How do I repair and re chrome XJ550 Seca Factory Mufflers

How would I go about removing dents and road scuff ( contact with pavement ) from my XJ550 Seca original muffler ?

What kind of preparation is needed to re-chrome mufflers and how do the platers do it ? How do they prevent the chrome from entering the inside ?

 

The items are dipped in acid to remove the old chrome, then remove the dents, or fill them with lead, then the item is polished, then electro plated.

 

great - now what method of welding would be used if I were to cut the muffler and re-attach and are these mufflers filled with any noise dampening material - a packing or something - or are they just hollow?

 

You wont know 'till you open them up, you can weld, braze, or rivet.

 

They are not "packed." They are essentially hollow, with a lot of baffles and interconnecting tubes, etc.

A word about getting exhaust parts re-plated: Good luck. Every plater I talked to either wouldn't TOUCH used exhaust parts, or wanted 3X the normal price because of the risk of polluting his tank of expensive chemicals. The price I was quoted for re-plating ONE headpipe was more than the price for a new NOS headpipe (expensive.)

Which muffler, LH or RH?

 

right side in seated position - any chance you can help me find one - I would prefer that to a repair or mod on reverse flow dunstall type - mod on dunstall would be cut and reweld to copy original muffler shape - this would make them run closer to axle and parallel to the ground like the originals and not have the bike look to different from the original styling - jetting would be changed but the sound would be something special for sure - I'm cool on 4 into one or 4 into two systems - let me know thanks

 

hit up wiz - he had the mufflers re-chromed on th sr he just did, so he may know a guy that would do them.

 

Wizard is on the other side of the planet

 

oops. maaa bad. just a thoughtski, haha

 

You can acquire the materials to do it yourself as it isn't complicated. Several companies sell kits and all the materials. But sadly the only way to make it reasonably priced is to own a shop and do it for a living. To get the needed materials to plate one set of mufflers would be no less than $200.00 and that would be if you found a major discount-more like $400-700 to get set up.

If you can find a shop that is new and would like some cred, typically they will plate for you at a discount for the opportunity to use your job in photos and promotions. This would be a long shot but should be the cheapest way to go. The actual cost to do a small surface area for a business who buys in bulk and has all their equipment payed for is not very high at all.

And as far as them not plating due to it being a used part, that can be overcome with proper solvents prior to plating to remove the stuff that isn't raw metal. I have seen this all done and done cheaply, but I don't have access to that deal anymore :-(.

Sometimes decent OE's show up on Cheapbay.

 

Most of the industrial distribution supplying plating, machine shop and metal fab shops in the Toronto area are my customers. I also have friends who own fab and machine shops. Knowing if it is possible, knowing the process used, who to approach and what I should expect to pay are my main concerns. Used items on ebay may be in poorer shape than what I have now since the pic could easily be of the best side not showing damage.

 

PM'ed you.

 

Re: How do I repair and re chrome XJ550 Seca Factory Muffler

For what it's worth.

I find the aftermarket exhausts for non-Harley's cruisers generally poor... Seems like the manufactures believe any cruiser bike that exists wants to look like a Harley...

I just don't understand putting what appears to be v-twin style on a inline four, I don't understand putting p-shooters on a bike that had large mufflers previously, I don't understand putting 4-1 on a cruiser (It's not a sportbike!) but maybe that's me.

Lots of rusty bumpers get re-chromed, I don't see you couldn't get it done.


Good luck,
Tony

 

Rusty bumpers don't usually have all the fuel residue that can pollute stripping/re-chroming fluids.

Dave F

 

does this mean you know a place?

I've been looking to find a reasonable chromer and would love to know who/what place you might have in mind. thanks.