Can my Prima Pipe Rust?

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:16 pm

I google "can stainless steel rust" and the answer is yes albeit slowly and depending on the quality of the steel. I'm 2 blocks from the ocean and I couldn't believe how fast my 10 year old cruiser bike rusted after no rust through 9 denver and chicago winters of riding. It took a week on my porch.

is there some maintenance I should be doing? (eg. I rub a thin coat of WD40 over all my chrome on a weekly basis)

I should take one of my now infamous "does this look right?" photos. I think some simple green got on the tube that turned purple so fast. Now it looks a smidge bit eroded. I could be imagining it looks eroded but there's seemingly a clear spray pattern with a blob that is discolored.

As always your patience and advice is appreciated.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:02 pm

Yes it can rust, especially near the ocean. The thing is that the coating is susceptible to microscopic scratches (road debris, rocks, etc) and that's where the rust can start. Also, if a weld (they're really good welds for the most part, but every pipe is different) has a particularly thin coating, it can let rust start (that's where my Prima rear rack would rust - right at the welds).

Give it an occasional (about once a month or as needed) wipe down and buff with either Turtlewax Chrome polish or Neverdull. Do this when the exhaust is cold.

ScootStevie · Post by **ScootStevie** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:19 pm

Lostmycage wrote:Yes it can rust, especially near the ocean. The thing is that the coating is susceptible to microscopic scratches (road debris, rocks, etc) and that's where the rust can start. Also, if a weld (they're really good welds for the most part, but every pipe is different) has a particularly thin coating, it can let rust start (that's where my Prima rear rack would rust - right at the welds).

Give it an occasional (about once a month or as needed) wipe down and buff with either Turtlewax Chrome polish or Neverdull. Do this when the exhaust is cold.

I was going to say the same thing...then thought "is this ok seeing how hot the exaust gets"????

Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:26 pm

ScootStevie wrote: I was going to say the same thing...then thought "is this ok seeing how hot the exaust gets"????

I've never seen any ill effects from doing it. Besides, the exhaust doesn't get "that" hot.

ScootStevie · Post by **ScootStevie** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:28 pm

Lostmycage wrote:
ScootStevie wrote: I was going to say the same thing...then thought "is this ok seeing how hot the exaust gets"????
I've never seen any ill effects from doing it. Besides, the exhaust doesn't get "that" hot.

Just checking

Thanks

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:34 pm

Lostmycage wrote:
ScootStevie wrote: I was going to say the same thing...then thought "is this ok seeing how hot the exaust gets"????
I've never seen any ill effects from doing it. Besides, the exhaust doesn't get "that" hot.

the actual fat pipe looks fine this far but the tube that connects it to wherever is the thing looking like it wants to rust ASAP. So that bad boy DOES get hot and q-u-i-c-k, too (remember, it was blue in just 2 days)

so do you still recommend these if applied before riding and IF SO how long do I have to wait to ride - like does it have to sit a bit?

Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:36 pm

You can use it before riding. It's a solution that you wipe on liberally, let it haze, then wipe it off and buff it. You can hop on and ride till your butt goes numb after you finish buffing it.

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:57 pm

my pipe was replaced due to the accident so I get a second chance to make sure it's a-ok from rusting. My shop suggested WENOL as the best stuff for stainless steel.

I drove my scoot home and the next morning when it was all cool, polished it just to protect it. You're TOTALLY right about the little freaking chips it gets just being so dang close to the road. I didn't see them before I took the polish to it but there they were - itty bitty specs - GRRR!

My mirrors were rusted when I bought the thing (used) and since my right side mirror was busted in the accident, I got a new left side, too so that they were the same.

So my new strategy: WENOL to the pipe and Turtle Chrome Polish to the mirrors, cowl protectors and rack every other week. It takes about 15mins in total to do it so it's a small price to pay to have my cake and eat it to: live 2 blocks from the ocean and keep my chrome and stainless steel from rusting!

