| Author | Message | ||
     Juggalo080 |
Hey, I searched through the knowledge vault trying to figure out information on wrapping the headers, I did find some useful information but still have a couple of questions. Where do you start with the wrap? The front header? The back header? Do you cut the wrap in separate pieces for the different headers? Does any of the area get double wrapped? What size hose clamps do you get? Any information would be very appreciated, Thanks and happy new years to all. | ||
| Rmp |
I recently wrapped mine. I used a 1" X 50' roll of DEI wrap overlapping about 3/8". I'm not sure what size clamps I used. Just eyeballed some at homedepot. I think the pipe is 1.5" though. I wrapped the front down to where the front and back join and went from the back down to the muffler. The front pipe was wrapped low enough to where wrapping the back all the way down covered where the front ended. Does that make sense? A little double wrap at the Y. Rob | ||
| Blake |
What RMP said.  | ||
| Fullpower |
do you paint it after wrapping? what happens when it gets wet? does it steam, and smell like a wet dog too close to the campfire? | ||
| Rmp |
I used the black wrap (which is actually more of a dark gray) and painted it black with the DEI high temp silicone spray paint. It does steam some after washing or if dew gets on it. I haven't been caught in a bad rain since I've wrapped it so I can't comment much on that. It smells awful and smokes the first time you fire it up after wrapping. Once the wrap gets cured or charred, it doesn't smell anymore. | ||
| Trevorxb9s |
Can you wrap it with the headers on the bike? I have been debating doing this for sometime now. | ||
| Slaughter |
Trevor - you can but trust me, it's a pain in the butt because you're starting with a long ribbon of wrap that you have to run around-and-around-and-around. Use gloves (basic dish gloves) - to keep that ceramic fiber out of your skin. Some folks get irritated by it. Use water to put it on wet. All that being said, I took mine back off after the first day out when it started wearing badly where the 2 pipes came together. 100 miles and it started flapping. I think the stock headers have enough space between them to keep it from rubbing on itself. | ||
| Rocketsprink |
I did my Duc race bike with it and it rained the entire weekend after I put it on. I painted it after install and it smoked when I stopped our first session. Never after that. I think doing the XB without removing the header would be a pain. But I believe some people here have done it. Good luck. I think it looks better wrapped. | ||
| Slaughter |
Oh and wot Rocketsprink sed - it's gonna smoke like a mo-fo for the first hour or more. Your buddies are gonna look at it and think you're on fire. Just don't get startled. | ||
| Glitch |
What I did. I started with the front header, and wrapped as far down as I could between the headers. Then wrapped down the collector, then backup to the top of the rear header. From there back down to the collector, but not down the collector, and up the front header. So what I ended up with was double wrapped header. I did all this with the header on the bike. I also used the DEI wrap kit, used the clamps that came with the kit and painted it with the silicon black spray paint that came in the kit. I have a Nine, I'm not sure you could double wrap a twelve header, because the diameter of the head pipes. If the bike gets wet in a rain, it looks like the bike is over heating, because of all the steam coming off. Makes for some wild stares from the cagers. It does smell pretty bad after the first couple of runs, but not after it all cures in. If it ever started looking bad I would just re-paint the wrap. A helpful hit is to put aluminum foil over the engine and places you don't want painted. I'm real happy with the way it turned out. Surely it does cut down on the heat, that normally would be put off by the header. I'll post a pic as soon as I find one. | ||
| Glitch |
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| Isham |
OMG where can I get that paint???? I want mine dark black instead of gray  | ||
| Hogs |
Hey Guys, Great info,Keep it coming got 2 xb12`s to do Very soon...Hey Glitch are you sure "Double Wrap" is a good thing, As All I ever heard was to lap 1/4 of a inch and thats it for wrapping,Was under the understanding that it is important that do not cover more than that as it has to be able to breathe??? Thoughts??? | ||
| Rmp |
I wrapped mine wet with the header on he bike. It wasn't too bad. I would hesitate to do it again. I used a heavy duty freezer paper to mask off when I painted. Foil probably works better. | ||
| Ryker77 |
IMO get the DEI wrap that allreadys has the black color in it. much more simple than trying to paint it. The paint kinda flakes off. If you look close you can see it.  | ||
| Isham |
Ryker got a question about the ss tie. You just just tie it and cut the end off? My wrap looks like yours but I want it dark like Glitch's bike... | ||
| Rocketsprink |
The SS straps that I used to do mine didn't need any special tools to make them work. Kind of like a zip tie only without the ridges. Once you feed the end through, it doesn't come back out. Pull it tight with pliers or vice grips, snip off the end and that's it. Much cleaner look than hose clamps. But they work just as good. | ||
| Juggalo080 |
Thank you all for the info, it's exactly what I needed to hear so I'll be able to get it done once I find the time to do so. | ||
| Ryker77 |
plus the SS ties was enough for me to wrap a Audi TT turbo down pipe, VW TDI turbo intake pipe and down pipe, and still enough for my Buell. The black I used was the 8.00 can DEI or ThermoTec stuff. If you want shinny deep black just go to the auto parts store and get hi temp engine paint. This is what I did the second time. I used the semi black then coated that with reflective paint. I did the upper rocker box covers too. But that wouldn't help you XB guys. They show up black during the day then at night --they reflect.  | ||
| Max |
If need some good colored header wrap good..Used on my car and bike. http://www.ozcustoms.com/header_wrap.htmre. | ||
| Sgthigg |
This might be a dumb question. But can you remove these once the get aged and it not harm the header pipe? Also how many miles can one expect before it fades or discolors to a point needing replacement? Thanks (Message edited by sgthigg on January 02, 2006) | ||
| 2k4xb12 |
 I started with the front header first and began the wrap where the front and rear meet, wrapping toward the head end of the pipe. For the rest, I started at the head end of the rear pipe and wrapped toward the collector. Wrapping in this manner reduces the effect of wind peeling the layers back as it tends to travel over rather than under each wrap. I also started with the black 1" x 50' roll, and sprayed the black silicon after done. You will want to soak the roll in water before doing the wrap. This reduces the amount of glass fiber that will end up in your skin, and it also makes it more pliable and allows it to stretch a bit so it will tighten when it dries. Be sure to wrap it outside as the wet black wrap is messy! As others have posted, you will think you're spraying oil on the header with all the nasty smelling smoke that comes out for the first hour or so. The smell will take longer to dissipate -- about a week or so of riding. | ||
| Jkhawaii |
dosent wrap damage the header pipes over time? I know two headers that my dad wrapped years ago basically melted, rusted and blew holes in the header pipes after about a year. of corse this was on a heavy loaded tow truck | ||
| 2k4xb12 |
Somehow, I doubt his tow truck header pipes were stainless... Retained heat/moisture will damage steel pipes, but I think it's okay on stainless... Steve. | ||
| Ryker77 |
I had bought a set of used edlebrock car headers for a LT1 camoro. They had been wrapped. The wrap kinda left imprents on the finish. No sign of weakened metal. and those headers came off of a drag car so I know they had some heat put through them. Plus headers are cheap. I wouldn't wrap new aftermarket headers.. I've got to get through school but then I'll pull my force pipes and get them coated. |
