Polishing Headers

[400exrapes]

Well I was just curious what it would look like cause ive found out that my header was a blackish color because of items melting on there, so i decided to sand it down and see what it would look like. I didnt put any polishing products on only sanding it down. And its coming out in my opinion amazing. It looks like a brushed aluminum hmf exhaust and thats what i have so it looks reallygood has anyone else done this?

[zdowell]

I have been thinking of doing that, im worried if it will rust up?

[fastredrider44]

It will, so you have to keep it clean. I got tired of mine looking like crap so just had it powdercoated flat black. Before I did that, i used to spray wheel acid on it to clean it up. I use wheel acid on my motor as well to keep it new looking. It was mud baked brown when I got and I couldn't stand it.

[400exrapes]

well ive been sanding down my header and i dont see why it would rust any easier then from the way it was cuz it has absolutley no rust on it

[zdowell]

is the motor the same way, like will it rust up if you use a strong cleaner like that to clean it?

[REDRIDDER]

The header pipe looks cool sanded down but unfortunately it will turn a goldish color after you start it and now that you've taken the protective top coating off it will require a lot more maintenance to keep the pipe up to par.By sanding off the top coat of the pipe you have just took the meat of the metal off its like if i were to sand blast a new steel bolt take it out and weathered it,it would rust almost immediently from water,mud ect...

[fastredrider44]

Originally posted by zdowell
is the motor the same way, like will it rust up if you use a strong cleaner like that to clean it?

Only on bolts where when you tighten and break the protective coating.

[400exrapes]

so to keep it from rusting what should i do?

[1965 honda]

maybe some sort of clear coat. im not sure if the heat will eat it up though:ermm:

[fastredrider44]

It wont hurt it. I don't clean my motor every time with it, but after I do, I spray everything with WD-40. You just have to make sure not to get the wheel acid on bare metal like where the paint got rubbed off the frame from boots, and especially dont get it on the chain.

[1965 honda]

what would be a good acid cleaner? i have muratic acid if i dilute it will that work?:confused:

[czrider263]

Heres mine... i think it looks good... have a DASA on there now tho...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/czrider263/polishing/IMG_0027_1_.jpg

[400exrapes]

how did you do your header it looks sweet :) i want to get mine to look like that i'll finish sanding everything then what do i do?

[czrider263]

First its stainless so it doesn't rust... So i started sanding it with like 600 grit working to 1500... the more time you take there the better it comes out.. once your done with that you just need some polish.. mothers works well... then rub and rub and rub.. if you have a buffer or dremal this step takes less time.. then clean it off with a rag.

[czrider263]

heres another rossier i did...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/czrider263/wholepipe.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/czrider263/sanding.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/czrider263/afterpolishing.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/czrider263/polished.jpg

[fastredrider44]

looks good, but my stock header pipe corroded real bad.

[fastredrider44]

Originally posted by 1965 honda
what would be a good acid cleaner? i have muratic acid if i dilute it will that work?:confused:

No, thats just flat out too strong. What I use is called wheel acid from NAPA.

[2004exrider]

Originally posted by fastredrider44
looks good, but my stock header pipe corroded real bad.

shouldnt have, the 400ex header is stainless also. are you sure its just not discolored from the heat or baked on mud?

Jimmy

[fastredrider44]

yeah, but I powdercoated it now and its trouble free. Mud doesn't stick as bad either.

[nickk]

Can i polish my silencer also?(HMF) and what do you guys use to rub the polish on with just a rag?

[EX LONERIDER]

most of your end result on polishing will depend on your prep work. many guys will sand down the aluminum with 400 grit and work their way up to 600 or even finer. most of the rough polish will be done through sanding. then you hit it (whatever you are polishing) with a buffing wheel or if nothing else with a rag and compound.

me personally, i use 400 grit and wet sand the silencer down. i make sure that its all smoothed out and usually the results are awsome after i hit it on a buffing wheel. i dont go through too much process cus i usually redo it after a few trips and tear down at the end of the season.

ill post up my before and after shots of my duncan silencer. it was in rough shape when i got it.

[vett_09]

Originally posted by zdowell
is the motor the same way, like will it rust up if you use a strong cleaner like that to clean it?

Aluminum doesn't rust.

[400exrapes]

is the stock 400ex header aluminum?? And if so Once I'm done sanding it completley down should i put mothers on it? How well will that hold up ?

