2016 Yamaha Venture TF Track Howl

[Gyukonrick1]

I have read several reports of track noise (resonating howl) from this model. Mine is brand new and has this noise at approximately 30-35 mph. I tried loosening the track and even added the Yamaha marginal snow wheel kit without success.
Yesterday, I called my dealer and he said he was not aware of any such reported noise. I brought the sled to his dealership and his technician did not find anything wrong with it. It has 100 miles on it. The check cost me $113.
The noise is there and quite deafening..Does anyone have a solution other that ear protection?

 

[theCATman]

These sleds howl at that speed range.

Is this your 1st Yamaha 4-stroke?

It's totally normal. We hear it because the exhaust doesn't cover it up at that speed like a 2-stroke. This is a proven fact that a 2-stroke sled produces the same sound frequency at this speed range & masks track howl, whereas a 4-stroke doesn't & track noise is more pronounced.

When I had an Apex, between the track & exhaust note that the 4 cylinder produces, I had to wear ear plugs or the drone inside my helmet would cause a headache in no time flat.

Now, on my 3 cylinder Vectors, never a problem. I hear the track howl at 30-40ish MPH, but doesn't bother me like it & the 4 cylinder combined did. I can ride 200 miles a day on the Vector & no headache.

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[yamadoo]

I have the HOWL on my 2011 Venture GT worst at 34 MPH when my buddy leads he seems to ALWAYS go that speed in the woods and I think he is laughing at me the whole time.

 

[4strokeluvr111]

Track howl has been a challenge since these sleds came out in 2005. Your dealer saying he's never heard of before and charging you $115 to check it out, well he's a piss-poor dealer and I'll leave it at that. If somebody came up with a fix for these sleds and this problem they'd be a millionaire.

 

[theCATman]

Track howl has been a challenge since these sleds came out in 2005. Your dealer saying he's never heard of before and charging you $115 to check it out, well he's a piss-poor dealer and I'll leave it at that. If somebody came up with a fix for these sleds and this problem they'd be a millionaire.

The only way would be to develop a track that doesn't use fiberglass reinforcement rods.

What we hear is the combination of the wheels, drivers, slides, and the rods in the track interfering with each other so to speak. It's a harmonic frequency. And as I said before, we didn't notice it as much, or really at all on smokers years ago because the engine/exhaust note on a 2-stroke is practically identical.

Except for when Polaris came with the xtra-12. That bitch howled too. Something about the geometry of the xtra-12 was different & allowed you to hear the track over the exhaust.

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[Gyukonrick1]

When you just spent $15,000 cdn on a sled, it sure is discouraging. I should have kept by Bearcat. 156 inch track and very smooth.

 

[4strokeluvr111]

It's a resonance between the track, the wheels running over the track and the fact that these sleds have under the tunnel exhaust. It's a harmonic resonance....it's the reason you still "feel" it when you wear ear plugs. The resonance/vibration is going through your bones to your ears.

I've tried a ACat "Quiet Track", a M10 skid to replace the ProActive in my 05 Vector. Different types of muffler wraps in both my 05 and 14 Vector LTX (Mono) exhaust system. Try to deaden the tunnel with various tapes. No change. I now believe the only way you're going to get rid of the howl is to lose the rear exhaust. And we know that isn't happening.

Somehow one has to make a major change in the frequency of the resonance. I've given up trying.

 

[theCATman]

It's a resonance between the track, the wheels running over the track and the fact that these sleds have under the tunnel exhaust. It's a harmonic resonance....it's the reason you still "feel" it when you wear ear plugs. The resonance/vibration is going through your bones to your ears.

I've tried a ACat "Quiet Track", a M10 skid to replace the ProActive in my 05 Vector. Different types of muffler wraps in both my 05 and 14 Vector LTX (Mono) exhaust system. Try to deaden the tunnel with various tapes. No change. I now believe the only way you're going to get rid of the howl is to lose the rear exhaust. And we know that isn't happening.

Somehow one has to make a major change in the frequency of the resonance. I've given up trying.

So you're saying the under tunnel exhaust amplifies the sound, or compounds it? Never considered that, but it makes sense since my Apex was awful. The 4 cylinder is so much more pronounced than the 3 cylinder.

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[4strokeluvr111]

So you're saying the under tunnel exhaust amplifies the sound, or compounds it? Never considered that, but it makes sense since my Apex was awful. The 4 cylinder is so much more pronounced than the 3 cylinder.

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Correct.

 

[Cliffy]

My new 2016 Venture TF is doing it as well but apparently its normal for these machines

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[mikeyrules]

My 09 Venture rs gt does the same,i just go faster and the noise is gone....lol

 

[MN Pudge]

I have read several reports of track noise (resonating howl) from this model. Mine is brand new and has this noise at approximately 30-35 mph. I tried loosening the track and even added the Yamaha marginal snow wheel kit without success.
Yesterday, I called my dealer and he said he was not aware of any such reported noise. I brought the sled to his dealership and his technician did not find anything wrong with it. It has 100 miles on it. The check cost me $113.
The noise is there and quite deafening..Does anyone have a solution other that ear protection?

I had the same thing on my 2022 and the dealer could not fix. They did notice the noise though. I sold mine with 320 miles and now going to order a 2023 Ski Doo Grand Touring.

 

[Mooseman]

My '10 GT does it too and is compounded by the 1.5" track I have on it. Funny thing is I rode it without a helmet and I don't hear it. I think the helmet amplifies it. Used to use noise cancelling ear buds until I lost them and then I got a pair of Quiet Ride Muffs that helps reduce it to a tolerable point. I don't get their full noise reducing capability because the bladders keep deflating. You can read all about my experience here:

Quiet ride helmets?

That's cool that it seems like a nice helmet. It really sucks when you get excited about getting something only to be disappointed with it. I hope you get a chance to ride and try it out and like it still.

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