Exhaust wrap

[dusty1]

Anyone have any experience with the exhaust pipe wrap? I installed a Baker 6 in 4 tranny and planned to re-use the 34" FLH Paughco gooseneck drags i've had on for several yrs.Rear pipe was about an inch or so short of mating to head due to extra tranny stickout.After dropping a small fortune on tranny,a set of Kleiv exhaust that does fit,is not doable now.So i cut old rear pipe about 7"-8" down from head flange.Cut and fit a 1" long extension off an old junk pipe.I made many practice welds (TIG) on pieces of scrap pipe,as this was my first time TIG welding something so thin.My welds came out good except for about 3/4 of an inch (on visible side of course).I had decided to tack up last weld with pipe on bike (bad idea),and burned a hole through pipe.I fixed it.Ran bike yesterday and checked for exhaust leaks,found none.Last night,i smeared some JB weld on that small area to improve appearance and noted that JB weld isnt recommended on pipes or where temps are above 500 degrees.Im not sure if that area of pipe will get that hot.

So im thinking about just running it as it is & painting it with some hi-temp stove paint or wrapping to hide an ugly weld.Will try to post a pic or two.

[easyricer]

I've done the exhaust wrap on several pipes. Let it soak in water for a few minutes and the fibers will expand some. Then start your wrap at the head and work your way down over-lapping the wrap so that you have a nice clean looking job. Use some worm gear clamps at either end and trim off anything that might fray. For spots that will get rubbed on, add a hot-spot heat shield or a few more clamps.
The pipes that are on my 76 right now came off of a 98 Heritage Deluxe and I grafted them to the shovel using the drag pipes that came with it. (that cross-over pipe is so thin that I wad to turn the welder down to something like 5 amps and weld with my sunglasses on instead of the self darkening hood) With out the heat shields they are ugly as hell, but they have been good for about 6 or 7 years now. I painted mine with ultra high temp ceramicote (I think that was a brand name) paint and it has held up fairly well.
If you do wrap them, take the bike outside before you start it. Trust me on this one! The smell of the header wrap drying and curing is something that will not leave your shed or garage for a LONG TIME!
EASY

[Brrrap]

  I'll add into this suggesting "VHT" brand header paint available in most auto stores like autozone. And if you can find them, I've used stainless steel wire ties at the end of the wraps giving a nice look on the finish end.

[HotRodShovel]

Hey Dusty,
I've been wrestling with the Baker 6/4 rear pipe issue for sometime. To add to my woes is a stroker which raises the cylinder height.  What I did was use an "under tranny" rear pipe and I had to ballpean it fit under the Baker case.
It does not look great so I have been wrapping pipes for the past several years. I wrap every other season. It just does not last.
Whatever Easy said.....do it.

I'm going to install Paugcho 1 7/8" ID Fishtail extensions over the headers. It will cover the peaned area and I'll have them professionally welded ( i'm a great grinder but a lousy welder) and ultimately have them ceramic coated semi-gloss black to match my paint.

But that Baker is worth it!! Nice having a true overdrive...Good luck

[dusty1]

Cant get pics uploaded from phone..Pipes are 1 and 3/4" O.D. FLH pipes which goes under tranny & comes from factory "pre-crushed" under kicker cover.Old pipes were ceramic coated for 5 yrs,its bulletproof.Hated to remove some for welding.Dont know which would be better,worm clamps or stainless ties,but im thinkin clamps would last longer & be stronger.I thought about welding with shades too as the butt joint was very hard to see with such a low amperage.Was using auto darkening hood with a shade 11 lens,waaay overkill.Bad lighting in garage too.I'll go ahead & paint (touch up) and see how it looks.Take it from there. 

[easyricer]

I use some pretty good welding hoods and even with that once my welder gets down that low, it's not much good.
A good pair of cheap sunglasses will do the trick as long as they are dark....
EASY

[Snowyone]

JMO but I wrap mine from the outlet to the inlet.  Like it's lay better.  I'm lucky if the wrap lasts a year though.  Wish someone would come out with some tougher stuff.  One touch with a power washer or a spot the boot always hits and things get frayed.  I usually touch it up with hi temp stove paint 1/2 way through its life but make sure you're outside cause she smokes like crazy.