How to Make a Yamaha Rhino Quieter
Yamaha Rhinos can be incredibly loud, to a point where enjoyable rides are not that enjoyable at all. But.. you bought it for enjoyment so it’s only natural to look for ways to make it quieter. Luckily, there are some easy ways do just that. These are the best solutions that were tested and recommended by multiple Rhino owners online:
1. Quiet the exhaust system with copper pot scrubbing pads
This is a cheap DIY solution that works for a short period of time. This is what a Rhino owner wrote:
- Go to a dollar store of your choice and buy a couple packs of copper pot scrubbing pads. The copper ones are doughnut shaped and bound in the middle. *I* think this is important. A regular stainless steel wool pad is fairly tightly packed and not bound anywhere. The individual ribbons are.. maybe 1/16th of an inch wide and fairly thick.
- Pull the end cap off your muffler. Look inside, and you will see a big cavity inside.
- Stuff in the pads. Seriously. Put in between 1 and 6. You don’t want to PACK them in. A little slop and room for them to move is fine, and good.
- Put the end cap back on.
The pads will act as a loose barrier for the gasses to get through, and at the same time they extract heat from the exhaust which causes it to slow and expand (therefore stealing energy that would otherwise be turned to noise).
The user said that he lost a little snap to the motor and lost 3 mph on top end. The optimal amount of pads seems to be 4 as it still leaves some room inside. Four of these pads bought in a dollar store will end up costing you less than $4 so it’s a very small investment.
Potential downsides: Stuffing the pads inside can lead to poorer performance because it will decrease exhaust flow which decreases efficiency of the motor. For example, the back pressure could be compromised. It also can cause backfiring and stalling. So using about 4 is optimum, not more. Another downside is that these pads will shrink or “burn out” over time.
2. Rhino exhaust silencer (Benz)
If you want a professional and safe way to quiet the exhaust noise, definitely install the Silent Rider ATV Silencer from Amazon (aff link). It was previously known as Benz Rhino Silencer and you’ll see many Rhino owners swear that this thing made all the difference. It fits on:
- Yamaha Rhino 450 (06-09)
- Yamaha Rhino 660 (04-07)
Here’s the product description:
This silencer uses a bolt-on adapter. The tailpipe on the stock muffler is not the proper size and therefore an adapter is necessary. Simply remove the bolts at your exhaust opening (there will be 3 or 4) and replace the exhaust tip with The Silent Rider bolt on adapter. The adapter stays attached to your factory muffler and acts as the tailpipe. The adapter will not damage the engine or affect the flow of the exhaust. The Silent Rider will pressure fit onto the adapter. Once the sturdy mounting brackets are properly secured, the installation is complete!
Best thing about this silencer is that it quiets down a Rhino at idle and all the way up to full speed. There is noise coming from both the engine and exhaust when driving. You will notice a difference with The Silent Rider because that typical popping noise will change to more of a rumble.
Unfortunately there aren’t any high quality videos showing the difference that this silencer makes. I’ve only been able to find this video, which at least shows how to install the silencer:
3. Soundproof the engine compartment
The engine is where most of the noise is coming from directly. Many Rhino owners place sound deadening mats under the engine cover to block some of that noise before it can escape outside.
Dynamat (aff link) has been the most popular sound deadener for over two decades. But if you’re looking for a more affordable option, Noico mat (aff link) is another great choice with over 1000 customer reviews and a 5 star rating (which is quite rare for any product!).
Both of these mats are self-adhesive and designed to withstand high temperatures so they are frequently used for reducing engine noise. Since they’re self-adhesive installing them is a simple process. Just apply the mat onto the surface and use your hand or a roller for it to stick better.
4. Wear ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones
This is the simplest and most affordable option. Ear plugs (aff link), ear muffs or noise-cancelling headphones while riding the Rhino will neutralize all of that annoying sound. These headphones (aff link) are the ones I frequently use when dealing with environmental noise.
This is great if you ride alone. But some people still prefer to tackle the noise with before-mentioned methods because they want to have a conversation while driving.
5. Reduce noise in the cabin
There are three main ways to reduce noise coming into the Rhino cab:
- Get a sturdy windshield (aff link)
- Get a roof top (aff link)
- Apply sound deadening mats to the floor
The last option will reduce the road noise and engine noise. Dynamat and Noico can be used for this purpose as well. Some owners used rockwool panels (the sound insulation panels typically placed inside walls) under the seats to further reduce the noise.
Overall, the soundproofing strategy is always the same: the more sound-blocking barriers there are between you and the source of the noise, the better.
Final Word: How to Make a Yamaha Rhino Quieter
A Yamaha Rhino is an excellent vehicle for hunting and having a blast outdoors (pun intended). The only real problem is this nagging noise that thousands of owners complain about. That will always be a problem with vehicles that have an open cabin.
Thankfully with so many clever people experiencing the same problem, these solutions popped up as well. So I hope you will utilize them to your advantage and have a much quieter and more pleasant Rhino riding experience.