I had a chance to get the flat black protectors and the shop said I could just sand down the scratches on my original pipe and maybe paint it with bbq paint. I'm thinking that (and tell me if I'm wrong) that metal is metal and it'll rust, if it's painted, then it flakes the paint THEN rusts so with painted rails, I'm looking at sanding, painting and waxing, yes? I went with chrome again on that assumption. Plus I can't sand it. Nor could I get it home easily on my scoot so I just left the pipe with the shop. It'll make someone really stoked.

Major Redneck · Post by **Major Redneck** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:32 pm

The MRP pipe i put on my TGB racer started to rust after the clear coat had burned off...

Took the pipe off sanded to where the clear coat was not burnt and painted with VHT (very high temperature) FlameProof paint... can be found at NAPA for about 5-8bucks... its a Ceramic coating... its been on the TGB for a year and a half and has not shown any sign of rusting...

comes in many colors black,,, grays,,, yellows,,, orange,,, white... and a few others...

Angela · Post by **Angela** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:16 pm

Would covering your scooter help?

Major Redneck · Post by **Major Redneck** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:32 pm

Angela wrote:Would covering your scooter help?

no. not on the pipe. it well rust sooner or later. But covering and caring for your scoot is great!!! But once rust is there its a reaction that is very hard to get rid of... worse than corrosion... rust has to be taken down to the metal... then primed and covered... if not all the rust is gone it will come back and bubble under the covering... when rust is first spotted take action to stop it then... kinda like a bad tooth its not going to get any better...

Keep a slick finish (i use mostly Bike Sprits and some Eagle 1 nano wax Lemon Pledge well do well also) on your scoot to repel water, dry your scoot if it gets wet,,, paying close attion to the parts you never pay attion to,,, bolts, hoses, wiring harness, any of these things get wet,,, add one speck of dirt then you got rusted bolts, roten hoses, corrosion in your wiring harness,,, if they get a chance to sit that way is an invite to problems...

Lemon Pledge also works good to put on bolts your reinstalling into aluminum helps fight corrosion and lube as well...

wd40 is not something i would put an anything little on my scoot'z... Liquid Wrench would work better at rust but i still would not use it in the fashion your using it... (The new and imporved liquid wrench does not work as good as it used too at both rust and corrosion. The liquid wrench that comes in the small drip can works best on corrosion). For rusted bolts,,, BP Blaster nothing else comes close...

mojobuddy70cc · Post by **mojobuddy70cc** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:28 am

,, having worked oh ships 21 yrs, i know this much,, marine grade stainless steel is "316" stainless, and the post about dings is rite, but it takes quite a lick to ding 316..,so the welds may give way to rust. But the stuff used by us on deck and the process is
1) wire brush the rust down to metal
2) coat with Ospho ( careful nasty stuff) Osphoric acid> marine hardware store like West Marine etc.,wear goggles to protect your eyes outside the coast can be windy. let the ospho set overnite, ( it retards rust formation until you prime it., then paint it with hi-heat spary paint for grills ( good up to 1200
degrees) made by char-broil. it works for me and have have a grill that gets much hotter than my bike ( i have prima pipe too)

mojobuddy70cc · Post by **mojobuddy70cc** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:29 am

,, having worked oh ships 21 yrs, i know this much,, marine grade stainless steel is "316" stainless, and the post about dings is rite, but it takes quite a lick to ding 316..,so the welds may give way to rust. But the stuff used by us on deck and the process is
1) wire brush the rust down to metal
2) coat with Ospho ( careful nasty stuff) Osphoric acid> marine hardware store like West Marine etc.,wear goggles to protect your eyes outside the coast can be windy. let the ospho set overnite, ( it retards rust formation until you prime it., then paint it with hi-heat spary paint for grills ( good up to 1200
degrees) made by char-broil. it works for me and have have a grill that gets much hotter than my bike ( i have prima pipe too)