Re-chroming the Exhaust

[rudeman]

Anyone have a contact for getting an exhaust system replated?

I have an old Yoshimura race system that is completely intact that I want to get re-chromed.

[Steve]

Good luck. Most platers will not touch "dirty" stuff like headers and mufflers, it contaminates the chemicals too much.

You would be better off getting it ceramic coated.

I am getting my second header done, it should be ready some time this week.

.

[jsandidge]

Good luck. Most platers will not touch "dirty" stuff like headers and mufflers, it contaminates the chemicals too much.

You would be better off getting it ceramic coated.

I am getting my second header done, it should be ready some time this week.

.

Please post pics when you get it back.

[Vmass]

http://www.paulschrome.com/ gave me a price of $550.00 with 6 week turn around.

[cowboyup3371]

Although they are much dirtier right now, here are my ceramic coated pipes:






A local shop did them for me for about $165

[Nessism]

Although they are much dirtier right now, here are my ceramic coated pipes:

A local shop did them for me for about $165

Was that $165 all up Scott, including stripping the chrome or at least sandblasting? How chip resistant does the coating seem? Some feedback on other forums suggest at least some brands of that type of coating are not very tough in that regard.

[rudeman]

Although they are much dirtier right now, here are my ceramic coated pipes:






A local shop did them for me for about $165

That looks real good. What type of maintenance does it require?

[Guest]

Jethot.com they do ceramic coatings. They have two shops, one in AZ and one in the midwest?

[Steve]

Please post pics when you get it back.

Would you settle for pictures of the first one?





We only ceramic coated the header, not the muffler. Here is a close-up shot of that joint, just so you can see the (slight) difference between ceramic coating and chrome.
Think of the ceramic coating as more of a "matte-finish" chrome.





Cowboyup had his pipes done at the same place. Not sure what all they did for prep on his pipes, but when I took my son's header there, they said they needed to have the chrome chemically stripped, and that was done at another shop. Total cost for that one was $60 for the chrome stripping and $135 for the ceramic coat.

This time, I started by taking my header straight to the chrome stripping shop. They offered to send it over to the ceramic shop for me, for a slight charge. That "slight charge" was a bit less than my time and expense of trying to find the time to do it myself, so I said "go ahead, send it over for me". They were estimating the final cost at about $225.

The shop is linked above, but here it is again, Aesthetic Finishers in Piqua, oHIo.

I saw this bike a few years ago in Flori-duh, and it was the one that got me thinking about ceramic coating:


.

[jsandidge]

Looks awesome. I would definitely go this route.

[cowboyup3371]

Was that $165 all up Scott, including stripping the chrome or at least sandblasting? How chip resistant does the coating seem? Some feedback on other forums suggest at least some brands of that type of coating are not very tough in that regard.

That looks real good. What type of maintenance does it require?

Steve gave the company name already and it was $165 all up for my pipes. I don't remember if they used the thermal stripping they discuss on their website as I know I shook out some beads from the pipes for a bit after I brought them home. I think it's been fairly chip resistant but with all the dirt on it from rain and riding I haven't noticed yet. One of these days I'll actually take the Blue Magic can of polish at the garage and clean them up. Essentially that's all I was told to do to maintain it. But YMMV depending on your local company.

[jsandidge]

Took my pipes off this weekend (stock 4 into 2). Mufflers look good, but headers are really crappy pitted in places. I would like to have the headers only coated, but the mufflers are welded on. Can they be cut off and re-attached? Would they need to be welded or can a sleeve be made?

[Guest]

Our local plating shop does exhausts anytime someone is willing to pay the cost. I think Trevor had a quote not too long ago for something like $500 for a stock set of pipes for his 81 1100E. I was actually surprised that they could do it considering the baffles are not removable. I can see how as shop could do a 4 into 1 but I don't understand the process for a stock set. Sure like these ceramic coated pipes.

[DaveR]

Steve - there should be an o-ring behind the oil filter cover.

[JTGS850GL]

Ya, that is one dirty little engine... Shame, shame, shame.

Nice pipes though, I would have had the muffler coated to match.