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| drhach | | Set |  | | Reg. Date | : | 18/10/2011 | | Posts | : | 250 | | Location | : | Waukegan, Illinois, United States |
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| | Posted : 22 Jul 2016 - 14:43 Post title : Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? | | | Hi guys, I'm trying to get a definitive answer on this. I've found a few posts mentioning that the header pipes are made from polished and chromed stainless steel. The reason I ask is that I have what looks like some pretty nasty corrosion on the front of my exhaust pipes right at the bend. If they are stainless, I will be a little more aggressive in my polishing. I thought it was rust and didn't pursue it. I'm just wondering if these things are redeemable aesthetically. I've got what is obviously rust in some other areas, but the exhaust is really bad.
Thanks,
Dan
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| edbob | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 04/04/2012 | | Posts | : | 931 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 22 Jul 2016 - 16:58 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: drhach) | | | I believe they're chrome plated stainless. The chrome can peel.
| "You will ride eternal shiny and chrome"
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| Swagger | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 15/04/2012 | | Posts | : | 1,100 | | Location | : | United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 22 Jul 2016 - 18:14 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: edbob) | | |
| edbob wrote: ... I believe they're chrome plated stainless. The chrome can peel. ... |
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Wow I didn't know that. What is the point ... I thought that plating was disliked because of environmental issues and that's why they used st/st. Using st/st and then plating it has to be more expensive than using good quality material in the first place and merely polishing it. I suppose you don't get the lustre.  Having said that my mate's GSA has shocking corrosion and pitting on the link pipes and they're supposedly st/st.
| The Force is strong in this one
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| drhach | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/10/2011 | | Posts | : | 250 | | Location | : | Waukegan, Illinois, United States |
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| | Posted : 22 Jul 2016 - 19:04 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: Swagger) | | | I've made every effort to stay away from abrasive polishes because I know that once you buff through chrome plating, you're screwed with regular steel. I guess I'm not going to worry about that so much now. I can't get over how bad the finish is in this area. I wouldn't have expected this from stainless. I guess the good side is that they won't rust through. They'll just look like shit.
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| peteronkarra | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 01/04/2012 | | Posts | : | 829 | | Location | : | Karragarra Island, Queensland, Australia |
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| | Posted : 22 Jul 2016 - 21:49 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: drhach) | | | When the LT & Commander were launched I recall they were advertised as having ss headers. The headers on my 2010 were badly corroded which was one of the reasons I made new ones out of 316 stainless. If the old ones are ss it is one with lower corrosion resistant . A magnet will stick to them like cutlery grade ss
| I sometimes wonder what I"ll do when I grow up.... but not very often 
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| Linkdog | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 10/02/2011 | | Posts | : | 2,921 | | Location | : | Groveland, FL., United States |
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| | Posted : 22 Jul 2016 - 22:21 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: drhach) | | |
drhach wrote:
Hi guys, I'm trying to get a definitive answer on this. I've found a few posts mentioning that the header pipes are made from polished and chromed stainless steel. The reason I ask is that I have what looks like some pretty nasty corrosion on the front of my exhaust pipes right at the bend. If they are stainless, I will be a little more aggressive in my polishing. I thought it was rust and didn't pursue it. I'm just wondering if these things are redeemable aesthetically. I've got what is obviously rust in some other areas, but the exhaust is really bad.
Thanks,
Dan |
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You and me both
| Never drink from a cow with one udder! 2010 1600 Blue&White ( of course ) Long TORS and HP filter.
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| PES | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 03/01/2009 | | Posts | : | 927 | | Location | : | Tulsa, OK, United States |
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| | Posted : 22 Jul 2016 - 22:37 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: drhach) | | |
drhach wrote:
I've made every effort to stay away from abrasive polishes because I know that once you buff through chrome plating, you're screwed with regular steel. I guess I'm not going to worry about that so much now. I can't get over how bad the finish is in this area. I wouldn't have expected this from stainless. I guess the good side is that they won't rust through. They'll just look like shit. |
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I've always used Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish since my 2002 America, '10 T-bird and now my '14 Commander. It's gentle enough not to scratch but still get's bluing off. Took a trip to CO. this past June and came back with a yellowing on the Commander's headers and it took it right off. I don't know about corrosion. But I'd give it a try. Can't have your pipes looking like shit.
Link
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| Leethal | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 24/01/2011 | | Posts | : | 6,404 | | Location | : | Australia |
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| | Posted : 23 Jul 2016 - 03:38 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: peteronkarra) | | |
peteronkarra wrote:
When the LT & Commander were launched I recall they were advertised as having ss headers. The headers on my 2010 were badly corroded which was one of the reasons I made new ones out of 316 stainless. If the old ones are ss it is one with lower corrosion resistant . A magnet will stick to them like cutlery grade ss |
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304 grade 
| Experience is something you get just after you needed it
1600,Foran Razorbacks, Meerkat bypass, Dyno tune, real headlight,plenty of chrome,switchblade pegs, Hagon Nitro shocks & Ikon progressive fork springs etc. Scorpion Western Low handlebars. PH adjustable fork caps.
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| aussietbird | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 11/09/2012 | | Posts | : | 263 | | Location | : | WODONGA, VIC, Australia |
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| | Posted : 24 Jul 2016 - 04:05 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: drhach) | | | drhach wrote:
Hi guys, I'm trying to get a definitive answer on this. I've found a few posts mentioning that the header pipes are made from polished and chromed stainless steel. The reason I ask is that I have what looks like some pretty nasty corrosion on the front of my exhaust pipes right at the bend. If they are stainless, I will be a little more aggressive in my polishing. I thought it was rust and didn't pursue it. I'm just wondering if these things are redeemable aesthetically. I've got what is obviously rust in some other areas, but the exhaust is really bad.
Thanks,
Dan |
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A easy and simple way to tell if any material is made of stainless, as compared to mild steel, is with a magnet, a magnet will not attract to stainless. However some very poor imported grades will have a very slight magnetic attraction.
Unless there is a new process in electroplating, since I got out of the game 30+ years ago, plating stainless was both unnecessary, and physically not possible.
In answer to your question the stock bird pipes are stainless. and as pointed out 304 grade. 304 is at the lower end of quality grades and will rust, but not at he same rate as mild steel.
| The more I understand the human race, the more I love my bike.
| | Post edited by aussietbird on 24 Jul 2016 - 04:07 |
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| Swagger | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 15/04/2012 | | Posts | : | 1,100 | | Location | : | United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 24 Jul 2016 - 08:47 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: aussietbird) | | |
| aussietbird wrote: ... In answer to your question the stock bird pipes are stainless. and as pointed out 304 grade. 304 is at the lower end of quality grades and will rust, but not at he same rate as mild steel ... |
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Does that mean that they could be refinished then? I guess it does. I had a Suzuki TL1000S that from new had factory applied black finished st/st headers ... they looked bloody awful as they aged. I took them off, linished and polished them and they looked very good if not a little too shiney. Easily kept clean afterwards.
| The Force is strong in this one
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| drhach | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/10/2011 | | Posts | : | 250 | | Location | : | Waukegan, Illinois, United States |
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| | Posted : 25 Jul 2016 - 15:34 Post title : Re: Are stock pipes "chromed" stainless steel? (Re: Swagger) | | | Thanks for what seem like definitive replies. I guess I'll wait until they are completely crap and then get them ceramic coated at Jet-Hot. In the mean time, I won't worry too much about the "chrome".
Dan
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