Heat Wrapping Tips??

H

habib

New Member
Cycle Gear here in Portland was a pretty nice sale on a lot of odds and ends so I picked up some bar end mirrors and a roll of black heat wrap. Mirrors went in fine (of course).


I have the basic idea of wrapping my pipes but before I do I was wondering if any one has some tips that would make the job more efficient and end up looking nicer.


I know I should soak the tape in water before wrapping it, I want to secure the wrap well but I want it to look nice as well. So how are most people clamping/cinching/tying off the wrap? I know I could hose clamps but I imagine it wont look clean. So please any help is appreciated.
 
Ok, also I assume it is best to take the pipes off the bike. Can I wrap all the way or should I stop right at the joints?
 
If you go to plumbing supply house or a bolt and nut warehouse you should be able to get the really nice but pricey stainless steel clamps. I got a set that I use on my race car they were $8 each. Might even look at what Summit Racing or Jegs sells for clamps. The header wrap sets thru the car places is actually cheaper than motorcycle places.
 
Make sure your pipes are blasted and painted- any moisture from the wraps can cause your headers to rust without you knowing (obviously during storage or something). Stainless wire can be used to secure the ends, but stainless zip ties are usually more available. Start wrapping from the back of the exhaust towards the front so the overlap doesn't catch any wind while you're riding. If you plan on keeping the wraps black, they will need painted (after they are dried out from installation).

And wear gloves when installing or else you will be itching for days.
 
Perfect thanks. I tried searching for a vid but all I got was car exhaust. wasnt sure how similar it would be.
 
I'm reviving this thread as not to start a new one.
I'm also cross posting from my noob thread, but I thought this was more relevant.

I still have a question that I thought I'd ask here.
I have wrapped the headers because they were prety ugly. It dried for about a week before i ran it. Now the left header's wrap is getting some discoloration and emitted a bit more smoke than the right.
Should this tell me something? Is the left cylinder getting a little more gas than the right? Or was one of them just more moist than the other?
 
On a twin it could be a couple of things.
Most likely carbs out of sync so one side is 'pulling' harder or dirt in one of the carbs causing it to run slightly leaner
wrapping pipes keeps more exhaust heat, you could just be cleaning out years of deposits in silencers?
 
By the way. does this looks like rust seeping through the wrap to you?
IMG_0592.jpg
 
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