RECHROMING/POLISHING A USED EXHAUST

[dave cullen]

i have half of a Z1000A1 exhaust system which has very little road miles but has been badly stored; it has quite a lot of surface rust which has resisted attempts to polish out using usual home based methods;
given the unavailability of these systems, i'd be prepared to have it rechromed, but i keep hearing chromers wont touch them, can anybody advise otherwise, or pehaps know of a metal polishher who could do a professional job on it, i've been unable to find the one that used to trade in edinburgh, thanks

[Iain marshall]

Dave pm Padders think he knows a company that does exhausts

[ninjabob]

the best thing is to find a chromer who is about to change his vats then they will do it for you as the carbon deposits wreck the chemicals they use so best thing is to ring round all the local chromers to you and ask them

[steve f]

4 stroke exhausts are not a problem any chromer should do it but 2 stroke exhaust are as they contaminate the tanks and most wont touch them

[MaineKZ]

Hi Dave
You're definitely going to need to go for a re-chrome.
Once you see corrosion on a chrome surface, it means the sub-strate - ie nickel - is compromised and the underlying steel is oxidising.
Once you get to that stage, there is no polishing treatment that can reverse the process, or make good the damage to the chrome finish, you need to re-plate.
Steve's correct, most platers should be OK with 4 stroke exhausts.
Best plater I've used is Coventry based - Marque Restore. but sure you'll find someone more local!

[RALPHARAMA]

Griffs Motorcycles in Bristol tell me that you can send the exhaust off to be chemically stripped , the the chrome platers can't winge. I gor a quote for re-chroming and exhaust from a local platers and they were talking ?500 +. This could be cut in two if I did the polishing. For that sort of outlay a new exhaust could be sorced!