# Can I "silence a snowblower?" using a muffler ?



## lawnboy11

I have a resi route and use snowblowers. The noise is not acceptable at 3:00 a.m of course so I wanted to know if anyone has put a muffler of some type onto a snowblower to make it quiet. Specifically toro snow commanders (7hp 2cycle engine). Or, any info on installing a muffler or silencer type dealie onto a 2 cycle engine would be appreciated.

I'm also interested in the possibility of installing catalytic converters onto 2 cycle handheld or other equipment to reduce pollution. Just want to know if it's possible. I'd pay 100$ to have a quiet snowblower or cleaner burning equipment. Any comments or help apprecated. Thanks!


----------



## Rcgm

I have justed fired them up at 4 or even 3 in the morning.If they want to get out to go to work they have to understand.I have never had a complaint.


RCGM
Brad


----------



## Proscapez LLC

I tried that on one of my snowkings and it wouldnt run good.


----------



## Sydenstricker Landscaping

I always try to make some kind of noise. I feel if they hear me, then they know I was there when I send them the bill for plowing. I always put flowmaster duals on my trucks, kinda funny when you see lights go on at 3 am when you blip the throttle a little when stacking a decent pile. But to answer your question I really dont know of a way to effectively silence a snow blower. I think if they were intended to be quiet, they would have been that way from the factory. thats just my opinion


----------



## lawnboy11

Noise IS an issue at 3am in an upscale resi community with neighbors one on top of the other. 
I HAVE been stopped by police at 3am. What I normally do when it's too late for blowers is shovel steps and anything else I can do then go back later and snow blow (tight arse route so it's no biggie). Now, if there's a blizzard I say F U to all and just use the blowers all night.

I think snowblowers could be quiter if cost were not an issue.
I know the giant engine on my truck is quieter than my snowblowers.


----------



## THEGOLDPRO

no idea bro if your too scared to fire it up then your just gonna have to shovel.


----------



## Oshkosh

*I think Honda...*

Personally I think Honda Power Equipment is some of the quietest going...



thermos;363599 said:


> I always try to make some kind of noise. I feel if they hear me, then they know I was there when I send them the bill for plowing. I always put flowmaster duals on my trucks, kinda funny when you see lights go on at 3 am when you blip the throttle a little when stacking a decent pile. But to answer your question I really dont know of a way to effectively silence a snow blower. I think if they were intended to be quiet, they would have been that way from the factory. thats just my opinion


----------



## CAG80

the only suggestion i have is to maybe try a four stroke blower.. it may not be much quieter but the sound might not be as bad.. also the toro's we have don't have a throttle they run full rpms all the time.. the one four stroke we have can idle down but have never tried to blow snow with it at a low idle, I'm pretty sure u could in a light snow..


----------



## lownrangr

Two strokes are notoriously loud to begin with, but I'd be interested to see if someone can fab up something to use to control the noise. I was out the other week at 3am and I felt bad. I'm sure the dropping of the blade and the scraping sound woke everyone in the house up. In fact the old lady next door came out, I thought she was going to yell at me but she wanted me to do her driveway too! The company that clears the condos across the street from me run their snowblowers any time they're working and they don't seem to mind and it's an upper scale place with many older folks.


----------



## SwiftSnow&Salt

I have never had a complaint from any customer or their neighbors for that matter. I think of snow removal as an emergency situation around here, If we let it sit on sidewalks until say 7AM it very well could be frozen solid.


----------



## REAPER

I have seen a guy a few years ago that adapted a RV generator muffler to his. 

The sound was almost non-existent.

The only drawback? It was so big compared to the old one he had to fab up a bracket on the side to hold it. 

This was about 5 years ago and I have not seen if he still uses it as I don't work with him any longer.


----------



## CARDOCTOR

snow shovel

John


----------



## mayhem

I'd check with a local motorcycle shop or something for a smallish muffler wiht a small input...those little dirt bikes you can get for kids have pretty small motors, there might be something you cna fab up, but its going to be a jerry rig.



> always try to make some kind of noise. I feel if they hear me, then they know I was there when I send them the bill for plowing.


Wouldn't they be able to figure out you were there some way other than you waking them up? Maybe by looking at the driveway and seeing that you plowed it? I disagree with this practice and would choose another plowman if you kept waking me up at night.


----------



## dmontgomery

my customers are made aware up front that there will be noise......nature of the beast....I have never had a complaint....

as for the police I would look into what the local laws/ordinaces say......and tailor services to that.......

D


----------



## 06D-MAX

*Muffling Snow Thrower*

You Might Want To Try Using Steel Wool In So Sort Of Home Made Muffler System That Is What Is Used In Fire Arm Silencers


----------



## Oshkosh

*A problem with two strokes...And what youd like to do..*

A Big problem with modifying a two stroke exhaust is that Two Strokes rely on a certain exhaust profile to make power...Chances are more than not that changing or restricting the exhaust will hurt the performance....Just a thought..


----------



## SnoFarmer

06D-MAX;363810 said:


> You Might Want To Try Using Steel Wool In So Sort Of Home Made Muffler System That Is What Is Used In Fire Arm Silencers


 I would stay away from this one. The steel wool would start on fire or
get cloged with unburned oil.

What do you need a silencer for?



Oshkosh;363821 said:


> A Big problem with modifying a two stroke exhaust is that Two Strokes rely on a certain exhaust profile to make power...Chances are more than not that changing or restricting the exhaust will hurt the performance....Just a thought..


True, a 2cycle needs a tuned exhaust for the best performance.

