Exhaust wrap
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
From: Excelsior Springs, MO
Exhaust wrap
Whats the best and easiest kit out there? Any tips from you guys who have done it? Does it offer about as good of heat dissapation as heat sheilds? Im tired of running bare head pipe its getting hot!! lol
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,122
Likes: 4
From: Florida
You can get the header wrap from autoparts stores all over way cheaper than the same thing sold at a motorcycle store. the process is tough at first if you have never done it. You really got to take the exhaust off and need two people one to hold one to wrap. It does reduce the heat and gives an old school look. I did my brothers exhaust and it takes a while to dry and smells really bad till it completely does dry if you ride it before hand because you cant wait like he did. Didnt hurt it but it did smell strong at the red lights.
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 8
From: Powder Springs, GA
08Nighttrain is right it does take a little getting use to but no difficult. I have wrapped about 5 sets of pipes and here are my thoughts.
1. You can get Thermotec (spelling?) or DEI at the autoparts store. It is good stuff. I got the cheapo stuff on my softail and you can see where it is turning a lot toward the heads. However I like it so I am just strange.
2. USE stainless hose clamps to hold it on. You can get these at the autoparts store or homedepot. The metal clips that come with the wrap suck in my opinion
3. Wrap the pipe starting at the end or the exhaust opening first and work your way up. Then use a spray bottle of water to keep it damp as you go. This will help it lay down.
4. I always just used the metal pole in my garage and tied one end of the wrap to it. This will help you wrap it TIGHT. You can also use a truck hitch or whatever.
5. And yes it will smell and smoke like a madman until it burns off. You will look funny at your first trip to the stop light.
1. You can get Thermotec (spelling?) or DEI at the autoparts store. It is good stuff. I got the cheapo stuff on my softail and you can see where it is turning a lot toward the heads. However I like it so I am just strange.
2. USE stainless hose clamps to hold it on. You can get these at the autoparts store or homedepot. The metal clips that come with the wrap suck in my opinion
3. Wrap the pipe starting at the end or the exhaust opening first and work your way up. Then use a spray bottle of water to keep it damp as you go. This will help it lay down.
4. I always just used the metal pole in my garage and tied one end of the wrap to it. This will help you wrap it TIGHT. You can also use a truck hitch or whatever.
5. And yes it will smell and smoke like a madman until it burns off. You will look funny at your first trip to the stop light.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 160
Likes: 5
From: indiana
The DEI Titanium can be installed dry. It is softer and more stretchable. It is a gray green color. The other brands have to be wet to wrap them tight. It is easy to do with an extra set of hands. The DEI wrap costs more but it is thicker and is better as a heat shield.
+1 on the DEI Titanium. I've got about 8000mi and a couple rain storms on mine. No paint and wrapped dry. Check out my photo album for pictures.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,054
Likes: 26
From: Florida
I'm interested in wrapping my 2:1 heads and I think it would be pretty straight forward but the part where I thought I would have issues is where the two pipes meet. Not sure how to get the wrap past that point in a manner that covers well and looks good. I want to start from the end of the head pipes and work up to towards the flanges so that the overlap faces back and does not catch the wind. I practiced using one of those long wraps that you put on your fists for punching a workout bag but couldn't come up with a pattern that would work well. I have seen lots of videos online that show people wrapping a pipe but they always do individual head pipes with no O2 sensor ports which really seems like a no brainer and make me wonder why they had to make instructional videos for that process. I would like to see someone wrap a set of stock headers or something like a 2:1 to see how they get around the joints and O2 ports.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,477
Likes: 14
From: Western MD
I've also thought about installing the wrap, but then putting the shields back on to cover up the wrap. i was advised against reinstalling the shields but i can't remember why now. something about the air gap if i'm not mistaken.
Skeez, i think a narrow width wrap would work better for a 2-1 pipe and going around the o2 ports.
Skeez, i think a narrow width wrap would work better for a 2-1 pipe and going around the o2 ports.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,076
Likes: 1
From: East TN
I had wrapped pipes on my sportster after my heat sheilds fell off. I did about 10k on them and both the head pipes blew big cracks in them two days apart..looked cool, seemed to run better but be prepared to buy new pipes soon