Member Contributer ducnut Posted October 5, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted October 5, 2020 Didn’t I read you’re doing stainless steel? That won’t need much maintenance, left raw. Scotchbrite and any polish for the brushed look. If you’re going to polish it out, any polish and a microfiber. Guaranteed, anything you spray onto it will flake off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 2 hours ago, ducnut said: Didn’t I read you’re doing stainless steel? That won’t need much maintenance, left raw. Scotchbrite and any polish for the brushed look. If you’re going to polish it out, any polish and a microfiber. Guaranteed, anything you spray onto it will flake off. I don't think so. I wish I would have. I'm using the stock header pipes kinda like the yoshimura system I believe and build the bridge between the front and back cylinders and the final exit pipes to the mufflers. I may do stainless now but it comes at a cost... don't tell my wife. In hind sight, should have waited to do the exhaust after the swingarm! Could have saved some money. I realized when mocking up the exhaust with the single sided swingarm, "Why am I doing this? I was always going to do the dual sided swingarm and this doesn't look right. Just stop while you haven't invested too much into this exhaust." Have to stop myself from doing things just to do them. Just want this bike on the road! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ducnut Posted October 5, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted October 5, 2020 I fully understand, as my mind is the same way. I want to do the 954 swingarm, so I can run a 6” Core Moto wheel and RC51-style mufflers up both sides. The 5th Gen tail has always appeared too fat for the tire and no swingarm on the right side. I think, it’d be more proportionate and balanced doing what I want. And, it would confuse some people as to what the bike is, since VFR usually means a SSS. These wheels are jewelry, to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 Very nice! Those wheels look like they cost as much as a pair of big diamond earrings! Come on and take the plunge and do the swingarm conversion! I would love to see someone else do something interesting. You convinced me to do all stainless (except for the factory head pipes). Just placed my order and HOPEFULLY get them this week. I already have it figured out in my head how everything will fit. Fingers crossed it'll all work the way I intend... should be pretty trick system when done. Bright side is I have a bunch of mild steel bends to practice welding on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted October 14, 2020 Author Share Posted October 14, 2020 Update: Tacked the rear header pipes from the head down to the opening in the swingarm. It's tight with the shock but have around 1/4-1/2" of room all the way around. It's not that pretty right now and cheated a little to get it to work. I used a combination of factory pipes that I sectioned down and frankensteined together. Started to piece together the slip on portion. Welded up a crude bracket to center the final merge collecter (this will "y" out to the left and right pipes&mufflers). It's bolted to the dog bone/frame mount. This way I know where my pipes need to go and that everything should be parallel so the slip on portions won't bind up. Looks more complicated in the pics. Hope it'll make sense once done. Waiting on stainless mig wire and gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 Got my wire, tank coming today, gas next week. Most difficult fitment is pretty close and can't wait to tack it all. I know I said I was going the simple 4-2 route but I had the extra collector and decided to do something more interesting, complicated and trick. Sure it'll weigh a little more but the way I've designed it I can switch it up with not too much hassle. I just realized that one of the main reasons for making the exhaust was to get the bodywork an inch or two higher from the ground! Now it's just what I want and I can't just buy it (or can't afford to buy it). Crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ducnut Posted October 25, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted October 25, 2020 Where are the front primaries joining into this collector-split? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 53 minutes ago, ducnut said: Where are the front primaries joining into this collector-split? The front primaries go into a collector directly under the oil pan. From there, one 1.5" pipe merges into the secondary "collector-split" along side the rear 1.5" pipe. It's not pictured here since that is the last portion I need to fabricate and the other parts need to be tacked into position in order to get it to fit just right. It's basically identical to the TBR system I have as far as the front and the back don't merge until the end but much more compact and tighter to the underside of the bike. The main difference is having the front and rear pipes exiting parallel and in the center. This means I can run the final collector to have a 4-2-1 or not run a collector and have a true 4-2. The way I'm setting it up is a 4-2-1-2 basically. Well, with the addition of a cut out for fun. 4-2-1-2-fun?! Once I get things tacked in place I'll take some better pictures with all the main pipes in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted November 3, 2020 Author Share Posted November 3, 2020 The majority of the fitting and tacking is done for now. Next will be adding the dual exits to that last collector. Alot of grinding before welding those in place. Then it'll be the link pipes to the mufflers. Getting closer and I'm pretty happy so far. I've taken my time and have been lucky with a few fitments but the little patience I maintained has payed off. Not looking forward to final welds... really hard to weld tight radius pipe. Probably be doing alot of clean up grinding and sanding to look decent. Rear section: Front section: Both assembled with the final collector top views: Bottom views: On the bike: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted November 4, 2020 Author Share Posted November 4, 2020 Here's some of the bike off the stand with belly pan on. Tons of room in there now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted November 4, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted November 4, 2020 That is one clean looking starter motor!