Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Exhaust Wrapping headers.

Thinking about tape wrapping my headers this winter using something like the below from Heatshield Products. Black is preferable. Wondering if any of you guys have done this, suggestions on dealing w/ the double walled headers and EFI sensors definitely appreciated.

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/powers...cobra-skin-wrap

I wrapped my headers once. A few suggestions, and I'm sure others can add to it.
Clean the headers well before beginning, don't want to trap crud in there.
Wear long sleeves, eye protection and disposable gloves.
If doing it yourself, leave the headers in place. May be able to get a better wrap by taking them off but you will need a helper.
I started at the bottom and wrapped up, figured water would shed better that way.
The short SS straps are just long enough. I ended up replacing a couple with longer straps cut to length.
I had removed the O2 sensors and fitted bolts long before. I just wrapped over them. Wrap did start tearing at those bolts heads after aging a bit. Just wrap around them, leaving the slit for the sensors & wires.
Soak the wrap for a while before you start. Dye will wash out but don't worry about it.
Many paint them with high temp paint, I didn't and mine did fade a bit more than expected.
It will stink for the first 2 or 3 heat cycles but will stop.
Good luck with it.

You should also know up front, after you wrap them, if later you change your mind, you will discover your chrome is now (FUBAR) beyond help. Also you can wrap them fairly efficiently by your self by bolting the head flanges to a board, then c clamp the board to a table. Matty is right about it's easier alone to wrap them mounted, unmounted, trying to get a tight fit while straining to hold the tube is self defeating, not to mention extremely frustrating.

If you really want to do it right, practice on a spare pipe first. Really.

And whatever you do, make certain that the wrap is SOAKED in water before you begin...not just wet, soaked all the way through.

You will probably waste a steel tie or 2 before you get it right, no shame in that.

Oops, forgot about soaking the wrap overnight.

I wrapped my stock headers about eight years ago with the black Fiberglas wrap.
Wrapped them while they were on the bike.
I've re-sprayed them with the wrap manufacturers silicon black spray twice over the last eight years, and it made them look like new.
I've just purchased the newer Titanium wrap, cause I THINK I'm gonna like the color better with my green, gold, and blue tins.
The newer Titanium and Lava wraps don't need to be soaked in water prior to application, nor do they itch. (they're NOT Fiberglas)
As far as the rumors about chrome condition "After-the-fact", I'll be able to post pic's of my stock pipes condition after eight years.
I'll be changing it in the next month or two.

Ya Erles, be curious to see what the headers look like and the new wrap, was thinking about this with the T-Bird.

Not "tootin' my own horn" here, but the America has been invited (invite only show) to be on display @ the Ace Cafe London display at this years AmiExpo (http://www.aimexpousa.com/), which is Oct. 16-19, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
So there is NO WAY I'm gonna f*@% with ANYTHING prior to then.
I'll probably change it right after that.

Here's the bike at last years inaugural

http://i.imgur.com/tULk6Fa.jpg

Sorry, the pic was either super, super small, or really, really big.
Couldn't find anything in the middel. So like most men, I opted for really, really big!

erie, thats one of the best looking America/Speedmasters Ive seen yet, simply bad ass

You could go with part wrap. My headers had already built a nice color so I just wrapped the lower section.

Craig, THANKS for the kind words.

But fine bikes are like fine women. Line up 50 of them, and everyone will have their own favorite.
I'm proud that you like mine.
Thanks

Titanium Header wrap has been wrapped around my headers today.

Here's pic's of the new wrap on the chameleon. (America)
I will post the video of the unveiling of the headers condition after being wrapped for the last seven (+/-) years.
Structural/physical damage? NO
Cosmetic damage? Yes, to the finish of the chrome. Dull/stained.
Powder coating, ceramic coating, or re-wrapping seemed to be my only options. But THAT is what I planned to do anyway. However, word of caution IF you think you'll just buff it out and go back to the chrome latter.

I know this is an older thread but how much wrap is required to do both headers as you have done WnRn? Trademe has it in 5,10 or 15 meter lengths. Don't want to by more than I need at this stage as I am going through a Broke phase!

I used one 50 ft roll when I did mine. Spacing was similar to WnRn. Cut it in half, one half for each pipe and cut off very little "extra" length when the job was done.

Have any of you pipe wrappers noticed any performance difference? It seems like you would have mentioned it, but I had to ask.

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/powers...cobra-skin-wrap

"... Using motorcycle exhaust wrap maintains more heat in the exhaust system, this makes exhaust gases hotter, that allows the exhaust gas to exit the system faster! This increases exhaust scavenging, pulling intake and exhaust gases through the system faster, helping to lower intake temperatures: that equals more horsepower. In some cases, the scavenging is so much, you might need to re-jet your carbs. Cobra Skin wrap also reduces radiant heat damage and can lower exhaust pipe heat by as much as 50%"

No, I haven't.

It looks faster though.