I`ve just got a quote from a firm to polish both pipes on my 749. I wanted all the short pipe and the longer pipe, from where the cat used to be to the end, polishing. £100 + vat + postage!!! Quote declined.
If I have the time I'll give it a go by hand with some Autosol, the mid section was new with just a little oxidisation from where it's sat around on a shelf, so hopfully I'm half way there as in no road grime or heat stains to contend with.
Take a look at this guys. For £12.78, has to be worth a try... Simoniz Chrome Paint 500ml: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike
Has anyone tried some stuff called "Bar Keeper's Friend"? I have seen it recommended on another forum for cleaning dirty/discouloured stainless pipes; apparently it costs only £2-3 and is based on Oxalic acid (that's in Rhubarb I think). I'm going to take a look in the household aisle next time I am in the supermarket, and if I find it I'll give it a go on a small area.
I use oxalic acid based products for cleaning my cat. It takes the nasty brown stains out and brings it up gleaming white again. I have some in gel form, I'll try it on a brown, unpolished section of the pipe. Wonder Wheels is supposed to work too, I wonder if that is based on oxalic acid???
I was quoted approx £110 + VAT for my SS headers and the manifold clamps to be cleaned and nickel plated.
I ended up doing them myself with a polishing kit for my bench grinder. I polished all the short rear pipe, the front pipe from where the cat used to be and the springs. Before and after I polished the manifold for the vertical cylinder in situ. Everytime I went into the garage I spent 10 minutes with a scotchbrite pad and polish, not as soul destroying as trying to do it in one go and it came up not to bad. The four bolts holding it to the barrel looked clean and in good condition but guaranteed, one would end up snapping. Sods law at its most brutal. I`ve done about 400 miles and they still look shiney.
Nickel plating tends to look a bit like polished stainless steel.....but it will blue / brown where the heat is......
Tried the oxaliic acid - no discernible effect. Wonder wheels is based on something more drastic, hydrochloric I think. No wonder it takes off the brown discolouration...
I tried this - didn't work for me, I'm afraid. Mind you, the state my tubes are in... ... Even wet or dry abrasive doesn't seem to get through. I've given up. You can't see them under the fairing. I'll pretend that they have a high-cost chocolate colour coating...
I tried this - didn't work for me, I'm afraid. Mind you, the state my tubes are in... ... Even wet or dry abrasive doesn't seem to get through. I've given up. You can't see them under the fairing. I'll pretend that they have a high-cost chocolate colour coating if anyone asks...
Rear cylinder pipe goes gold fairly quickly but the other one stays polished silver almost permanently. Don't know if it's because it's further from the cylinder or because it's bigger bore, maybe both...
