New 825i question about muffler

[Terry Ackerman]

Just got my 825i. I've had 2 625's and love the power steering on the 825. The 825 is way too noisy. Sounds like a economy car that some kid has added a tinny sounding muffler to it just to make it sound like a hot rod. So has anyone used or heard of The Silent Rider exhaust silencer because I am seriously looking to purchase one?

[CentMO3088]

Don't know anything about the Silent Rider but here is my experience. Got my 825i in April of '12, seemed noisy but I thought maybe that's the way all of them are. This spring I noticed with it idling and I was loading something in it, it seemed as if more noise was present in the area in front of the left rear tire than behind the machine where the exhaust outlet was. I kept investigating this and eventually one day when I first started it and everything was cool I immediately placed my hand over the exhaust outlet. (if you burn your hand trying this I'm not responsible) I could hold my hand and it never did build up any resistance. This suggested that I had a leak somewhere else. I "unfolded" the two stainless steel retainer bands on the exhaust shroud over the tailpipe and removed it. In the area mentioned near the left rear tire there is a coupling that slips together the pipe coming from the engine and the muffler. Mine was slid apart for some reason and the exhaust had been blowing out there since new. I talked to the dealer about this and that's a whole other story. "Yeah, never heard of that before, bring it down and leave it and we'll try to look at it, we're running about 3 weeks behind so I hope you don't need it." I went home and went to work on it myself. Everything was bolted up and looked like it was supposed to but it just didn't come together at the joint. I took a 2x4 and did a littler persuading on the front end of the pipe where it makes the bend off the manifold and just a little tweaking there and the joint slid together at the muffler. There is no comparison now with the sound level prior to this. I encourage you to be very easy if you try the persuading like I mentioned because I'm sure something real expensive could get broke if too much force is applied.

Good luck and hope this helps.
Mike

[Terry Ackerman]

Thank you for your response. I tried your exhaust outlet trick without burning my hand and the exhaust was coming out of the outlet as it should. I also checked for leaks and could find none. Maybe it "is what it is" and 825's are simply tinny and loud. As this is my third Gator maybe JD will contact me and ask for my opinion or maybe not. If they do I will tell them about my dissatisfaction concerning the exhaust and mention the many squeaks coming from the unit. Don't get me wrong I think this is going to be a great machine (the power steering is awesome) but for $14,500 you'd think JD would have put a little more engineering or at least testing into their 825's.

[RMOSSSO1]

DE is the trading symbol for John Deere. Presently trading at $84.32/share. Up from a year ago. MONEY! I hope you get my point. They make so much money will they listen to a couple complaints? What about guys like myself that bot a new machine before power steering! I still like the machine, but the free wheeling and lack of power steering would probably preclude me from another JD Gator.

[Terry Ackerman]

DE is the trading symbol for John Deere. Presently trading at $84.32/share. Up from a year ago. MONEY! I hope you get my point. They make so much money will they listen to a couple complaints? What about guys like myself that bot a new machine before power steering! I still like the machine, but the free wheeling and lack of power steering would probably preclude me from another JD Gator.

I have absolutely no idea what the stock price of JD has to do with an aftermarket muffler silencer to quiet down my 825. I'm sorry to hear about your lack of having power steering. I traded a 625 with 230 hours on it to get the 825with power steering. There is an old saying about needing something and wanting something. I "wanted" power steering and now I "need" something to quiet down the machine.

[missouri gator]

Just got my 825i. I've had 2 625's and love the power steering on the 825. The 825 is way too noisy. Sounds like a economy car that some kid has added a tinny sounding muffler to it just to make it sound like a hot rod. So has anyone used or heard of The Silent Rider exhaust silencer because I am seriously looking to purchase one?

I agree the 825 is a very noisy machine I seem to remember some old posts on here about someone trying a muffler silencer you might search for that. There is also an exhaust pipe issue mine has been replaced 8 or 9 times, the pipe breaks on the lower end where the two springs are under the heat shield and that is when it pulls out of the muffler as stated above. I recently purchased another brand UTV just because I was tired of all the noise, now the 825 sits in the shed. John Deere has a great machine in the 825i its a shame they failed on the exhaust system!