Works pipe clear coat

[Dirtdigger04]

Hey, i have a bare metal works Dep pipe for my rm 125. I have recently purchased and applied some VHT high temperature clear coat. It is rated to up to 2000 degrees made for coating exhaust pipes and systems. I prepped it and cured it properly, This paint sticks very very good without a doubt. Well, the problem is that the pipe gets sticky (barely barely sticky). I took it for a little spin after everything cured, and it got dirty. When i came back, the dirt actually baked into the paint. I left it like this for like over a month, until i really tested the pipe for a real ride in the trails. I went riding in very muddy and wet terrain, and after 3 hours of abuse, the whole pipe was baked dirt. I power washed it and everything, and now its totally covered. I am going to take all the clear coat off, and bring it to bare metal once again. I think my problem was i put too many coats on it. Like well over 10. Do you think i should try this again and only give it 2 or 3 coats, or just leave it bare metal and take care of it. Also, if there is anyone who clear coated a works pipe, i would like to know what you have done. Thanks.

 

[johnwilhite]

I too did this to my DEP pipe and had the same issue.

The problem is that you have to bake the pipe @ different temps to let it set up before using.

The instructions have to be followed to a T !!!

The issue I had was convincing my wife to put the stink'n thing in the oven !!!!

The last temp you have to bake @ is 600 :yikes: :yikes:

It says you can cure it by running your engine @ normal operating conditions, but how do ya keep debris from flinging up from the front tire ??!!

I have a industrial oven here @ my work, I am going to start mine all over and go that rout !!!

 

[_JOE_]

You'll probably find that it'll still get beat up and dingy in short order even if you do bake it.

 

[Scotty99983]

@johnwilhite ive got a pretty good way to do run the bike and not get debris from the front wheel lol just wheelie it all the time

 

[XRpredator]

From what I know of the "works" style bare metal pipes is that they are just that: bare metal. You don't clear coat 'em, paint 'em, or whatever. You wash 'em off, then take the scotch brite pad and some elbow grease and clean off the rust that will develop. Once you get it nice and clean, give it a shot of WD40 to keep the rust away (until the next time you ride).

If you want a pipe that stays looking nice, get a plated one. Or paint it with the high-temp black.

 

[Scotty99983]

i painted my pipe (originally finished in a grey paint) i used a high temp shiny looking silver that is for exhaust headers. is that ok to have used it?

 

[Dirtdigger04]

I too did this to my DEP pipe and had the same issue.

The problem is that you have to bake the pipe @ different temps to let it set up before using.

The instructions have to be followed to a T !!!

The issue I had was convincing my wife to put the stink'n thing in the oven !!!!

The last temp you have to bake @ is 600 :yikes: :yikes:

It says you can cure it by running your engine @ normal operating conditions, but how do ya keep debris from flinging up from the front tire ??!!

I have a industrial oven here @ my work, I am going to start mine all over and go that rout !!!

So, you are saying that if i bake it, i won't have this problem. Let me know how your pipe comes out after you bake it in the oven. Is it possible to use a heat gun to heat it up, and then use a temp guage to see what temp it is. I really dont want anyone opening the oven, and seeing an exhaust pipe. LOL

 

[wake_rider]

So, you are saying that if i bake it, i won't have this problem. Let me know how your pipe comes out after you bake it in the oven. Is it possible to use a heat gun to heat it up, and then use a temp guage to see what temp it is. I really dont want anyone opening the oven, and seeing an exhaust pipe. LOL

No. A heat gun only heats up the spot you're pointing it at, and there is no consistency to the heating process. To properly bake paint you have to have it come up slow, come to the correct temp, and leave it there for a bit, so you really do need an oven. Preferably somewhere you could hang it with a hanger so that the outside of the pipe (with the coat of clear) is not touching anything at all. If you have a large oven you could move your oven rack to the very top and hook two wires to the rack and into each opening on the pipe.

All of that being said, I don't think you will ever be that happy with the results. It will consistently get chipped and beat up, so I think you're better off just cleaning the pipe up every time. If you're not a works rider with works mechanics doing all of your clean up and maintenance, a works pipe is more of a headache than I'd want to deal with but to each their own! :nener:

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

What Pred said! Paint, whats it going in a bike show? The dirt sticking to the paint, darn near fell out of the chair by that point. And yet, I have a clear coated pipe, by accident. It looks sopping wet with wd40! The now highlighted dings and scratches look pretty bad though. The guy that knurls piston skirts, seemingly cooked the pipe in a fire, blew the major dents out, and put this hard as hell finish for 60 or 80 bucks. What a friend? I took a pro circuit platinum pipe that weighed near 50 pounds and dented up. In the fire for a while, cleaned it out, taped up the ends with water,into the freezer for a while. I never thought it would fit in the dumb side by side, till I tried hard. Other than the gay finish, its a dead knock off of the knurlers pipe job. Paint in the wife's oven though, that will be trouble. Vintage Bob

 

[johnwilhite]

So, you are saying that if i bake it, i won't have this problem. Let me know how your pipe comes out after you bake it in the oven. Is it possible to use a heat gun to heat it up, and then use a temp guage to see what temp it is. I really dont want anyone opening the oven, and seeing an exhaust pipe. LOL

I have not redone mine yet. I called VHT and talked to one of there so called experts about this. He told me that once ya bake it, it should be good. He said they have customers that have no issue with headers that have crap (dirt) stick'n to them once ya follow the directions correctly.

The great thing about the call was after I told him about my problem he said he would send me a free can of stuff as a replacement. When the box showed up, I had 6 cans in there !!
I do not know if there shipping dept. screwed up or what, but I was very pleased with what I got. I paid I think $12.00 for my first can, so I have a few extras to play around with !!!