Options to quieten down my Xforce exhaust....

[LTuned]

On ‎1‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 1:33 PM, BLK ISF said:

On the flip side, can you believe the motor on my passenger side has just stopped.  I used the varex last on the weekend and now the passenger muffler is permanently open.

Grrrr.  I though the issue was finally fixed, might have to reconsider singing their praises lol.

I hope you get you varex motor fixed, it sounds like a great idea to be able to quieten the exhaust down when you need to be quiet.  I do like my JoeZ exhaust, but there are times I would like it to be quieter.

[BLK ISF]

On 1/27/2019 at 2:39 PM, LTuned said:

I hope you get you varex motor fixed, it sounds like a great idea to be able to quieten the exhaust down when you need to be quiet.  I do like my JoeZ exhaust, but there are times I would like it to be quieter.

Unfortunately not yet, need to find the time when not driving, car is cool, get underneath it and have a look.  Funny enough when i close it now (only drivers muffler valve closing) its not much different to both being open but when both are working and closed, wow what a difference it makes.

[BLK ISF]

On 1/24/2019 at 4:16 PM, _ISF said:

Hopefully a new electric motor will get it up and running again BLK ISF. The workings of the valve is pretty simple, so unless the butterfly valve is damaged (or the shaft is bent/broken) then i cant see what else could go wrong apart from the motor.

I took advantage of the Sparesbox.com.au sale last night and bought the Varex Smart box unit (saved $100 with the sale). The sale finished last night so it was now or never.

Yeah im sure not a difficult fix but to get it to Xforce is a pain for me, installer guy usually busy and after work i have other committments etc.  So i know its something ill have to do myself.  Just wish the motors was a bit more bulletproof although in my experience for the drivers side it was the muffler that caused me the issues. Ah well its stuck open vs close so not that urgent i attend to it.

Didnt even think to look at sparesbox.  I get their emails all the time but never bother looking so sounds like you got it at a good price

[_ISF]

15 hours ago, BLK ISF said:

Just wish the motors was a bit more bulletproof although in my experience for the drivers side it was the muffler that caused me the issues. Ah well its stuck open vs close so not that urgent i attend to it.

Luckily the replacement motors are cheap: https://bestmufflers.com/bshop/index.php?id_product=5166&id_product_attribute=0&rewrite=xforce-varex-universal-sports-mufflers-replacement-motor-unit-vk03-&controller=product

At $50-60 a pop, i dont mind having to replace a motor every few years. There's only a few bolts holding them on. 

[Babalouie]

I wonder....if you made some ducting to divert some cool air to the varex motors...would they last longer

[BLK ISF]

On 1/30/2019 at 2:03 PM, _ISF said:

Luckily the replacement motors are cheap: https://bestmufflers.com/bshop/index.php?id_product=5166&id_product_attribute=0&rewrite=xforce-varex-universal-sports-mufflers-replacement-motor-unit-vk03-&controller=product

At $50-60 a pop, i dont mind having to replace a motor every few years. There's only a few bolts holding them on. 

Cheers, never looked into sourcing one of these motors as its always been a warranty issue for me but now its the other side which has been 3 yrs hassle free, i know the warranty wont apply.

Ill probably end up using that link, cheers.  

Yeah looks like 3 bolts (allen key, hex shape or something like that).  Just need to get under and see if the motor is accessible without having to drop the rear section.  Not sure if the motor is side or top mounted, cant remember

[BLK ISF]

18 hours ago, Babalouie said:

I wonder....if you made some ducting to divert some cool air to the varex motors...would they last longer

Xforce themselves advised the heat shouldnt be an issue but then again i doubt they would admit to that kind of design flaw and what else could it be.

One on instance when the motor stopped, i had it checked and nothting was wrong with it.  The motor wheel/cog popped out of alignment somehow so when i got my car serviced, the workshop guys virtually took it off and put it back on and it worked again so its like depressing the remote too long strains it.  i.e. Its not like the bluetooth varex app where you press a button, say 100% and then it stops when its done.  With the remotes you can hold it down and even after its fully open or closed, the motor continues to work so i think thats a design flaw myself.  Maybe the newer designed motors have changed, not sure.

 

[_ISF]

Late reply - but i had my brother fabricate up the pipework and hangers etc for my new Xforce Varex mufflers about a month ago. My brother recently started up his own little fabrication business so he was happy to help out - plus he did a far better job than the exhaust shop had done previously which was frankly embarrassing. Everything is nicely tig welded in stainless steel.

