Stainless headers and acid......

My local bike exhausts engineer uses a scotchbrite polishing pad as used by body shops for stripping paint. It's then buffed again with a polishing wheel.

Chrome can be removed with hydrochloric acid, but disposal is an issue so best take to a platers for pickling. They can also polish it for you.
 
Howz said:
Mine were really bad when I picked up my 2010 GSA, cacked in rust that no acid etc would shift. I used various grades of wet and dry with water. The pipes are actually stainless which is chrome plated, so I removed the chrome which was pitted and already gone in places with wet and dry....and even an electric sander!! I then polished up the stainless with a polishing wheel on the end of an electric drill :eek:took me hours :blast

Not bad for 153,000 miles! :D

Before and after.....

xkPnZi9.png


9YdoTbT.jpg
Click to expand...

I like that colour :) what is it ... and dont just say Green ;)
 
Howz said:
Mine were really bad when I picked up my 2010 GSA, cacked in rust that no acid etc would shift. I used various grades of wet and dry with water. The pipes are actually stainless which is chrome plated, so I removed the chrome which was pitted and already gone in places with wet and dry....and even an electric sander!! I then polished up the stainless with a polishing wheel on the end of an electric drill :eek:took me hours :blast

Not bad for 153,000 miles! :D

Before and after.....

xkPnZi9.png


9YdoTbT.jpg
Click to expand...

Give me another couple of years and you can have another one to practice on......:-)
 
Eh up Dazlove, (Kermit's previous Father :D ) Bike is going and looking fantastic, Fancied a change of colour, but have still got the original panels. Hope the Banana is performing its duty well and look forward to seeing it in the for sales section in a few years! :beerjug: All the best :thumb2
 
Bit of an update. Now I know they're chrome, I've had a go at them with a polishing wheel in my dremel. Removing the burnt-on crap has revealed.....a lovely, patchy golden and matt grey finish! :eek: No doubt that's whatever's under the chrome (nickel?), it's definitely not the yellowed look you sometimes see that's sort of in the chrome. I'm wondering if the previous owner used an acid cleaner - Harpic?! - that over time has buggered the chrome.

Anyway, I've sent a photo off to a couple of local platers to see if they can do anything with them. I'll report back.

Pete
 
milleplod said:
Bit of an update. Now I know they're chrome, I've had a go at them with a polishing wheel in my dremel. Removing the burnt-on crap has revealed.....a lovely, patchy golden and matt grey finish! :eek: No doubt that's whatever's under the chrome (nickel?), it's definitely not the yellowed look you sometimes see that's sort of in the chrome. I'm wondering if the previous owner used an acid cleaner - Harpic?! - that over time has buggered the chrome.

Anyway, I've sent a photo off to a couple of local platers to see if they can do anything with them. I'll report back.

Pete
Click to expand...

Are these below better or worse than yours Pete

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-K26-...es-Manifold-18117691717-7691717-/232969561888
 
Why not just buy some Remus stainless de-cat headers and be done with it? That's what i did.

My original headers were in a shocking state bought new Remus headers, stainless so they don't rust but do go a funny brown colour that polish up like chrome with a polishing mop whenever they get bit too dull.
 
There's somebody over on 1200rt.com sent his off to this place to be done - http://www.camcoat.com/main/coatings6.html

It'll be interesting to see what they look like when they come back - I'd consider it, although Sherlocks have got a decent stainless set for sale, another option.

Just Googled camcoat - plenty of iffy reviews around.
 
Mine were chrome plated over stainless, so I removed the pitted chrome to expose the stainless and then polished ……...and polished...…….and polished :D, I am sure an 1150GSA I had was the same?
 
Howz said:
Mine were chrome plated over stainless, so I removed the pitted chrome to expose the stainless and then polished ……...and polished...…….and polished :D, I am sure an 1150GSA I had was the same?
Click to expand...

I always thought they chrome-plated onto mild steel, with something...nickel?...inbetween? :confused: Mind you,I thought my chromed headers were stainless, so it may well be that I don't know what I'm talking about. :)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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