Took Off my Exhaust

[Guest]

I hear alot about how the bolts snap all the time but I'm happy to say all of mine came out with barely any effort.

Now that these things are off, does anyone have any suggestions for how to make them shine?
They are pretty rusty, though I am pretty sure not all the way through anywhere, I bet these could be gorgeous with some elbow grease!
I can post pics later, for now, idea me!

[Hammered]

Id replace them with stainless and a little anti-seize if it were me. Then you have all the shine you could want.

[Adler]

Id replace them with stainless and a little anti-seize if it were me. Then you have all the shine you could want.

I meant the pipes, not the bolts, though that might be a good idea also!

[Skateguy50]

Mine are off too and plan to get some stainless bolts, some seem warped a bit.

The pipes I cleaned up pretty good in the past with 0000 steel wool and some light oil with chrome polish at the end. I got some nasty rubber boot marks on the back of one that looks like truck bed liner that has to go first.

Also I got to replace some of the middle pipes, rusted through at the splitter.

[Larry D]

I've cleaned a couple sets of pipes. 0000 steel wool and anything with oxalic acid in it....Barkeepers Friend, ZUD, etc.....

Just make a paste with a little water and rub away. Kind of amazing how well it works. Of course, clean all the really nasty parts with some soap and water first.

[Adler]

so far ive been spraying with WD40 and rubbing with fine steel wool (doesnt say its grade) the rust has been dissapearing pretty amazingly...

[Skateguy50]

fine steel wool might be 0 or 00, the finer the better for not leaving marks on the pipes. I was worried about scratches but it did fine.

Now the rust is usually from tiny holes that the chrome got chipped away from rocks and such on the road, they can and will rust up again. that is where the chrome polish stuff comes in, cant quote any brands but something should go on after you got it looking all nice and shiny again.

[Adler]

I was thinking after I would use a slightly abrasive polishing compound because the areas that were under rust tend to be a little duller then the other areas.

[Adler]

has anyone used this stuff?

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/CarWashingCleaning/TireWheelCare/PRD~0392967P/Mothers%2525AE%252BChrome%252BPolish.jsp?locale=en

It says its for chrome but it seems like its for rims only, think itll do the job?

[steve murdoch]

Adler, i have had good results with 0000 steel wool and Autosol chrome polish in the gold and black tube. Both are available at Crappy Tire and most bike shops carry the polish.
Forearms like Popeye will ensue.

[Dogma]

Folks replacing the screws might consider studs with acorn nuts. Stainless acorns are available and look good. Once the studs are in, you don't have to worry about accidentally boogering up the threads in the head. Use appropriate anti-seize, of course.

[LuckyEddie]

Took off my Exhaust

I had a 4 into 1 pipe that was so rusty that you could barely tell it was chrome. I rubbed it with water and a wad of tin foil. It took the rust off and did not scratch the pipes. Chromium is harder than tin.

LuckyEddie

[850 Combat]

My current personal favorite polish is Blue Magic

Once you have them clean, a decent cotton polishing wheel on a drill motor works pretty good. Its hard on the drill motor though, because its always side loaded.

One of those new foam ball or cone rim cleaners from Mothers might work. I have not tried one.

I have spent a lot of time polishing cases on British bikes though.

[Adler]

So I went and bought some mothers chrome polish because it was the easiest to get, it seems to be doing a bangup job! I took some before pics so Ill take some afters and show you guys.

[Adler]

Im assuming the headers arent chrome, right? what should I use to clean these up?