The mufflers i went with are a 10 inch wide x 6 inch high x 15 inch long body with the Varex motor on the side. They are part # VMK40-250. They are a pretty tight fit (if the Varex motor was mounted on top it would be better) at the back of the IS-F, but they fit in there snug and do not hit or rub on anything. The pipework that runs from just before the diff to the mufflers needed to be extended and angled slightly differently to line up nicely with the new mufflers. There is no longer a flange just before the rear mufflers, they have been cut off and we just welded the pipe straight to the mufflers.

When the valves are open, it still sounds great. But with the valves 85% closed or fully closed it provides a nice break from the noise on the daily commute or when i have my young daughter in the car. Loving the valved mufflers so far.

 

[Scamp]

When the valve is closed, does it vibrate/rattle against the exhaust at all the way I've seen some other electric valve exhaust cutouts do?  I couldn't find out whether they have anything to help silence it with a different material or not.

[_ISF]

3 hours ago, Scamp said:

When the valve is closed, does it vibrate/rattle against the exhaust at all the way I've seen some other electric valve exhaust cutouts do?  I couldn't find out whether they have anything to help silence it with a different material or not.

No rattling in mine (not yet anyway) regardless of whether the valves open or closed or anywhere in between.

I have only closed them completely a few times, i mostly leave the valves at 50% open which is a good mix of some noise but not too much for everyday driving.

[Scamp]

4 minutes ago, _ISF said:

No rattling in mine (not yet anyway) regardless of whether the valves open or closed or anywhere in between.

I have only closed them completely a few times, i mostly leave the valves at 50% open which is a good mix of some noise but not too much for everyday driving.

Thanks!  Also, I sent you a PM in case you haven't seen it yet 🙂

[_ISF]

2 minutes ago, Scamp said:

Thanks!  Also, I sent you a PM in case you haven't seen it yet 🙂

I just replied to your PM. Just a note regarding the standard varex remotes vs the smartbox. WIth the remotes, i could only have the valves fully open or fully closed - there was nothing in between no matter how briefly you pressed the button. Fully closed is very quiet and restrictive and i would use this option very rarely. Full open is quite loud and i will use this every so often if i want to go for a nice drive on my own etc. 

With the smartbox, i adjusted the preset valve positions to be CLOSED / 15% OPEN / 30% OPEN / 50% OPEN / 70% OPEN / 100% OPEN. I tend to use the 50% Open option for normal daily driving, but have used the 15% and 30% Open on the freeway a few weeks ago and it was much more enjoyable to drive the car on the freeway for several hours with a quiet exhaust.

[BLK ISF]

4 hours ago, Scamp said:

When the valve is closed, does it vibrate/rattle against the exhaust at all the way I've seen some other electric valve exhaust cutouts do?  I couldn't find out whether they have anything to help silence it with a different material or not.

Ive had my Varex for atelast 3.5 yrs now.  At the moment 1 motor isnt working but beyond that, i have never heard any kind of vibration attributed to the varex.

[BCHLER]

16 minutes ago, BLK ISF said:

Ive had my Varex for atelast 3.5 yrs now.  At the moment 1 motor isnt working but beyond that, i have never heard any kind of vibration attributed to the varex.

Still issues with the motors??? You haven’t had much luck over the past few years. I’d lemon the unit and get a full refund!! Poor bloke! 

[BLK ISF]

7 minutes ago, BCHLER said:

Still issues with the motors??? You haven’t had much luck over the past few years. I’d lemon the unit and get a full refund!! Poor bloke! 

LOL, well after changing the motor a few times, they conceded and out of warranty period changed the entire muffler so cant come down too hard on them for that.  It was always the one side so something about the muffer itself being the issue causing the motors to fail.  Passenger side was always good (well for about 3) and that is the one that has recently gone.  Ive just been too lazy to fix it at the moment.  Ill get it done next service which isnt that far away.

Now if it was stuck in the closed position id be really annoyed as i enjoy the sound vs the quiet haha.

Ps Even with one working its not quiet at all.  It really needs both working and closed and then its stealth mode (very quiet)

[BCHLER]

You reckon it’s the motor and the remote *BLEEP*ing it? With the smart box it would be better?

[BLK ISF]

16 hours ago, BCHLER said:

You reckon it’s the motor and the remote *BLEEP*ing it? With the smart box it would be better?

