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Wind, Plastic Bags and Hot Pipes Don't Mix

1.8K views 8 replies 9 participants last post by  FlaFatBoy  
#1 ·
The story - Rode bike to the local Rewe (German Grocery) to pick up a few items, came back out and here's a plastic bag stuck to the top muffler/pipe of the Longshots. Plastic is burned on to a crisp black crust.
Questions:
Is there any substance that will get the melted plastic off the pipe withtout damaging the chrome? If not, can a replacement muffler/pipe be bought without having to buy a full exhaust system?
 
#2 ·
Well, I tried all the tricks I could find to remove some rain suit; oven cleaner, acetone, MEK, PVC pipe cleaner, never dull, chrome polish, etc.--none of it worked very well.

What finally worked was a tool I got from a sheet metal troop who also used to paint cars. He told me they used them to burn pin-stripes off without damaging the paint underneath. It was made by 3M and consisted of a 1/4" arbor with 3-4 rubber? disks attached to it. Chucked it up in a drill motor and it buzzed the majority of the crud right off. Took a little while, but it did not damage the chrome.

One other thing that has also worked was a lexan/polycarbonate (canopy glass) scrapper. If you can find a scrap and grind it down, it is very hard, but not as hard as chrome, and will help in getting off the stuff that is REALLY stuck.

Tim
 
#3 ·
Shipwreck said:
The story - Rode bike to the local Rewe (German Grocery) to pick up a few items, came back out and here's a plastic bag stuck to the top muffler/pipe of the Longshots. Plastic is burned on to a crisp black crust.
Questions:
Is there any substance that will get the melted plastic off the pipe withtout damaging the chrome? If not, can a replacement muffler/pipe be bought without having to buy a full exhaust system?
This trick worked for me when I burned my rain suit on left side header of my Road King.

Warm the bike until you can wipe of the better part of the crush with a clean towel until your left with a dark stain. Let the pipe cool down and polish away the remaining with Flitz metal polish.

Everything came off with no damage to the pipe. This Flitz stuff is great!

Bobby B.
 
#4 ·
Wood. Seriously.

I melted a plastic bag onto a set of Cobra pipes a few years back and nothing worked -- Easy Off, steel wool, chrome polisher, nothing. What finally got rid of it was a block of wood -- pine, I think it was. Heat the pipes up a bit, then use the wood to scrape the plastic off.

The wood is softer than the chrome, so it won't scratch it, but it's abrasive enough to scrape the plastic off.
 
#5 ·
I Agree

Freeway said:
Wood. Seriously.

I melted a plastic bag onto a set of Cobra pipes a few years back and nothing worked -- Easy Off, steel wool, chrome polisher, nothing. What finally got rid of it was a block of wood -- pine, I think it was. Heat the pipes up a bit, then use the wood to scrape the plastic off.

The wood is softer than the chrome, so it won't scratch it, but it's abrasive enough to scrape the plastic off.

Stopped this past Friday to have lunch. After I parked and made it into the restaurant a plastic bag blowing in the wind met up with the front head and melted on. I discovered this of course when I came out.

Being that it's Phoenix, the head was still plenty warm. I wanted to clean this off as much as possible before I headed home but using a finger nail was just not an option. I found a scrap piece of wood laying on the ground and used it to scrape off the melted plastic.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Easy Off IS good stuff

I put a towel behind the pipes to act as a spray guard so I don't get over spray on anything else. I leave it on to soak for about 1/2 hour and rubber boot marks or plastic just wipes off.
If it's a heavy deposit you might have to do it a couple times.