What to do with old tube/can mufflers

[Jim Svitko]

I have a box of those factory supplied mufflers.  The large, tube mufflers that are usually too heavy and too big.

It looks like in some cases, the rectangular portion can be cut off and with a bit of welding and drilling, a tube muffler can be made.  Has anyone done this?

Otherwise, I have a box of rather useless metal parts, maybe suitable for recycling along with aluminum cans.

[Dan McEntee]

  Some stock factory model mufflers can be lightened up a bit by grinding off anything that isn't necessary such as cooling fins or big corners. Put them on a scale as is and weigh them, and mark them with that weight and what engine they are from. That may open up some opportunities for you to use them where nose weight is necessary because some will cross over and fit other brands. Cutting off the stack to add a tube is something i have wanted to try but haven't gotten around to yet. I have some old lawn chairs that were aluminum tube frames stashed just for that reason. You just need a TIG welder or someone that has one and is familiar with welding aluminum. On something like the ST G-.51 with that huge monstrosity of a muffler, some have taken the round stack, plugged the end, drilled some holes or cut some slits and made tongue mufflers from those and supposedly they work OK. I made one up but have yet to try it out. Lots of possibilities. I would not throw them away, someone just may be looking for one that you have.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Paul Taylor]

I have cut the stacks off of tube mufflers and used JB Weld to attach an aluminum plate over the end. Drilled some holes in it and it worked nicely as a tongue muffler. I still have is somewhere in a box.