Brushed Stainless Exhaust

[WildSide]

Ok, the previous owner of my bike must have droped it making a low speed turn(5-10 mph) and the Yosh RS-3 can and mid-pipe have a some scratches on it now and they are an eyesore to me and i don't have the green to get a new one. So, i was thinking of useing a grinder or sand paper or wirewheel and making it look like brushed stainless just a little more aggressive and deeper with the scratches on on it. I think it would look good, but i want to hear what other people think and if there are any unseen problems i might run into. It would look kinda like this but a little deeper with the markings.

[WildSide]

come on, nobody has any input? over 30 people have looked at this and nobody is going to give there 2 cents? LOL

[suzukiray]

If it is a STAINLESS pipe, go for it! If it a mild STEEL pipe, it will RUST!!! Ray.

[cyclefvr2]

if its aluminum wet sand and polish it will look new again

[WildSide]

its a stainless steel pipe

[FASHER]

Brushing it isn't a bad idea.....I'd have to see it with the rest fo the bike

[cannonball]

I have only ever brushed one pipe, I liked it at first, because it looked better than the scuffed up one I had before, but it still didn't look finished to me, I dunno, it's not bad if that's what you like.

[ismatts]

you can polish stainless as well. alot of elbow grease, but it will work.

[JeffM]

I'd vote for re-polishing over trying to get a uniform brushed finish. It's probably not that much more work, since you only have to work on the scratched areas (vs. the entire thing). Start really coarse, maybe even using a fine flat file to remove the worst scratching, then go to finer and finer grades of wet sandpaper - up to 1500 or 2000 eventually. Then a cloth wheel with some fine rubbing compound ought to ge things back tolike new finish.

[Wisconsin Joe]

come on, nobody has any input? over 30 people have looked at this and nobody is going to give there 2 cents? LOL

I didn't want to be the first one to say "I don't like the idea".

But, since you asked for it, here is my 0.02.

Getting the brushed finish to look decent is going to take a lot of work and even more skill. Unless it's really even, both in depth of scratches and direction of them, it's going to look amateur. Think paint job with a brush.

Polishing out scratches is actually easier. Even deep ones. It won't look perfect, but MY OPINION is that less than perfect scratch removal will look far better than less than perfect brushed finish.

[Slofuze]

Not sure where I came across them......but someone actually markets sleeves that simply go over your existing can. Trust me.... I feel your pain..... I have this to deal with before the season opens.

[Black_peter]

I did that to my stock mufflers. It looks better then obvious scratches and such.

[WildSide]

ok, cool, getting some answers! lol i was also thining of painting it a nice flat black, but i am also liking the idea of repolishing. IDK, i like all the ideas i am leaning more to painting it, then i go back to brushing it. either way i will post before and after when i get it done.

[Kreylyn]

1. 4 or 6" circular, rubber padded sanding disk that chucks into an air tool, or if you don't have a compressor and tool, a drill will work. Easily found at lowes.
2. Stick on, circular sanding pads of the appropriate grits sized for the sanding disk. Easily found at most auto paint/body repair supplys (or like Napa, not so much with autozone or advance).
3. 200, 400, 800, 1500 grits.

In 15 mins or less using this setup with the air tool, you would have a surface preped to put a mirror polish on stainless. Use a buffing wheel with fine polish compound to bring the high luster finish if you want a perfect reflection, but it will be close without the buffing. Drill may be a little slower, but not too bad.

Oh, basic instuctions...

Clean surface well.
Match the grit to the scratches your trying to remove. (If fine scratches, just use a slightly finer grit of paper.)
Blend area so that you can't tell sanded from the original scratches. Remember to sand across scratches, not with. Same thing for when you change grits... sand across the prior direction, not with.
Increase grits when uniform look. Sand slightly larger area as you go, blending.
Clean/wipe down work surface with a soft, clean rag each time before changing grits. When you start getting finer grits, it's easy to add larger scratches back with a dirty/rough rag.


Krey

[ep87]

I know your trying to save some cash, and I'm sure you can get some good results eather brushing it or polishing it out. or if you can free up
$75 yoshimura sells replacement SS sleeve for the RS-3, or there a guy on E-bay that sells a high quality carbon fiber replacement for $90. The sleeve and a few rivets will take care of it.
Richard