on Big City Thunder Baffles...noticed an increase on bottom end torque

 

I made my own baffles for my stock pipes. Just got 2 peices of pipe with the ID I wanted and had both ends swelled out to fit inside stock cans. Then cut in loovers to catch air and wrapped them with some stock baffle wrap. Turned out really well and only cost $20.