Can stainless rust?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 154
Likes: 1
From: Hanover Maryland
Can stainless rust?
I am looking at buying a set of stainless hooker headers and sidepipes but recently heard that stainless can still rust. Is this true cause if that is the case I might just get chrome instead. If anyone has the stainless side pipes can you tune in on how your are holding up. Thanks in advance for any input
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Stainless has less probability of rusting than "chrome" headers. Chrome is a plating. When there is a 'break' in the plating, rust will occur. You also have the problem of heat-coloring with chrome headers.
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 125
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From: tacoma wa
good advice right there. 300 series stainless also known as Austenitic stainless has much less tendency to rust or stain (you must really abuse it), a magnet will not stick to this stainless.
another advantage of stainless is you can polish it, say you have a small blemish. chrome plating is a lot more limited.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Any grade of stainless steel can pick up surface corrosion (rust) depending on the environment it is exposed to: Stainless in salt spray areas (near or on the coast) will rust regardless of grade. The rust is caused by free iron on the suface of the stainless, and it's this free iron that turns to rust in corrosive envoronments. To mitigate this, you can "passivate" the stainless parts: This is an acid dip that removes the free iron from the surface and greatly prolongs the stainless's resistance to corrosion. Any industrial plating shop can perform the passivation process, but they need to know the type of stainless you have in order to select the correct type and method of passivation.
Unless you're on or near the ocean or located on a Pacific island, I wouldn't worry about it: Just give the stainless an occasional polish job and you will keep the surface corrosion in check.
Lars
Unless you're on or near the ocean or located on a Pacific island, I wouldn't worry about it: Just give the stainless an occasional polish job and you will keep the surface corrosion in check.
Lars
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 154
Likes: 1
From: Hanover Maryland
Those stainless look really good! So if im understanding this right then a lower number stainless is.better and the stainless is much more durable and easier up keep with almost the same amount of shine. It sounds like stainless it is
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
They call it stainless and stainnot for a reason the stainless just take longer to rust. My whole exhaust system SS
If I had the choice it would be SS
If I had the choice it would be SS