Hard to say, i know on atleast 1 occasion when a motor failed, Xforce was busy at the time so they gave me a spare motor.  I got it changed over during a service and got my mate to test the faulty one.  Well it wasnt faulty, it worked fine but the way he explained (im sure ill word it wrong) was that the motor is quite strong and doesnt have a stopper or timer on how it runs so if i press it open and hold the button, it wont stop when open, it keeps spinning so the cogs likely popped out of alignment.  Hence why it appeared faulty but it was still working so i got a spare out of it.  I know they are only about $50 but still.  So im very conscious now when opening/closing it to press the button for a second or so not over press it because i cant remember if i left it open or closed if that makes sense.  Ill see when i get my car serviced next if the current issue is the motor failing or if its just popped out of alignment again.  If this is the case, its possible the other times i went to Xforce when they simply changed it over, might not have been necessary vs getting the existing motor at the time to work, who knows.

With the smart box it would be better in that respect as you simply press a button so i cant see that issue ever coming into play although Xforce advised about end last yr i think that they have redesigned the motors so it might not even be an issue at all anymore with new varex exhausts.  Mine is easily over 3 yrs old.

The smart box wasnt even an option back then.  I think to fit it to mine is about $500.  I may fit in in the near future???

[_ISF]

2 hours ago, BLK ISF said:

The smart box wasnt even an option back then.  I think to fit it to mine is about $500.  I may fit in in the near future???

If you think you might want to buy the smart box, keep an eye on Sparesbox website as several times a year they will do sales on all xforce products. I got my smart box recently and paid $400 when it was on special (i also got my 2x varex mufflers on special).

https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/xforce-varex-smartbox-varex-control-unit-vksb01

[BLK ISF]

On 5/3/2019 at 9:20 AM, _ISF said:

If you think you might want to buy the smart box, keep an eye on Sparesbox website as several times a year they will do sales on all xforce products. I got my smart box recently and paid $400 when it was on special (i also got my 2x varex mufflers on special).

https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/xforce-varex-smartbox-varex-control-unit-vksb01

Cheers thanks for the tip.  $400 is a good price, almost $600 now i noticed 😞

Do you find it easy, convenient to use via the phone vs pressing a remote button.  I guess if you forget your phone at home or battery is dead, phone not responding etc, the remote is the backup.  I know some products are good but their app lets them down.  

Ever have any issues with the app not working, locking up, not working etc?

[_ISF]

5 hours ago, BLK ISF said:

Cheers thanks for the tip.  $400 is a good price, almost $600 now i noticed 😞

Do you find it easy, convenient to use via the phone vs pressing a remote button.  I guess if you forget your phone at home or battery is dead, phone not responding etc, the remote is the backup.  I know some products are good but their app lets them down.  

Ever have any issues with the app not working, locking up, not working etc?

I use the Varex app on my iPhone 6 so i can only offer feedback on the iOS platform. No issues what so ever so far. I dont even carry the backup remote in the car i have that much trust in the app.

[CoreyISF]

So by the looks of it Varex is a no go and xforce is too loud?

im looking at options for my exhaust and thought the xforce sound on clips was pretty good. Sorry to hijack.

the blue tooth option for varex does sound pretty cool

[_ISF]

2 hours ago, CoreyISF said:

So by the looks of it Varex is a no go and xforce is too loud?

im looking at options for my exhaust and thought the xforce sound on clips was pretty good. Sorry to hijack.

the blue tooth option for varex does sound pretty cool

If you look at the cost of other IS-F exhaust options on the market, the Xforce will be even more desirable. It is very affordable in comparison.

As for noise/sound, we are all different so while many will love the sound, for me it was too loud for everyday (also i have a young child) which is why i started looking at options to quieten it down. I wish i had just bought the varex option to begin with as it would have saved me a tonne of cash.

The ability to adjust the sound is great, i run the valves at 50% open for everyday driving which just takes the edge off the boomy sound but still has a nice tone to it (certainly still louder than stock). If i want to go for a spin on my own, i can open the valves up to 100% for max noise. And when i have my daughter in the car or am on the freeway etc i can make it quiet.

The bluetooth "Smartbox" is definitely a nice option and i would recommend it.

Varex version: https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/xforce-cat-back-exhaust-stainless-steel-w-varex-fits-lexus-isf-2007-es-lisf-vmk-cbs

Non Varex version: https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/xforce-cat-back-exhaust-stainless-steel-fits-lexus-isf-2007-es-lisf-cbs

[BLK ISF]

On 5/3/2019 at 9:20 AM, _ISF said:

If you think you might want to buy the smart box, keep an eye on Sparesbox website as several times a year they will do sales on all xforce products. I got my smart box recently and paid $400 when it was on special (i also got my 2x varex mufflers on special).

https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/xforce-varex-smartbox-varex-control-unit-vksb01

Just had a look and noticed the smartbox is on sale now for a few days.  RRP $598.95 down to $509.11 (free shipping) so about 15% off.  I thought that was good until i remembered you mentioned you paid $400 (about 33% off).  Hmm tempted, wander if they'll give that kind of discount again or is low $500's as good as it will get???

