Polishing Exhaust Headers

[buyer86]

After 4 hours of effort

 

[ccew]

After 4 hours of effort

Hi gents. I want in....but I have a slight problem. The PO painted mine with header paint. I figure since they're SS, I should be able to use paint remover then clean them up thereafter. Suggestions?

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Hi gents. I want in....but I have a slight problem. The PO painted mine with header paint. I figure since they're SS, I should be able to use paint remover then clean them up thereafter. Suggestions?

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

Any good paint remover should do the job I would think..

I'd remove at least the front fender and maybe tape up/cover the front of the engine with a piece of card board too. A medium grit, tooth brush sized wire brush would probably come in handy in some of the tight spots...

I would be real carefull with the fumes and getting any remover on a surface it shouldn't be.

Keep a fan going (for the fumes) too.

 

[ccew]

Any good paint remover should do the job I would think..

I'd remove at least the front fender and maybe tape up/cover the front of the engine with a piece of card board too. A medium grit, tooth brush sized wire brush would probably come in handy in some of the tight spots...

I would be real carefull with the fumes and getting any remover on a surface it shouldn't be.

Keep a fan going (for the fumes) too.

That sounds like the approach I'd take too. Though I came across another thread here that mentions this VHT paint can't be removed by any standard remover. Has to be blasted off. Sux. It's a silica ceramic paint. I'm guessing a second hand set of headers would be the other option or just leave as is. They're not in bad shape at all. I just prefer the original look.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Deleted by author.

 

[pookamatic]

The pics here look amazing. I'm inspired but the thought of the work makes me cringe. Perhaps I'll save this to combat winter boredom.

 

[srghyc]

Well, today is the day. I was not looking forward to this, but the work seems to be paying off. Almost done with one. Four more to go...

 

[srghyc]

Well, today is the day. I was not looking forward to this, but the work seems to be paying off. Almost done with one. Four more to go...

*Three more to go. ( I don't have a 5 cylinder )

 

[bdevries]

What pad did you use for the polish?

 

[srghyc]

Well I'm about 92% done after about 2 hours. I used a couple old rags and an old t-shirt. I've got a little left to do at the top before the first bend. They turned bronze a bit because they heated up since I took her out for a spin. Here's the result:

 

[2wheelieadv]

Wow, 10 pages already... Didn't know FZ6'rs are so anal about pipes. But they do look so good after the cleaning. Reminds me of the HD riders who're constantly polishing pipes...

 

[Dennis121]

For all my metal polishing im using the previous mentioned Mothers metal polish... this stuff is sooooooo good!

Did my dads rusted Moto guzzi V65 Florida.... that beast was all rusty.. and after alot of work it shined soooo good!
but yeah.. it takes some effort..

 

[bdevries]

Well I'm about 92% done after about 2 hours. I used a couple old rags and an old t-shirt. I've got a little left to do at the top before the first bend. They turned bronze a bit because they heated up since I took her out for a spin. Here's the result:

Looks great!

 

[bdevries]

That sounds like the approach I'd take too. Though I came across another thread here that mentions this VHT paint can't be removed by any standard remover. Has to be blasted off. Sux. It's a silica ceramic paint. I'm guessing a second hand set of headers would be the other option or just leave as is. They're not in bad shape at all. I just prefer the original look.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

I'm sure some wet sanding would take it off

 

[ccew]

Yeah. I may give that a try on a small area. They have a few minor scratches already.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[redballs]

Rather than polishing my headers I chose to ceramic coat them blue.

 

[REO Scorpio]

Rather than polishing my headers I chose to ceramic coat them blue.

Please post up when reinstalled. I'd love to see what that looks like.

Cost?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[redballs]

Please post up when reinstalled. I'd love to see what that looks like.

Cost?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I will definitely post up pics once installed. Should be a week or so, because the bike is in boxes in the process of being reassembled. I'm a little cheesed the blue doesn't really blend with the powder coated blue wheels, but I'm hoping it will look good with the blue fairing. Cost was $250 shipping included from Jet Hot.

 

[Xlrrp]

I like the idea of ceramic coating the header. While a polished header looks great, when I got rid of my Harley I swore I would never get a bike with so much chrome again. I hate polishing a bike that is a daily ride!

I too would love to see pics of the ceramic header installed!

 

[bdevries]

I like the idea of ceramic coating the header. While a polished header looks great, when I got rid of my Harley I swore I would never get a bike with so much chrome again. I hate polishing a bike that is a daily ride!

I too would love to see pics of the ceramic header installed!

I got the mothers power ball cone and use it to touch things up once a week.. Maybe 5 minutes of polishing with mothers mag polish and it's back to clear. Worth it to me!