Exhaust paint

[Guest]

What is the best kind of paint to use that you have had luck with besides getting a ceramic coating or BBQ. Something that you can do yourself. Also any tips or suggestions would also be helpful. Is the brush on stuff better than the spray kind? What kind of prep work is involved/best?



Thanks,
Nick

[rgierer]

I have had reasonably good success with just the high temp flat black from Walmart. The main time I have used it I pulled the pipes off painted them several times over 1 weekend and put them on 2 weeks later that was about 4,000 miles ago and it seems to have held up well.

[tfb]

Get a sanding disc or a sandpaper 'flapper' wheel on your drill/ angle grinder, and get as much of that surface rust off, leaving as much bare shiny metal as you can.

Then, buy the highest temp. exhaust paint in a spray can, that you get hold of. The old adage applies here: "You get what you pay for."

Follow the instructions, SHAKE THE CAN WELL (it really does matter -- more than you think!), apply lots of light coats, and you should end up with a coating that will last a long time and look good too.

[sharpy]

paint

This is the best stuff i have used. Just make sure the metal is grease and rust free. It last the best over time but its still paint. And it comes out not a pure flat black but it isnt satin black either.

[tfb]

That is indeed THE STUFF, Sharpy -- best I have found, out of the 3 matt blacks I've tried.

[Road_Clam]

What is the best kind of paint to use that you have had luck with besides getting a ceramic coating or BBQ. Something that you can do yourself. Also any tips or suggestions would also be helpful. Is the brush on stuff better than the spray kind? What kind of prep work is involved/best?

Thanks,
Nick

I've been using Rustoleum Stove paint. The stuff is excellent as far as lasting the longest. I've tried all the VHT high heat paints and they suck, and are very expensive IMO....
No matter what one you choose, you will generally need to repaint like every other year, possibly every season if you ride a lot, or park the bike in a real damp area

[78GS750]

I've had good luck with generic high temp paint as well. See the pic in my Sig.
Preparation is the key. \\/Sand, clean, and clean some more. :-D

[Nicholaschase29]

My uncle has a sand blaster and I could use it, but i think that the headers rusted to the midpipe. whats the best way to try to seperate them? after I sand blast it or sand it down to the metal, how do I clean off the rust dust or sand? just spray with compressed air? or use alcohol or something? Some paints require some kind of baking. do I just run the bike for a few minutes then shut it off and repeat? What have you found to work for this?

[katalica]

I use to have to paint my yoshi pipe every year,as the small rust spots would come back over and over,so I bit the bullet and sent it to Jet Hot and had the Silver coating applied . The main reason for me was that you can't get the Yoshi race replica pipe anymore,not to mention the aggravation and time spent doing it over and over. plus the pipes life span is at least doubled! Good luck

Steve

[ratgs81750l]

back of can has instructions usually apply, dry ,heat, apply ,dry, heat ,repeat..kinda like a chick shampooing her hair...anyhow its on the back of the can and simple to do.

[rickt]

My first response would be to bite the bullet up front and take them to a reputable shop for powder coating. The appearance will be better and the coating will last much longer than any rattle can spray.

If you are set on a spray can, I would certainly sandblast the pipes to remove as much rust as possible. Use the old hand method for any other areas. Then, several products from the auto refinishing trade: one is a metal cleaner (a dilute solution of phosphoric acid) to remove traces of rust, the second is metal conditioner (a solution of zinc phosphate that will reduce the changes of rust reappearing), and third a degreaser to remove all traces of oil or grease left on the pipes. At this point you do not want to touch any part with your bare hand as this will leave oils on the surface. Blow the exhaust dry with compressed air and you are ready to paint. As suggested by others, several thin coats will be much better than a heavy coat. Allow 10-15 min. between coats to allow the solvents to flash off. Resist the temptation to make the surface black the first time. When you're ready to reinstall the exhaust, I would once again wear gloves. Until the paint is heat cured, oil on the surface will leave marks once the pipes are heated.

Most importantly, use proper safety gear: rubber or latex gloves when handling any of the acid/cleaning products and a good organic respirator when spraying paint. The painting is best performed out of doors.

rickt

[Nessism]

You need to get off all the rust or it will come back quite quickly. Sandblasting works well for that but be careful or you will blast right through the pipes if rust has thinned them down. Sanding does not work well because rust causes pitts and you need to get the rust out of the pitts - very difficult without thinning down the metal.

[sharpy]

?

Yes you can powder coat your exhaust if its a show bike but hate to be around when you start it up and the "basic" paint goes up in smoke

[rickt]

Correct - standard powder coating is best left for cycle frames. Most shops offer a similar type of product for exhaust systems. You can usually choose between flat black, satin black, or an aluminum color called cermachrome. I had two mufflers that were originally flat black redone with the cermachrome finish a couple of years ago. The finish held up very well. You can actually sand it with very fine grit and polish it just as you would with automotive paint.

rickt