Whats the best way to remove rust from headers?

[m511y]

I picked up a used set of Jardine headders for my XS750 and they are in worse shape than I had expected. They are covered in serface rust. No serious pitting, but more rust than I can remove with a wire whele.

My plan is to remove the rust, give them a spray of paint to curb the rust from returning, and then wraping them, so I'm not too concerned with how they look.

Using a wire whele on the headders will take a liftime to get all of the rust gone. I was going to give electroysis a shot but I have never done it before. I was also considering slathering them with navel jelly. I just wanted to see if there was a better way to go about cleaning these haders up.

The pic below isn't of my bike and my headers arent quite this bad, I'm just using it for reference.

Thanks in advance.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

Sandblasting is best, and your only shot at getting high temperature paint to adhere.

I have found the performance of high temperature rattle can paints to be disappointing. Even with sandblasting and following the instructions to the letter, including multi-stage heat cure, I find the rust returns within months. If you put wrap on them you will not see the rust, and you will be pretty much fucked.

I have started using a high temperature powdercoat, but it may not hold up to the temperatures close to the exhaust ports, and the temperature would be even higher if wrapped.

Any chemical means of stripping the rust will interfere with the coating. Sandblasting is best. Probably cost you about $40 to have a metal finisher sandblast them.

 

[Sonreir]

If you can find a big enough bath, electrolysis might be a good bet.

 

[m511y]

If you can find a big enough bath, electrolysis might be a good bet.

I have a friend with a sandblast booth so I'll try that. If it doesn't work I have some rebar and a big ruber made tub I'll use for the electrolysis. Wish me luck.

 

[Djfob]

If you put wrap on them you will not see the rust, and you will be pretty much fucked.

My exhaust looks similar, planning to scuff and paint the tip of muffler. Rest of exhaust I am planning to just wrap to cover the rust. Bad idea?

 

[VonYinzer]

My exhaust looks similar, planning to scuff and paint the tip of muffler. Rest of exhaust I am planning to just wrap to cover the rust. Bad idea?

Yes. Rust is cancerous. Unless you remove it from the metal it will grow and destroy the exhaust. Especially under wrap.

 

[DeanJ]

Yes. Rust is cancerous. Unless you remove it from the metal it will grow and destroy the exhaust. Especially under wrap.

+1 ....... ...... the wrap traps and holds moisture accelerating the rust process

 

[Djfob]

I'll go as planned for now I guess but now I have an excuse for a new exhaust

 

[ApriliaBill]

From the looks of where the rust is... You might have as much rust on the inside as out... This might be an opportunity for you to weld up one of those exhausts that are made up of 75+ pieces. I kinda dig them... Not trying to be a jerk, it just looks like the rust is very thick and at the cancerous state. I hope not and the blast is a success.

 

[VonYinzer]

If you take the pipes to a plating shop, they should be able to chem dip them and strip all of the rust and chrome off (inside and out) leaving you a perfect surface to paint.

 

[Nebr_Rex]

Muratic acid from the hardware store.
Read a label precautions,do not breathe any fumes,it will take your breath away.
It will eat concrete,it's used to clean ready mix trucks.
A long handled brush and a garden hose with a spray nozzle works best.
Use it on the inside also.

.

 

[atx360]

I use this stuff. Pretty awesome!


http://www.metalrescue.com/home.aspx

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

Muratic acid from the hardware store.

Horrible suggestion. That shit is far too dangerous to handle, and wire brushing with it splatters it all over the place. Your lungs will take a serious beating, sometimes causing pneumonia a few days later when the dead lung cells slough off the lining of your lungs.

There are MUCH safer, and more effective chemicals to use. Phosphoric acid is much safer. It's the active ingredient of a number of rust removal products, and it won't kill you.

 

[Sonreir]

And also, as soon as you take anything out of the muriatic acid, it flash rusts. Kinda defeats the purpose.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

I have a friend with a sandblast booth so I'll try that. If it doesn't work I have some rebar and a big ruber made tub I'll use for the electrolysis. Wish me luck.

This thread is kinda misnamed. Removing rust is not your only goal. Title should be, "What's the best way to prepare headers for painting."

Sandblast. First, last, always. Chemical or electroysis rust removal removes the rust, but it doesn't prepare the surface for painting. The ceramic paint instructions are quite explicit to sandblast, blow it off with compressed air, then don't touch it with your bare hands or use any kind of liquid to clean it.

 

[m511y]

This thread is kinda misnamed. Removing rust is not your only goal. Title should be, "What's the best way to prepare headers for painting."

Sandblast. First, last, always. Chemical or electroysis rust removal removes the rust, but it doesn't prepare the surface for painting. The ceramic paint instructions are quite explicit to sandblast, blow it off with compressed air, then don't touch it with your bare hands or use any kind of liquid to clean it.

I will be sandblasting the headders next week. Then I will be handeling them with gloves. I will paint them, bake them, then at some point wrap them. As of right now that is my plan. Deciding it I want to spend the extra cash to have them ceramic coated.

 

[DeanJ]

and paint very soon afterward... bare metal can flash rust fairly quickly in moderate to high humidity ........ and initially it may not even be visible

 

[Nebr_Rex]

Horrible suggestion. That shit is far too dangerous to handle, and wire brushing with it splatters it all over the place. Your lungs will take a serious beating, sometimes causing pneumonia a few days later when the dead lung cells slough off the lining of your lungs.

There are MUCH safer, and more effective chemicals to use. Phosphoric acid is much safer. It's the active ingredient of a number of rust removal products, and it won't kill you.

And what about the use of silica sand during sand blasting?

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

That's pretty bad, too. I suit up in a tyvek suit, hood, gloves, and of course a premium respirator. Then again, I use non-silica crushed glass as my medium. The usual media that powdercoaters use for surface prep is aluminum oxide. When I say "sandblasting" I am referring to the process, not necessarily using sand as the media.

Most sandblasting is done in a cabinet with a HEPA dust collection system anyway.

The CDC has an excellent treatise on the subject:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/92-102/

 

[SONICJK]

That's pretty bad, too. I suit up in a tyvek suit, hood, gloves, and of course a premium respirator. Then again, I use non-silica crushed glass as my medium. The usual media that powdercoaters use for surface prep is aluminum oxide. When I say "sandblasting" I am referring to the process, not necessarily using sand as the media.

Most sandblasting is done in a cabinet with a HEPA dust collection system anyway.

The CDC has an excellent treatise on the subject:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/92-102/

This looks like a scene from breaking bad 8)