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Old 03-30-2008, 06:52 PM   #6 (permalink)
Jay313
Ditch Magnet
 
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Joined: Mar 2008
Bike: 07 M50 Limited
Location: Dallas
Posts: 158
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Have fun bootsie. Couple of things I learned along the way: I chose Rustoleum because it didn't require baking to cure the paint. Both Duplicolor and VHT, which you'll find at auto parts stores, suggest you bake the paint to cure it. VHT had a procedure for running the bike, cooling it, running it, cooling it, etc., to do the trick, but I wasn't convinced the mufflers would get hot enough to cure the paint with that method. I even considered suspending the parts in my smoker over a charcoal fire, but in the end BBQ paint was the simplest.

I found several threads with helpful hints for removing the exhaust. Unfortunately, I didn't save the links, but they shouldn't be too hard for you to locate. Separate the mufflers from the forward pipes for easier handling/painting.

On the prep, take your time. Sand and sand and sand some more. When you finish sanding, wipe them down with the prep solution (or lacquer thinner) to remove dust and oils. Wear latex gloves when applying the solution and when handling the pipes afterwards. You don't want oil from your fingers to get back on them.

I used old speaker wire to hang them up in the garage for painting. Remember to move your wife's car into the driveway, or she'll be really pissed that you "tinted" her windows. Finally, notice on the pictures that I didn't paint the flanges. To my surprise, these "floated" on the pipes. I couldn't figure an easy way to paint them, so I left them alone. Be careful when you remount the pipes, though, because the flanges can slide down and scratch the paint before you even get them back on the bike.

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