Topic: 4-1 header maintenance Q?

[Don R]

 I have a couple 4-1 headers that are dear to me, one is a V&H sidewinder that's nearly new with maybe an hour of runtime on a CB900c and an old RC eng. 4-1, both chrome. I'd like to protect the area between the primary pipes where it's difficult to polish to remove or prevent rust. Any ideas? I'm thinking I'll do the Eastwood inside the pipe coating on the V&H. If I can get the RC pipe clean enough inside, I'd do that one too.

[dragracer]

I've tried my best to keep the Vance and Hines sidewinder cleaned in that area on all 3 of my bikes. The pipes were new when installed. Unfortunately everyone seems to have oxidation to some degree in that area. Its like not enough plating covers the exhaust there for some reason. I do my best to put  Honda spray wax on rhem and work between the pipes as best as i can with cleaning rags. I've just learned to accept that the V&H pro pipes are of low quality comparing to my provstock replica pipe on my top sportsman buke qhich i also purchase brand new. One difference between them is the pro stock pipe has individual slip in tubes and is in multiple piece. The cheaper pro pipe is welded all together up to the collector where the tail piece slips on. Those pipes were built to be affordable for index and bracket racers. Sadly for us, that exhaust has been discontinued for a while now. If you can find another in good condition,  it'll probably cost you an arm and a leg. Murray has also gone out of business so there isn't many choices on off the shelf sidewinders. There are several custom builders out there with prices starting around $1500.

Sorry I was not of any help to solve your problem. Let me know what you come up with.

[Don R]

 I'm likely going to mask it off and paint the inner areas the best I can with Eastwood exhaust paint. I'll show my work when I get to it, the RC header is still on the bike.

[rocket johnny]

eastwood exhaust paint is good $hit !     i have a exhaust manifold on a 56 ford i did 30 yrs ago and it still looks good

[Don R]

eastwood exhaust paint is good $hit !     i have a exhaust manifold on a 56 ford i did 30 yrs ago and it still looks good

I did the small block exhaust manifolds on my 40 chevy around 1980 when I was a plumbing apprentice, I'm retired now and they just began to turn brown the last few years.

[Oddjob]

You could consider ceramic coating, finish called Cermakrome, looks a little like stainless steel. One of the tests it has to pass it 24000 hrs of salt water dripping on it.

I had the headers on my 1300 done and they were still perfect when the bike got written off by a lovely lady driver, he says sarcastically.

[Don R]

 If mine come off the car, they will get the Eastwoods again, I consider 40 years a success.