wisconsin dnr readying sled sound field test

There has been quite a stir in Wisconsin concerning snowmobilers getting tickets for loud sleds. We spoke with Wisconsin DNR snowmobile Administrator Karl Brooks about the situation. He explained to us that Wisconsin has always had a 78-decibel sound limit on snowmobiles (so do most other states in the snowbelt), and that his department has recently begun enforcing the law.

Brooks gave us a hand out sheet the WI DNR was distributing to consumers at snowmobile shows and events. It outlines the department's stance on sound testing and citing. The information states that none of the stock snowmobiles the DNR tested using the SAE J-192 standard test passed. However, the sheet goes on to note that the state of Wisconsin has no plans to cite individuals for their stock snowmobiles which do not pass the 78 dBA test. "DNR doesn't believe it would be a fair approach to cite stock snowmobile owners if they had nothing to do with increasing the sound level of the snowmobile," it says. "The Department believes that a person who acquires a stock machine with stock exhaust made a good faith purchase, which was certified to be compliant with state law."

Brooks explained that the J-192 test requires the sled to make a pass at full throttle, 50 feet away from a stationary sound meter. This is not a very useable test in the field, he told us. As a result, the WI DNR has been developing a stationary test to measure sled sound emissions uniformly. The proposed method would involve consumers to pull up on a platform and rev the engine to 4000 rpm for four seconds. A decibel meter will be located on the exhaust side of the sled, two meters away and four feet from the ground. The owner will make two samples and the sound readings are averaged.

The state agency has been working with the manufacturers and some aftermarket companies to develop this test. It still has not been adopted as the standard testing methodology.

Brooks also said that it will be up to the discretion of individual enforcement officers to decide which sleds to test and whether to issue a citation, warning or confiscate the sled. "We're not out to ruin anybody's vacation or good time," he explained. "But we have a mandate to enforce the laws of the state and that's what we have to do. If you're cooperative and polite and not running straight race pipes, you'll likely be treated very fairly."