Thats how i patched my stock exhaust with the holes. I got about 22 flights before mine broke ... I flew 4 times today with no problems out of the TBM silent beauty muffler... They are as loud or louder than the stock muffler. The only thing that will be quieter than either of them would be a silent beauty pitts, without spending the money on a canister if you dont have a disposable in come or 2 hobbies like i do. I would think for strength the stack muffler on TBM that says johnson seems to have the biggest welds. So far Iam happy with the Silent beauty stack muffler but dont expect any decibal drop, even the guy at TBM said they arent much quieter. I would recommend the pitts as it sends the exhaust down more paths before it exits...