How much exhaust wrap to buy and what brand or style?

hey guys,
i'm asking those of you who have wrapped your exhaust headers to share how much material you needed for the job. i'm wanting to wrap all 4 header pipes up to the collector under the frame.
also, anyone have advice on a specific product to buy or stay away from? there's a lot of options out there and i figured i'd ask for advice.
thanks!

 

I've used DEI and Thermotech. Both fine. For the 4 pipes back to the collector you'll probably be just a bit under 50 feet of 2" wrap.

Follow the directions and wear good gloves. Those steel ties will slice right through skin.

There's calculators online that take into account pipe diameter, number of bends width of wrap, etc. Summit racing usually has good prices on the DEI kits.

 

buy a large roll off ebay motors and definitely wear gloves. i soaked my wrap overnight before starting too.

 

Yes soaking in hot water is a must to get a tight wrap on the pipes. You can toss the pipes in the oven once you wrap them to accelerate drying time but if not wait a few days before you seal them with the silicone paint.

 

wow! i'm glad i asked about this. my idea was buy the stuff, wrap the pipes with 'em mounted on bike, and enjoy the view! seems there is a method to insure they stay on and such.
did not know about the silicone paint either. is there a specific paint/brand to use?
got to head to work but will check forum later today....
thanks guys!

 

DEI has the paint you need. It is usually right next to the wrap in the auto parts stores. The paint comes in silver or flat black.

 

You will not be able to wrap them on the bike. The wrap is done in one long piece per pipe.

If you want other colors look at VHT header paint it can go right over the wrap. Mine's got cast aluminum over natural wrap. You could have Red headers if you like.

Paint: http://www.jegs.com/p/PJ1/VHT-Flame-Pro ... 3/10002/-1

Each brand of wrap is a bit different but the steps are mostly the same.

1. soak in water
2. wrap tightghly around pipe overlapping slightly
3. tie off with steel tie wraps
4. let dry compeltely
5. paint if desired

I've got a picture someplace of my old 4-1 header wrapped both painted and not off the bike if you want to see them.

 

the paint is a waste of $$$ in my opinion...

 

hose clamps are much cheaper than steel tie wraps and look good too...

 

the paint's a waste if the wrap is the color you want. Wrap only comes in black or natural I think.

 

i didn't know you could paint the wrap which is kinda cool but i'll be happy with the natural color it comes in. hate looking forward to removing the pipes (again) to wrap 'em but that sounds like the only way to get a good job done. will also consider hose clamps vs. steel ties....am a bit tight on money!
thanks so much guys!

 

well, i wrapped by pipes today with a DEI product. by the time i got to the 4th pipe i was getting really good! i actually went back to #1 and #2 and re-wrapped 'em for better fit and termination of the material.
also bought the steel ties but as dwcopple said, hose clamps worked and looked better. couldn't get a really tight fit with the steel ties.
i used the titanium wrap which is dark copper in color. i think it looks good so i guess that's all that matters.
thanks for all the advice guys!

 

How about a picture of your pipes? Mine look awful and I need to wrap them with something.

 

man, i want to post pics of the pipes and the bike in general but i've had no luck following the advice and posted directions! i'm just a dumba$$ when it comes to that kind of stuff i guess.
i'll give it another shot over the next few days. i really DO want to show what i've been doing and i'm sure i'll trip into the correct process.
thanks.

 

gday, just curious if the wrap is used only for cosmetic reasons like to hide discoloured pipes or does it serve another purpose as well? not sure if i like the look of it but its starting to grow on me a bit the more i see.

 

the wrap (at least in my case) is more cosmetic than anything. it does not help performance in any way although i suppose it'll avoid a burn injury if you get too close.
it's one component of an overall look (and inexpensive to do).

 

In auto racing - the benefits are increased exhaust scavenging, due to increased exhaust velocity, due to the retained heat, and lower underhood temps. I could see - on a bike - where the engine would be getting cooler air. With a cooler engine your oil won't break down as fast.