Yes there is. You can get high temp heat paint at just about any auto parts store. You want to try and kill the rust first before you paint.NAPA has rust killer, years ago there was stuff called navel jelly. I did the pipes on my sled last winter and they still look like new.

 

I find "massaging" with steel wool and something like Kroil, PB Blaster or even WD40 works well. Then clean with something like brake cleaner and paint with good hi heat paint. I have had good luck with BBQ black...

CW

 

Awesome! Thanks for the tips guys! Does this method last longer than the stock paint? It didn't take long before my stock paint started rusting. How hard is it to take off your exhaust? I've got a buddy that works at the motorsports shop here in town. He used to bead blast stuff for me. Would that work too?

 

If its rusted pretty bad bead blasting would work great.I don't know how much of a pain it is to get your plastic off. The exhaust on mine is pretty easy to get to. But its an '02.Not sure about how long it will last compared to stock paint.If you prep it really good it might last longer than stock.

 

Bead blasting would be a great way to remove everything. Rust and all the original paint would be gone. Then repaint it with the color of you choice in high heat paint. Use 3-5 thin coats allowing it to flash dry between coats.

 

On my 700 I havent needed to paint as I am keeping up with the corrossion. But on mommas TB, I pulled it off and cleaned then painted it. Its been good I havent needed to touch it since. I did it this time last year IIRC. I painted everything from muffler to head pipe. Its still as good as it was that day. Again I used BBQ BLACK paint.

CW

 

I just got my 500 back together again! After 10 yrs together I thought maybe it was time to give it a good going over. I didn't really pay that much attention to my exhaust, until I read this thread. It was getting kind of red and rusty, so while I was waiting for parts to arrive I painted the muffler and pipe. I used a wire brush,then some 3M pad,and then some NAPA Rust killer. After washing it off and blowing dry with air, I heated it up a bit with my heatgun,then hit it with Rust-oleum High heat black. Turned out great. Cleaned the motor and frame etc, while waiting so it looks like new again. Thanks for inspiring me....

 

Looks great! Nice job....

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Im inspired to paint mine too. I have to wait for warmer weather though...
No garage...

 

I'd love to paint mine, but think it's to far gone to bother with It is starting to separate at the end seam where the pipe connects to exhaust, but the paint job loos great!

 

I've actually considered this but had concerns about how long it would last.

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I've actually considered this but had concerns about how long it would last.

I did the exhaust on my sled 2 yrs ago and they still look good! It will last longer if you do a good job prepping the metal. The Rust-o-leum paint says on the can that it 'kills' rust. And its rated to 1200 degrees.

 

Alright. I guess I'll jump in too. My wife's '07 is really shaping up with all the work I have put into over the last year. I currently have the exhaust disconnected. I was trying to replace the front exhaust seal and found the header pipe was warped. New header pipe on order. So how hard is it to thread that exhaust out to clean and paint it. I really don't want to pull it all apart. What's the best way to get it out?

 

Clinebo, CW, anyone? How much disassembly do I have to do to get the whole exhaust off? Do I have to pull the plastics off? Remove the front rack? Pull the radiator? What's it take to get that pipe out for painting? Right now I just have it disconnected so I can reach in and pull the header pipe from the left front wheel well. Don't really see that it is possible to snake it out without some further disassembly. But if it is too much of a pain, I'll leave it alone.

 

Mine is the older generation body so its not bad to take the plastic off. In my case I had it all off for the work I was doing, so the exhaust was kind of in the way for other jobs. While I was waiting for parts I just went ahead and did it too. It went back together fast. I had the whole thing back together in 4 hours.

 

I got a chance to look at this today. I was able to thread the exhaust pipe out after removing the muffler. I had to pull a couple of body fasteners holding the rear plastic on the left side up by the battery. With those out though I was able to twist, turn, and just plain muscle the pipe out. Got the muffler cleaned up with a wire wheel. Going to buy paint and rust converter tomorrow. I will clean the pipe Saturday and hopefully get it painted. Still waiting on the new header pipe.

 

Clinebo: I see you said you heated your pipe before painting it. Does that help with paint adhesion?

 

Spray can paint usually says to use at a certain temperature or above. Since its been fairly cold here lately I heated them up a bit. After the first coat I let them sit & dry while I did some other stuff, then gave them a second coat.

 

Here is what I used...either got it at Wally World or NAPA. :nixweiss: Anywho it works good for me. Your mileage may vary......

 

Removing the exhaust on my quads is fairly easy. I sand them down with a 220 grit and then once over with steel whool, dust off and wipe down with denatured alchahol, paint with high heat black. Im a winter rider so need to maintain once a year. Rusty exhaust just stands out to much.

 

I used header paint by VHT on my muffler after I modified it. It supposed to stand up to 2000 degrees!! Picked it up at O'reily's auto parts for around 8 bucks a can. Comes to many different colors. I used flat black

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I never should have started reading this . I have a 2003 sportsman 700 twin, after reading this I think im going to give my exhaust a make over, can you tell me how much trouble it is to take the exhaust off this bike.

 

Ha. same thing happened to me. Except I already had mine disconnected to change the header pipe. But while I am waiting on the header pipe .... Now I have an appointment to meet a friend in the morning to use his sandblaster.

Your machine is a little older than the one I am doing but I was able to take the springs off that are holding the exhaust together. Then loosen the bolts holding the muffler on and slide it off. (HINT: you don't have to pull the bolts completely off. The holders on the muffler are notched to slide out from under the bolt heads once it is loosened. I thought that was way cool).
I pulled the side panel off and loosened the rear plastics by pulling the fasteners where it attaches to the frame by the battery. Oh yeah, and I had to remove the shift linkage from the lever to the tranny. but that is easy.
From there I was able to snake out, twist out, pry out, and generallymuscle the exhaust out the back without too much trouble.
Good luck.

 

I think our models are similar enough. I had almost all my plastic off,but I was doing a valve check and clutches too. For just the exhaust I'd pop off the side cover, and unbolt the shifter rods from the front shifter handle box. You might want to go ahead and pull the rear rack off and unbolt the rear plastic so you can move it out of the way. A spring tool helps get those pesky springs off and back on. Harbor Freight had them for a few $$$.

 

Thanks Clinebo. Im going to give it a go next week.

 

"Endeavor to Persevere"

 

Wow, didn't think this would be such a popular thread when I started it! LOL. Sorry guys I still haven't found the time to remove mine, but I have been scoping out some high heat paint to use for the job. I think I'm spoiled b/c removing the exhaust on my YZ450F motocross bike used to be so easy. LOL

 

I used rustoleum high heat and it has worked great.
Sandpaper-wipe clean-spray 3 coats. Easy!
Of course removing your specific exhaust might be more difficult...

 

yeah, way to go Kalani. You ask a simple question form Texas. Next thing you know some poor schmuck in Northern New York is spending 2 hours of his Saturday Morning sandblasting his wife's exhaust. It was a really great suggestion though. Thanks.