Againstallodds

I had some melted saddlebag and shoe on the pipes for a long time. I dint bother until a week ago. Found oven cleaner in my local store and decided to try it out.

Dint use a knife or blade. After spraying the foam. I let it soak for less than 5 mins and the black gunk just slipped off the pipes. Awesome!!!

However. Today i see it in bright sunlight. The chrome on the pipes where i sprayed the cleaner has become really dull. Looks like the cleaner ruined the finish of the pipe.

Does this happen with Acetone as well or is it that i got a strong oven cleaner?

How do i get the shine back on the pipes. I have tried Silvo/Brasso and also Metal polish. No help

peprice

I hate to say it but you are probably going to have to get your exhaust rechromed. That stuff is meen.

the_snake1201

You can try some #0000 steel wool. You can use that for boot scuffs, too.

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dfinitlydisturbd

Hmmm....oven cleaner you say. What I find odd is that it doesn't eat the chrome or stainless (which is high chrome and nickle steel) of the oven racks... could be a reaction to what ever has been used to polish them, Also there are several clear coats used for chrome, off hand I know of at least two for high temperature applications... Stock pipes or after market? You might have just etched clear coat. Should look up the thread on polishing drives and the thread on polishing headlight trim and follow the instructions contained therein. Be careful though that layer of chrome is pretty thin. You aren't seeing any copper I hope, I'm reasonably certain pipes aren't "hard" chromed which leaves a harder roughish finish (chrome directly applied to the steel instead of copper plated first) so burning through the chrome should reveal copper.

cactusjack

Some exhaust manufacturers recommend using oven cleaner to clean burnt debris off the pipes. I have used Easy Off a couple of times with excellent results. In fact, I recently had to clean Frogg Toggs off the pipes on my Harley. Sprayed the cleaner on cold pipes, let it sit over night and rinsed it with a hose the next day. It came right off, no discoloration.

You didn't spray it on hot pipes, did you? The pipes are supposed to be cold.

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'07 1600 UltraNomad (09/07-03/11)
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If you ain't gliding, you ain't riding!

Gobbledot

I had some boot rubber on mine and used good ol WD-40, took it right off and shined the chrome too. WD is good for a lot of things..

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Max55

Acetone works without discoloring. You have to use a rag and rub whatever you want off with the acetone and then rinse the acetone off right away soap and water. Then hit it with some chrome polish.

I did this over the summer after dropping some that glue that comes with Kury grips on the pipes.

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Againstallodds

peprice - its smarter to live with dull pipes than re chroming them. its too expensive and not economically sound.

the_snake1201 - Steel wool should make the finish more dull right? i want shiny.

dfinitlydisturbd - I think the shiny oven racks must be getting dull with oven cleaner but people just attritube it to cooking and stains etc etc. The pipes are stock. Will check out the polishing thread. I used it on cold pipes. and its not so bad. No copper showing though i have no idea whether they are hard chromed. I know the chrome is very light in a lot of places on the bike. Used tin foil and coke to get rid of corrosion that came everywhere after 3 years. (I live near a beach) Lot of rust spots have penetrated deeper and i wont be able to do the tin foil thing again without revealing the metal below the chrome.

Cactus Jack - the pipes were cold. Hate to think what would have happened if i would have let tht stuff stay over nite . I used something unbranded so there is a higher chance that it would contain some strong stuff to screw up the chrome.

Gobbledot - I love WD40 but dont really think that it works so great. Its all in the mind.
If i know i wanna clean my bike, i use soap. If i know i want to lubricate it, i use grease but if i dont know what i want to do with it.............. I WD40 it :p

nfallon55 - next time acetone it is. But hopefully no one is going to rest their feet on the pipes. I have a list of rules and regulations that anyone who wants to sit on my bike has to follow and staying away from the stuff that becomes really hot is on number one position.

Thankyou everyone for your responses. I spend more time here on VR than with my wife who I just married. She hates me for it and wont let me spend time on my pc/laptop reading VR. I use her ipad and hide in the washroom to read VR or when shes sleeping in the afternoons :p. At the end of the day I know Im boss but I like to give her the satisfaction that I listen to her every now and then

dadorfman

Not all plastics can be removed with the same solvent. I think that is why not all recyclers take all plastics.

As for oven cleaner, oven racks may be stainless steel, not chrome. I believe a number of oven cleaners specifically say not to use on chrome.

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'07 C90 Trike
'06 C50
'97 Marauder (deceased)
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DCinCT

may want to remind her better to share you with the vol family than with another woman...all how you look at it.

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