Can you redirect the exhaust toward the ground.
Is it really that loud?? Or does it just seem loud.. 
Start your blower and go inside your house, now how loud is it.

If your customers are awoken by you they probably do not mind as they will know that the drive will be clear of snow.
Plus, you are not there every day just when it snows, so I think you are worrying for nothing as most all snow blowers all regulated as to how much noise they can make.


----------



## lawnboy11

Thanks for all the replies.

If the noise wasn't a problem I wouldn't ask the question.

Thanks for the suggestions, I don't think it will be worth the trouble to try to quiet the blowers. Local laws say no power equip after 8pm or before 8am so if someone complains the police do come. It doesn't happen often and like I said, in a big storm, f it, I'm working -too bad. I'll also shovel steps if it's too late for a blower and then go back early am.

hope for snow tonight on long island biznatches.


----------



## SnoFarmer

lawnboy11;363839 said:


> Thanks for all the replies.
> 
> If the noise wasn't a problem I wouldn't ask the question.
> 
> Thanks for the suggestions, I don't think it will be worth the trouble to try to quiet the blowers. Local laws say no power equip after 8pm or before 8am so if someone complains the police do come. It doesn't happen often and like I said, in a big storm, f it, I'm working -too bad. I'll also shovel steps if it's too late for a blower and then go back early am.
> 
> hope for snow tonight on long island biznatches.


We have the similar ordnances here regarding power equipment.
Let them call the cops ( I bet they don't)

I have had the cops called on me for making noise at 3am. He(police) rolled up in the snow storm rolled down his window and said; It's you that is making all the noise! Well the snow has go to doesn't it? See you later....

I would not worry to much about it. Plus who would be calling the cops your customers?


----------



## lawnboy11

SnoFarmer;363847 said:


> We have the similar ordnances here regarding power equipment.
> Let them call the cops ( I bet they don't)
> 
> I have had the cops called on me for making noise at 3am. He(police) rolled up in the snow storm rolled down his window and said; It's you that is making all the noise! Well the snow has go to doesn't it? See you later....
> 
> I would not worry to much about it. Plus who would be calling the cops your customers?


No, customers wouldn't call, the neighbors would call. I haven't had much of a problem with it at all really, but if it were easy to make the snowblower quiet I would do it in consideration of my customers and their neighbors (potential customers). Plus, the noise annoys ME after 8 hours of it!


----------



## Yaz

I be willing to bet it a retired couple that have nothing to do but complain. I have had one as well. I figure if your after muffler is big the gas can cool and the output hole can be smaller. I have tried many mufflers on R/C two stokes. On a airplane weight and size is a problem so you can only be so big and heavy without issues, you don't have that problem. Try the biggest automotive muffler you can fit but make the exit smaller then what you have now.


----------



## Sno4U

My question is, If its not U making the noise then it would be the homeowner themselves clearing they're driveway sidewalk w/ a snowblowermaking the noise so, whats the dif.?


----------



## PowerWagon

Hey, Problem fixed! Try to hire a DEAF guy to do the snow blower job, he cannot hear it any way


----------



## xlr8

*I don't get it .*

It snows at night , then we clean it up, it makes noise, who cares. Around here anyway


----------



## SkykingHD

*noise while working*

Plows plowing the streets are noisy, cops sirens are noisy and no one in right mind should complain while doing something CONSTRUCTIVE. To have the walks clean BEFORE customers get up requires you to work at nite. You are performing a service to the people. Do your job as quiet as the equipment allows. That is as good as it gets.

.


----------



## Rcgm

THEGOLDPRO;363647 said:


> no idea bro if your too scared to fire it up then your just gonna have to shovel.


I agree Gold.I don't care if it is a dump of a house up scale or even the White house.We all put our pants on the same way just some have more money.You got snow on the drive it is getting plowed off or I am using the snowblower no matter what time it is.If my customers don't like it find another contractor or pay me to shovel it off.I have been doing this for a while now never once had a problem not once.

RCGM
Brad


----------



## mayhem

Sno4U;364477 said:


> My question is, If its not U making the noise then it would be the homeowner themselves clearing they're driveway sidewalk w/ a snowblowermaking the noise so, whats the dif.?


Only 1 homeowner in a hundred thousand is going to get up a 2am to snowblow his driveway.


----------



## carl b

PowerWagon;364842 said:


> Hey, Problem fixed! Try to hire a DEAF guy to do the snow blower job, he cannot hear it any way


problem what problem... thats frickin Hilarius purplebou


----------



## lawnboy11

So this is what I got out of the ? can I silence a snowblower...

wah, wah, wah, :crying: WHY do you have to be quiet?

That's not the question. The question was can I make a snowblower quieter. Not why should it be quiet, but can I do it or how.

I got a few answers to the actual question so thanks for those.

I decided not to bother trying to make it quieter because based on those answers it might ruin the performance.


----------



## lumps

lawnboy11;363872 said:


> No, customers wouldn't call, the neighbors would call. I haven't had much of a problem with it at all really, but if it were easy to make the snowblower quiet I would do it in consideration of my customers and their neighbors (potential customers). Plus, the noise annoys ME after 8 hours of it!


i have to give you credit on this, that's a nice thing to do. i used to always worry when firing up a blower to do walks and such early in the am. it would be nice to be able to quiet them down. as for the guy who makes his stuff louder, i'd get someone else personally. if people can't tell you were there just by their driveway, that's not a good sign. no need to wake everyone up to prove yourself.


----------