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted November 4, 2020 Author Share Posted November 4, 2020 5 hours ago, Dutchy said: That is one clean looking starter motor!!! Yeah I wanted to show off my trick chinese starter motor that leaks oil! I know everyone is jealous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 Sorry if I'm posting too much without major progress. Really had to stop myself from doing the finish welding until I get some angle material to weld onto the collector to support the whole system in place. 304 stainless has a tendency to distort when welded so want to make sure things are securely in place and straight/parallel/perpendicular. Finding the right settings to weld stainless has been a challenge. I went with .023 wire and have to run a lot or wire feed speed to keep up with the arc. Learning on the job! Good times 😕 meanwhile, altering my subframe for the a "real" rc45 tail section. Nothing else looked right and the link pipes and mufflers just need to be mated to those lines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted November 7, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted November 7, 2020 No need to apologise for posting. I enjoy your posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ducnut Posted November 7, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted November 7, 2020 Me too. It’s nice to see someone giving a go at something interesting, that’s not a hack job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 Great! Well in that case, more photos. Just took the primaries off to clean the 20 years of black cooked on junk and hopefully brighten them up to match the stainless. I think I'm going to try the high temp clear. If it doesn't work out I'll either wrap the primaries or do a standard header paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted November 8, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted November 8, 2020 Mmmmhhh spaghetti! Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted November 10, 2020 Author Share Posted November 10, 2020 Although my primary pipes weren't junk yard rusted there is quite a bit of surface rust that's been cooked in. Tried wire wheeling on the bench grinder and some scotch bright wheels but it takes awhile and with just ok results. Trying a youtube trick with extra strength toilet bowl cleaner with Hcl acid to hopefully eat the majority of that away. I'm letting them soak in a bucket and will check every couple hours to see if there's progess. I'll most likely spend a couple hours doing most by hand but worth a try, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ducnut Posted November 11, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted November 11, 2020 I’d make new ones, because the ones you’re trying to clean will never satisfy you. And, the rust will likely return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smack Posted November 11, 2020 Share Posted November 11, 2020 Sandblasting or media (softer than sand) blasting would be way quicker to remove that rust and also give a more even finish. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ducnut Posted November 11, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted November 11, 2020 2 hours ago, Smack said: Sandblasting or media (softer than sand) blasting would be way quicker to remove that rust and also give a more even finish. Brian The rust will come right back, because the rust molecules are in the pores of the metal. Blasting doesn’t remove stuff that small. Been there, done it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted November 11, 2020 Author Share Posted November 11, 2020 Thanks for the advice. I totally understand mild steel will rust pretty quickly with moisture and heat cycles left untreated. I just wanted to give the high temp clear coat over bare metal a try. I'm just not a big fan of painted headers. If it works then I'm happy if not oh well... just not sure I have the patience to make SS primaries. Just want to be done with the exhaust and move on to other stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DannoXYZ Posted November 11, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted November 11, 2020 You'll want to follow blasting with chemical treatment to get all rust out from surface cracks & pits. Use naval-jelly (phosphoric acid) as final treatment before paint. It has preferential action on rust and stops at bare metal. Unlike other acids promoted by mistaken bicycle fanatics that eat both rust & metal at equal rates and will give you holes in thin tubing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstar Posted November 11, 2020 Author Share Posted November 11, 2020 1 hour ago, DannoXYZ said: You'll want to follow blasting with chemical treatment to get all rust out from surface cracks & holes. Use naval-jelly (phosphoric acid) as final treatment before paint. It has preferential action on rust and stops at bare metal. Unlike other acids promoted by mistaken bicycle fanatics that eat both rust & metal at equal rates and will give you holes in thin tubing. I was careful to not use at full strength and diluted in water bucket. The parts sticking out of the top are rusting as expected but I'm taking them out and wire wheeling them first, then scotch brite with silicone spray, then wipe down and applying silicone spray. I have a couple days until I get the clear coat so I'll see if any rust appears. I used to have naval jelly/aluminum jelly a long long time ago and have had no luck finding locally recently. May have to order some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DannoXYZ Posted November 11, 2020 Member Contributer Share Posted November 11, 2020 Phosphoric acid can be found as "rust-remover/concrete-cleaner" bottles from Home Depot. Not great value/oz., but available if you're in rush. Otherwise, yeah, ordering online would be best price. I used to build racing bicycle-frames when I was racing at university. Also did quite a lot of restoration work. Amazing how many classic bikes came out of bath-tubs looking like swiss-cheese! Then they'd bring it to me to have entire thing taken apart and new tubes installed. If only head-tube badge remains, can you really call bike "restored original?" hahahhahahh!!!! 😀😜 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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