[400exrapes]

If I use mothers on my stock 400ex head pipe, what will happen when i turn my quad on anything? or will it turn brown or w.e

[xc_racer1]

Originally posted by nickk
Can i polish my silencer also?(HMF) and what do you guys use to rub the polish on with just a rag?


my bro polished his hmf and it turned out great. he put a polish bit on a drill.

[2004exrider]

Originally posted by 400exrapes
is the stock 400ex header aluminum?? And if so Once I'm done sanding it completley down should i put mothers on it? How well will that hold up ?

Stainless.

[400exrapes]

some other dude said it will rust so easy wait if i put mothers on it will be stainless?

[nickk]

Originally posted by xc_racer1
my bro polished his hmf and it turned out great. he put a polish bit on a drill.

Thats sweet. get a pic if ya can.. I did my brake lever/clutch lever turned out pretty good. but I only used 1,000 grit sand paper. I dont want to go to small cause I dont want a bunch of scratches. Should I buff the scratches out with a mothers ball or something?

[2004exrider]

mother's wont make it stainless, the metal is stainless steel.

Jimmy

[400exrapes]

haha urgghh everyone who reads this can you tell me, what should i put onto my header so that it stays shiny, i will use wd40 for the rust but will it turn brown like some of the ppl said it would?? please help

[250x_kyle]

it will hold up fine i did a quick polish job and heres some pics after i sank it in a mud whole on accident and mudd was baked on good and dry.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/needanewquad/PICT0216-1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/needanewquad/PICT0215.jpg

ct shorty before polish
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/needanewquad/PICT0217.jpg

after polish
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/needanewquad/PICT0221.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/needanewquad/PICT0223.jpg

[400exrapes]

thankyou kyle but wait so when i polish it and i go into some mud its just going to turn black again?

[250x_kyle]

no it will not turn black iif you go through some mudd. that pipe is actually dulled from mud. all you have to do is buff it with some polish if its discolored and it shines right back up some times it takes a little 1500 grit to fix the shine but thats rare. the only way it will turn black is if there is a header crack and your running realy rich and carbon build up is shooting out the cracks

[2004exrider]

Originally posted by 400exrapes
haha urgghh everyone who reads this can you tell me, what should i put onto my header so that it stays shiny, i will use wd40 for the rust but will it turn brown like some of the ppl said it would?? please help

You'll constantly have to shine it up after you get mud burned on it, if you can find it they make stainless steel polish for boats, or you can just sand it to make it shiny. Go from 400 - 1500 grit, and once again, no rust its made of STAINLESS STEEL. It seems kind of pointless though because of all the time/work you'll be putting into it all of the time.

[250x_kyle]

ps if u fire it up and you see smoke its not anything but excess polish burning up

[250x_kyle]

ive touched my head pipe once since i polished it back in january and it looks great

[400exrapes]

okay thankyou well this is what the header looks like now if you have a good loook

[zdowell]

So in other words. 1st you sand with 500 up to 1500 to get it nice and shiny. 2nd you get some mothers or other type of shiner. After you go about this, it will not rust back up? Will you have to keep polishing it ride after ride? thanks

[250x_kyle]

i sand blasted it with aluminum oxide first to get paint off and give me a good base to start. i went over it in 800 grit after alot of work with the 800 i grabed the 1000 grit. this shines it up and makes it start to feel smooth. after i got the whole thing sanded with 1000 i went after it with 1500 grit. after the 1500 grit i went over the it with 2000 grit. this is where it realy starts to shine expsecially after seeing the product after sandblast and 800 grit. this is when you get out the mothers aluminum mag polish. don be afraid to use a lot the more you yous and the more pressure you put on it the more shine u get. the polish will start to look black( no dont stop that means its working). i apply the polish with a clean rag. then i use a buffer on a grinder, buff ends on drills and polishing ends on the dremel for small areas. anyways when it looks black keep coing over it add polish if you need. take a clean rag over the balck film on the pipe using some elbo grease and it should ook shiny :cool: . if it looks dull in places use the 2000 grit and more polish as needed. if you have any questions drop me a pm or im me bruzer1991

[250x_kyle]

Originally posted by zdowell
So in other words. 1st you sand with 500 up to 1500 to get it nice and shiny. 2nd you get some mothers or other type of shiner. After you go about this, it will not rust back up? Will you have to keep polishing it ride after ride? thanks

i aluminum oxide sand blasted it and went from 800, 1000,1500,2000 then polished. some poor quality stainless steel does rust BUT THE 400EX HEADER DOESNT NORMALY RUST. the polish also acts as a wax and repels water from the pipe. i went over a few small spots on my pipe since i polished it in january.