| Author | Message | ||
     Birdy |
I was washing the XB today after changing the oil & Filter. Man that muffler is rusty on the bottom! Looks like I'll be pulling it off and either getting a OP or Drummer. Or just painting it after I'll sand the snot out of it. I plan to rotate the motor and pull the header and either polish it or have it coated. After two years it looks like crap! I put her to bed for the winter because as soon as it snows here they'll be salting the roads like crazy if it's like Indiana was. I'll ride the KLR and save the Buell...I can get another new KLR can't say the same about the Buell.  AND the Kawasaki has a fairing to hide behind to keep a little warmer anyway HARD to hide behind a Flyscreen! | ||
| Greg_e |
You could have the muffler coated as well as the headers. I'd probably just paint the muffler since it is going to get scraped up from rocks and sand anyway. Maybe a yearly thing with some high temp paint. | ||
| Ulynut |
I painted mine last fall with VHT. Still looks O.K., not great. I'll most likely have to do it again next fall. Not a big deal. | ||
| Jaimec |
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/296137.html | ||
| Bromanowski |
I've been thinking about using por-15 on mine. I just emailed them to see if it can stand the heat as it's not listed anywhere on their site. I've used it in some Porsche restoration and that is really tough stuff. It will never rust again and there is no way you will get any rock chips with it. | ||
| Clutchless |
+1 on that thread that Jaimec posted, I painted mine via grill high temp paint and it looks very similar to a stock muffler now. The black isnt that crazy deep flat black like a nice coating would acheive....but it does hang on the bottom and catch all the rocks and garbage on the road. High temp works wonders. | ||
| Buewulf |
I've been thinking about using por-15 on mine. Bromanowski, Let us know what they say with regards to the heat rating of POR-15. POR-15 is great stuff, but I don't think it is high-temp. They have a POR-20 for high temp applications that is rated to 1400 F, but I don't think it has the anti-rust properties of POR-15. Anyone have any idea what the surface temp of the muffler is? | ||
| Bromanowski |
POR-20 also needs a perfectly clean surface. The big attraction with POR-15 is that you don't have to remove the rust. I estimated that the muffler is about 500-600*F at the inlet and 2-300* for the rest. | ||
| Nik |
I painted my muffler with regular rustoleum, not high temp. It's holding up fine everywhere except at the inlet. And even there its only just turned flat. | ||
| Miko_k |
I did the BBQ paint, after sandblasting and further cleaning with acetone. The sand from the rear tire took off the coating, the clamps cracked it too, the bottom is rusty again. I am going to bring it to these guys next week: http://www.performancekote.com/index.html | ||
| Jaimec |
You CRACKED the paint?? How much did you use? That never happened with the job we did on our bikes. My friend's Ulysses needed a second coat a year later because (as you observed) the sand thrown up by the rear wheel did a good job of sand-blasting the paint off the rear of the muffler. I didn't have that issue, though. When I traded the bike in a year later, the muffler still looked as good as new. | ||
| Bromanowski |
Response from POR-15 The only rust preventive paint I have for this situation is only good up to 450 degrees. I have other paints that will withstand the heat but they are not a rust preventive coating. I'm still going to go for it and see how it works. That stuff is really tough.} | ||
| Buewulf |
450 degrees. It may just work. That would be great as it would almost certainly cure the the crusty muff syndrome. I think I'll try out the POR-15 myself when I pull the muffler off during the holidays. Keep us informed, and let me know if you burst into flames going down the highway, Bromanowski. I'd hate to pull the trigger on this when there is a perfectly good guinea pig at hand!  | ||
| Mikef5000 |
This thread:http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/442496.html?1251516087 also confirms (unofficially) that the mufflers do not get above 450 degrees. I ride through the winter on the thoroughly salted roads, so I'm thinking I should do something to my muffler BEFORE it starts rusting to protect it. I just have a hard time justifying it since it only has 2100 miles on it and it still looks like new! | ||
| Bromanowski |
Well my POR starter kit is in the mail. For $25 shipped what do I have to lose. I'm not going to get a chance to ride until the spring but I'll post some pics when it's done. | ||
| Buewulf |
For $25 shipped what do I have to lose.  | ||
| Bromanowski |
Thanks, Now I'm going to be riding around with one of the halon fire extinguishers from my race car. | ||
| Bromanowski |
Well it's done. I took some before and afters. I brushed it on so you can see the strokes a little but at least I won't have to worry about rust anymore. http://gallery.me.com/brian.romanowski#100095 | ||
| Fahren |
Just looked at your pic's... that first shot of the detached muffler, lying on its back, looks like "penguin meets Wall-E" What did you use to top-coat over the Por-15? Their web site says that the Por-15 must be top-coated since it is UV-sensitive. Maybe hi-temp flat black bbq/rustoleum spray paint? (Message edited by fahren on December 06, 2009) | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Now at least do one ride for us so we know it'll take the heat! GO GO GO! | ||
| Cityxslicker |
There are bigger things than rust to be concerned about.... this is what happens when your run a CityX chasing a KLR  | ||
| Mikef5000 |
That'll buff right out. | ||
| Bromanowski |
They have their own top coat that is supposed to be used but I'm going to try it without. It's not going to get too much sun down there. Hopefully I don't regret it. My engine is almost all the way out of the bike and the back end is in pieces so it's unridable right now. Once I get the engine dropped and back in I'm going to run it and warm it up. I'll let you know how that goes in a few weeks. | ||
| Fahren |
Their web site says the POR-15 can take any paint as a topcoat - I wouldn't risk f***ing up the POR by leaving it, since it would be a hassle to pull the can off later and fix it. At least a quick spray of flat black would protect it and be easy to touch up here and there while installed. Just a suggestion, but I wouldn't underestimate the sun's power to do damage, especially if the instructions tell you it will happen. | ||
| Obiewan |
Send that pipe to Odie, he can handle it. You'll get it back nice looking and your bike will love you for it.  http://www.specialops-online.com/ | ||
| Bromanowski |
It's a voodoo pipe already. I was thinking if the POR can't handle the heat the top coat would just make the problem worse. I'll probably just scotch bright it and put a light coat of high temp on it. | ||
| 1324 |
Sorry I missed this thread...I've used POR15 on the stock pipe. Been on there since July. I've always had good luck with POR15, and this appears to be no different. I do have some of my topcoat flaking up around the top of the rear most weld. It isn't bad and may just be from poor top coat prep on my part. Either way, the majority of the muffler looks good so far. No reason NOT to do it. I'll report back as time/miles add up. As far as the top coat is concerned, don't skip it. I have in the past, and the result is ugly. It gets very chalky and looks terrible. Supposedly UV exposure won't inhibit it's performance, but it looked terrible. Doesn't take much UV exposure in my experience, either. | ||
| Bromanowski |
It's settled then, hi-temp semi-gloss black here I come. | ||
| Boney95 |
Just don't get that POR 15 on your skin. I learned the hard way. My hands were black for about 5 days. | ||
| Bromanowski |
Oh yeah. It is really tough stuff. They usually ship it with some latex gloves. Make sure that whatever you are wearing when applying it you do not care about. It stain clothes like no other. Also make sure you prep your area well. There are some spots on my parents garage floor that will never come out now. (Message edited by bromanowski on December 09, 2009) |