Given i already have the Varex i think connecting the existing box to the smartbox doesnt look that difficult from what i saw on Youtube.  Not even sure id bother with the OBD port function (assume thats for Matrix mode, controlled by RPM etc) or even Geo mode (based on GPS) as i want mine open all the time besides early mornings and if Police are around (dont want the attention lol).

[_ISF]

2 hours ago, BLK ISF said:

Just had a look and noticed the smartbox is on sale now for a few days.  RRP $598.95 down to $509.11 (free shipping) so about 15% off.  I thought that was good until i remembered you mentioned you paid $400 (about 33% off).  Hmm tempted, wander if they'll give that kind of discount again or is low $500's as good as it will get???

Given i already have the Varex i think connecting the existing box to the smartbox doesnt look that difficult from what i saw on Youtube.  Not even sure id bother with the OBD port function (assume thats for Matrix mode, controlled by RPM etc) or even Geo mode (based on GPS) as i want mine open all the time besides early mornings and if Police are around (dont want the attention lol).

Funnily enough i saw the add for the Sparesbox 20% sale this morning and was going to let you know - you beat me to it. You prompted me to check my invoices from Sparesbox and i actually paid $498.95 for the Smartbox when i bought it in January (that was with a $100 discount). The Varex mufflers were $400 each (after discount) and i must have mixed the price up when i posted in this thread earlier.

As for connecting it all up, i removed the Varex box and remotes altogether and have just kept them in the garage as a backup in case the Smartbox fails etc. You do not need to keep the normal Varex box connected unless you still want to use the remotes to override the Smartbox. So the existing cables/plug you will have that is connected to the motors on the mufflers will connect straight into the Smartbox. The OBD connection is only required for the Matrix mode as far as i am aware. The manual mode will work fine without the OBD plug connected. I have not tried the Geo mode (yet).

As for mounting the Smartbox, i decided to mount it behind the drivers side foot well kick panel where there is enough room for it to mount. I also hardwired mine in (you need to install an inline fuse with a 7.5amp or 10amp fuse to protect the Smartbox in case of power surge) just last week because i got sick of the power cable being plugged into the cigarette lighter and it looked messy. Its a nice neat install now.

[BLK ISF]

28 minutes ago, _ISF said:

Funnily enough i saw the add for the Sparesbox 20% sale this morning and was going to let you know - you beat me to it. You prompted me to check my invoices from Sparesbox and i actually paid $498.95 for the Smartbox when i bought it in January (that was with a $100 discount). The Varex mufflers were $400 each (after discount) and i must have mixed the price up when i posted in this thread earlier.

As for connecting it all up, i removed the Varex box and remotes altogether and have just kept them in the garage as a backup in case the Smartbox fails etc. You do not need to keep the normal Varex box connected unless you still want to use the remotes to override the Smartbox. So the existing cables/plug you will have that is connected to the motors on the mufflers will connect straight into the Smartbox. The OBD connection is only required for the Matrix mode as far as i am aware. The manual mode will work fine without the OBD plug connected. I have not tried the Geo mode (yet).

As for mounting the Smartbox, i decided to mount it behind the drivers side foot well kick panel where there is enough room for it to mount. I also hardwired mine in (you need to install an inline fuse with a 7.5amp or 10amp fuse to protect the Smartbox in case of power surge) just last week because i got sick of the power cable being plugged into the cigarette lighter and it looked messy. Its a nice neat install now.

Haha thanks for that.  I guess at $509 vs $498 is near enough.  Just when i recalled you paying $400 i thought, thats a good price.  As im in no rush i was going to hold out for that but i assume $500ish is probably as good as its going to get (well for a new one anyway).

I liked the idea of still having the remotes as backup.  Even now i have one hidden but conveniently mounted.  My car has PPE's as well so its quite loud vs exhaust alone.  For that reason i get paranoid when Police are near and i see them look so i can quickly press the remote to shut it up.  Probably quickly and safer than turning on my phone screen to tap close etc.  Most times id use the app but i like my remotes for that reason.

Xforce Head office installed mine at their premises so i know my current box is behind the foot area of the passenger side.  I know what you mean about the power.  Mines is routed under the centre console to the cig adaptor in the middle compartment console.  I'd like to have it hardwired in but im not savvy enough in those areas lol.