Painting motorcycle headers
- Thread starter Dave C 5
- Start date
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Waste of time IMO. No paint is gonna last longer than a few months. And if it's chrome, that will blister from the heat as well. Some ceramic coatings do OK. The shinier ones only last for so long. Wish I had better news.
Stainless steel is the only way to go with a header.
If it's just for show, then sand the chrome with 180, 1 coat of unreduced epoxy then topcoat.
Stainless steel is the only way to go with a header.If it's just for show, then sand the chrome with 180, 1 coat of unreduced epoxy then topcoat.
metalman
Oldtimer
Try Cerakote air dry. But it will need to be blasted with 100-120 grit aluminum oxide for the proper profile.
www.cerakote.com
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'68 Coronet R/T
Oldtimer
Why doesn't he just buy a set? Sell the ones he has and it will probably cost him less to get a factory product than experimenting.
Jim C
Oldtimer
yes the chrome ones are a waste of time. cerakoat will work fine however the headers need to be blasted. problem is when you blast chrome it likes to bubble off and start peeling. once it does its shot. you will never lock that down on a header. as said before you need stainless or titanium headers then you can blast and apply the cerakoat.
Jim C
Oldtimer
Interesting. I have used it on quite a few motorcycle headers with zero issue other than the black turns a sort of purple tone. The hok high heat black was a much nicer black. Dont even know if they make that stuff anymore but it was really nice. I would hang the parts after spray in front of my torpedo heater to bake the stuff on
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
This is the only one that will hold up over time. The piss thin ceramic coatings won't.
Dean Jenkins
Promoted Users
The guy who owns the local custom exhaust shop in town, highly respected, recommended VHT. I did the primer, color and satin clear. Not cheap! Cured it with propane torch.
Looks great now. Hope it holds up.
Painted over stainless with 180 scuff.
Looks great now. Hope it holds up.
Painted over stainless with 180 scuff.
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
It will till you drive it.
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
It will start to look worse after the first time you fire it and get it to operating temp. After that each heat cycle it will degrade a little more. Withing 3 months or less it will be burned off over the first half of the header and the rest will look like squeeze.
Dean Jenkins
Promoted Users
Well that's something to look forward to . . .
The headers burn the VHT off, even the collectors blister within a few laps. I have had other friends baby their show cars, that last longer. 7500+ RPM held open, never get a torture test I have tried everything, wasting tons of time and money. WD-40 keeps them from rusting, that's about it.
I have tried everything, wasting tons of time and money. WD-40 keeps them from rusting, that's about it.
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Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Link I posted above is the only stuff that will last any amount of time. SwainTech White lightning....it doesn't come in an aerosol can. Lot of people won't use it cause it's white. The shiny stuff doesn't last though.
Lot of people won't use it cause it's white. The shiny stuff doesn't last though.
metalman
Oldtimer
Is that something you can get or do you have them do it?Link I posted above is the only stuff that will last any amount of time. SwainTech White lightning....it doesn't come in an aerosol can.
I wrapped my burned blue crappie looking pipes with black heat wrap tape. Held up not bad until I washed the bike
. I sprayed it with whatever high temp that was in the cabinet. Personally I like the look of raw SS and whatever colors happen.I know someone who completely burned off the cerakote on a riffle barrel. I think it was full auto, looked like it was in a barbecue.
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
You send it to them, they prep and apply the product.
'68 Coronet R/T
Oldtimer
What make, model and year is the bike?
MJM
Promoted Users
Send the headers out to be ceramic coated. It's also beneficial for the ceramic coating to have the inside of the headers coated with a thermal barrier. It helps to protect the ceramic coating by reducing radiant heat.
My headers are 2-1/8" TTI ceramic coated with thermal barrier. Here's a pic taken 5 minutes ago. My headers are 25 years old and still look good after 100's of heat cycles.
My headers are 2-1/8" TTI ceramic coated with thermal barrier. Here's a pic taken 5 minutes ago. My headers are 25 years old and still look good after 100's of heat cycles.