What do you know about pipe wraps?
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 1,159
From: Northern Colorado
Pro's : None
Con's : Everything
Have em ceramic coated inside and out, or use heatshields. The wrap is a fashion statement I know and plenty of dudes think it's high fashion and a "bobber" neccessity to have it. Truth is it sucks, looks cheap and does more harm than good. Sure a handful of people have had okay luck with it and haven't seen pipe failures but that doesn't negate the fact that way more people have had failures and not just on motorcycles. There's a reason manufacturers don't just sell their pipes already wrapped. Good pipes are heat shielded, great pipes are ceramic coated and some do both. Think before you do.
Con's : Everything
Have em ceramic coated inside and out, or use heatshields. The wrap is a fashion statement I know and plenty of dudes think it's high fashion and a "bobber" neccessity to have it. Truth is it sucks, looks cheap and does more harm than good. Sure a handful of people have had okay luck with it and haven't seen pipe failures but that doesn't negate the fact that way more people have had failures and not just on motorcycles. There's a reason manufacturers don't just sell their pipes already wrapped. Good pipes are heat shielded, great pipes are ceramic coated and some do both. Think before you do.
I did my thunderheaders. I bought the 50' roll of wrap and cut it in half, one 20' and one 30' for the two legs of pipe. I sanded the pipe down and painted it with heat paint. then I wrapped the short end first then the long. Don't wrap to within an inch of the exhaust ports as you will have difficulty getting a nut on the studs. After I let the wrap dry for a day (you soak the wrap) I used up the other half of the can of black heat paint on the wrap, which soaks it up nicely and helps it bind together, then reinstall the exhaust. I had maybe three feet on one length and four on the other left over, which is fine as you tie it to something solid as you wrap the pipe.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,036
Likes: 8
From: Temecula, CA
This is from a website I did for a guy that built headers for cars from daily drivers to Pro Stock Dragsters, Tom Dawson...
"Another issue to be addressed is the use of heat insulating wraps. We strongly discourage the use of these wraps on anything but drag race headers. These wraps hold in too much heat and over a period of time will literally 'cook' the carbon out of the steel, causing it to break down and disinigrate."
While sometimes I love the look of wraps, for this reason I don't use them. The man could pull more information about exhausts systems off the top of his head in his sleep than I ever could.
"Another issue to be addressed is the use of heat insulating wraps. We strongly discourage the use of these wraps on anything but drag race headers. These wraps hold in too much heat and over a period of time will literally 'cook' the carbon out of the steel, causing it to break down and disinigrate."
While sometimes I love the look of wraps, for this reason I don't use them. The man could pull more information about exhausts systems off the top of his head in his sleep than I ever could.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Oh that's nothing....try asking people which oil is best or...better still...which is the best carby to use!
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: South FL.
Gearhead
My Vance & Hines heat shields fell off due to little welds. Then I got some high heat black paint at Discount auto and, , , wamba. Nice look'in black pipes. I did it two years ago. Never had any problems. Give it a try. Keep the rubber down and the crome up!
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 1,159
From: Northern Colorado
or which cams, which shocks, which grips, which bandanna..each topic as hotly debated as the next. and to the guy saying if you can't afford new pipes every 5 yrs maybe you shouldn't own a bike....possibly the lamest reply ever? I didn't know pipes were a wear item like tires, belts, brakes and chains that had a replacement timeline. Aside from finding something you like better or performs better what reason is there to buy new exhaust every 5 yrs??? Well unless you are wrapping them and ruining them of course
