# Best way to clean/shine exhaust backbox



## Shady_49 (May 9, 2012)

Hi all, after a few tips on the best way to clean up and get a great shine on a stainless steel exhaust back box?

Ive got Autosol metal polish but just not getting the shine I'd like plus quite a few spots of tar baked on that won't shift.

Its a HKS Superdragger on an Evo VIII so quite a big area I'd like to shine.

Any suggestions and tips would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!:thumb:


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## Big Buffer (Jan 1, 2011)

Use a degreaser first and i think 00 grade wire wool will help.

Not 100% tho just hold on and see if anyone seconds me


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## Shady_49 (May 9, 2012)

Just been recommended britemax 'The twins' metal compound and shine, anybody used them? Worth a purchase?


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## Jord (Apr 3, 2012)

Any metal polish teamed with fine grade wire/steel wool will do a very good job indeed.


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

I cannot think what the correct name is but you will need one of those polishing wheels and polishing bar to get a really good shine


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## Stewartfinley (Mar 3, 2012)

I used 'bar keepers friend' on a piece of fine steel wool, finished with an MF and small amount of Gtechniq M1 metal polish on a Honda VFR400 exhaust. 

Was very pleased with the results.


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

For steel tips I use Mr Sheen


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## Brooklands (Jun 12, 2010)

Autosol for the win!


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## Jonniebrads (Jan 19, 2013)

"Brilliant" metal and aluminium polish for me my mate uses it on his r1 bike on exhaust he lent mr it and its brilliant.


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## 3dom (Oct 30, 2012)

Hi Shady

I do quite a lot of work on all high performance Japanese cars (especially Evo's) and they seem to be particularly affected by burnt on soot, tar and general grot due to the heat and unburnt fuel that makes all of the pops and bangs on deceleration or overrun!! (You boys love your boost :thumb: )

I normally use Tardis to remove the tar spots, Smart wheels to get working on the burnt on carbon deposits and then wipe it all down. Once dry I usually use either Meguiar's metal polish on fine wire wool or Peek. With plenty of elbow grease and plenty of paper towel, you can repeatedly check whether you're making the progress you want and re-apply more polish as you need to.

You can get drill attachments to short cut some of this graft (3m and Meguiar's do them amongst others) but I kind of like the hands on, old school approach.

Good luck :driver: Get the pictures up when you get a chance.

Apexi GT spec from a 500+BHP S14a








After applying the processes outlined above








Excuse the poor photos but I hope this gives you the basic idea.


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## ECS (Feb 13, 2013)

Normal polish should work.


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## Smithey1981 (Oct 4, 2011)

Done this one with megs nxt metal polish and dj supernatural fine polish

Before









After


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## Bashman40 (Feb 9, 2013)

Smithy1981 can you put up some links to what you used as that exhaust has come out nice


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## Daveskater (Jan 13, 2012)

This is what he's used:

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/meguiars-nxt-generation-all-metal-polysh.php?cPath=24

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/dodo-juice-supernatural-fine-cut-metal-polish-kit.php?cPath=24

The Britemax 'Twins' metal polishes are also very good, as is Mercury by Auto Finesse. Generally if you keep working them with a foam pad then they break down and clean and refine the finish (Autosol will do this), but Final Shine from Britemax really does add extra shine.

Ausotol isn't bad for off-the-shelf stuff, but I feel that Mercury has a bit more bite to it. I've also recently tried a sample of metal polish by Kleers, and that works fantastically well.


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## The Pan Man (Apr 16, 2010)

Here is what I used to do to the headers on my flat twin BMW bikes, bear in mind that these are red hot and fully exposed to all the elements.
1 Get some neat Wonder Wheels or similar
2 Leave for a few minutes then get going with a good stiff brush.
3 Get some medium grade EMERY CLOTH now for smaller dia tubes you can wrap it round and pull both ends on the big stuff you will just have to use more elbow grease.
4 Get some fine grade emery
5 Get some medium grade wet and dry
6 Yes fine grade wet and dry if you are happy move to 7 if not do 4 5 & 6 again then move on
7 00 Grade wire wool and Autoslol 
8 0000 Grade wire wool and more autosol.
Happy? Good, You know what's coming Not happy 6 7 & 8 Again.
Stainless is difficult to work on but time and effort pays off.
OPTION Remove back box and take to you local Stainless Steel Fabricator £25 or so and you will be looking at a mirror finish,


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## Smithey1981 (Oct 4, 2011)

As above is what I used, started with the megs and finished with the supernatural. I degreaser it first and used tardis. Then with a cheap mf with megs as had more bite, the buffing mf with supernatural. Very easy to clean now and find tar and soot no longer stick to it

Better pic of how rough exhaust was


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## 7MAT (Apr 14, 2006)

Britemax Metal Twins aka 'Easy Cut' and 'Final Shine' being used here to transform and seal this Porsche exhaust.

Matt


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## Swift Sport 60 (Sep 24, 2011)

I use britemax metal twins with some old microfibre cloths.


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

for the tips, 0000 wire wool with the britemax twins by hand should be fine.

for the rear box, rotary polisher with a compounding/polishing pad and britemax twins.
depending on how bad it is.


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## c_larkey (Oct 25, 2012)

To clean all soot of etc ... Mr muscle oven cleaner I use nothing else ,just spray it on and leave for 15 mins if not happy work with a brush and then add another blast, then to shine megs metal polish


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## Kleers-Caroline (Jun 13, 2012)

I had a HKS Legamax on my old FN2 .. no where near as mean as the Super Draggers you could only see the tailpipes but our Metal Polish always worked a treat on that .. The Legamax came with HKS trim garnishes so it used to be a nightmare to get in behind the trim and get the build up off but it was a doddle with The Metal Polish.. I'll try and dig out some of my old pictures see if I have any before/afters 

http://www.kleers.com/product.php?xProd=34&xSec=1



Shady_49 said:


> Hi all, after a few tips on the best way to clean up and get a great shine on a stainless steel exhaust back box?
> 
> Ive got Autosol metal polish but just not getting the shine I'd like plus quite a few spots of tar baked on that won't shift.
> 
> ...


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## BRITEMAX (Dec 22, 2010)

The Metal Twins as used by the worlds best detailers. 

Click here for more customer examples of the Metal Twins in use. :thumb:


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## Bashman40 (Feb 9, 2013)

Thanks guys for the info I hav sum wheels that. Need doing I will use britemax as advices with wire wool bring the shine bk to my BBS"s


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## Bashman40 (Feb 9, 2013)

Will 0000 wire wool be ok on BBS wheels ? And can you guys advice if I need anything else to get all the dirt out first?


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## S3kel (Apr 2, 2012)

I would not put 00 fine grade wire wool on alloys mate ...


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## 3dom (Oct 30, 2012)

S3kel said:


> I would not put 00 fine grade wire wool on alloys mate ...


Spot on :thumb:
I recently polished some BBS LM's by hand and they took about 6 hours in total! Time consuming but not worth the risk of damaging them and the results were well worth it


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## DanielJames (Jul 6, 2010)

I got my Janspeed backbox back to this using Autosol, wire wool, and elbow grease

009.jpg by DanielJames., on Flickr

then just a quick buff when washing gets it back up nicely









I've never used anything but Autosol, never thought the need to change. My grandad would probably disown me if I used anything else also


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## 3dom (Oct 30, 2012)

Nice DC2; I miss my milano red one.


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