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I want to buy a set of Zard exhausts for my Paul Smart but am a bit concerned about the discoloration I've seen on the header of some bikes. Anyway to avoid this besides using wrapping tape?
Yup. Coating them on the inside is what keeps the heat away from the metal.Thanks for the tip Moto. Do they need to be coated both on the outside and inside?
+1Yup. Coating them on the inside is what keeps the heat away from the metal.
They discolor differently - stainless turns a brown/beige, while Ti can develop a blue/rainbow color. In fact, some makers intentionally change the color of Ti cans by heating them.I am curious which metal discolors more, titanium or good old steel?
Yup .... not riding the bike, eh, more precisely, not even starting your bikewheelieman said:Anyway to avoid this besides using wrapping tape?
AgreeZards do not discolor. They develop a beautiful patina.
+1Agree
:think: think again :think: Stainless steel and chrome discolor very differently.wheelieman said:I think I will try the ceramic coating first and if that doesn't work the way I want, I will wrap my headers as I'm not just a fan of the discoloration. Kind of reminds of when harley chrome goes all blue.
Something no one has mentioned: Part of the advantage of replacement single-wall headers is the larger diameter. Internal JetHot coating (or a competitor) is quite thick. I'll bet you lose at least 1 mm of I.D., maybe more.Why not try the ceramic coating second? Give it a shot with the Zards as they come, or, even better, polish them first. If you don't like how they "age", then you can still apply ceramic coating. However, once the coating is on, it's very hard / impossible to take it off.
Take them to a shop that does professional polishing..... unless you have the "right equipment" the results will be very poor. My shop here in Oregon has a polishing setup that has a 20 hp motor, huge polishing wheels, the right compounds AND a ton of experience to make the results perfect. Most chrome shops will have this setup.I have to say MHE225 that does look really good when polished. Is there a particular product to polish them with to get that look?
Nope - the true ceramic coating is only a couple of molecules thick - you will lose no measurable ID by using true ceramic.Something no one has mentioned: Part of the advantage of replacement single-wall headers is the larger diameter. Internal JetHot coating (or a competitor) is quite thick. I'll bet you lose at least 1 mm of I.D., maybe more.