Has anyone tried to polish the stock tail pipe? :think: I’m not sure if that would be hard to do and not worth it. Could buy an aftermarket polished one I guess but I though it might be kinda unique to see a polished stock one.

no haven't done it but my buddy did his looked pretty nice.. but he lost whole exhaust system on a dirt road;).. looks and sounds way better now.

On all my cars over the years I always used a sos pad on my tail pipes as far under as you can see. Makes the system look clean and new. I still do it on my stainless system just not on the polished tips.

I did mine about a year ago, used 1000 sand paper, then mothers chrome polish and a buffer; whether its stainless or aluminized I don't know, but it polishes up nicely. I buffed the last 10 inches, the rest I painted black. Looked great 25,000 miles ago, need to do it again.

I did mine about a year ago, used 1000 sand paper, then mothers chrome polish and a buffer; whether its stainless or aluminized I don't know, but it polishes up nicely. I buffed the last 10 inches, the rest I painted black. Looked great 25,000 miles ago, need to do it again.

Excellent idea for all the anal-retentives....like me!:rolleyes:

Does VHT BLack hold up to the temperatures the tail pipe sees? I am concerned it will just burn off and look worse than if I didn't paint it at all.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231566

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=191500&highlight=lmm+tip+polish

Do a search before you ask.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231566

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=191500&highlight=lmm+tip+polish

Do a search before you ask.


Well, ExCUUUUSSSSe MEEEE!:rolleyes:

Thanks for the links, but they STILL don't answer my question, so I guess I can ask whatever the hell I want and you can take a flying flip at a rolling donut:D.

The question was, will the VHT burn off long term? Does anyone have any long term results to know? I'm not sure what max. temp VHT advertises it can handle but the exhust temps have to be over 500, maybe more and for sustained periods on long trips.

This detailing does look excellent though.

When I had stock exhaust on my truck:

I cut the factory tip (musket) back about 5" with a saw zaw. Then slid over a stainless 5" to 6" tip and bolted in on. It looked really cool and still worked just like the factory one as the factory tip is technically still mounted underneath. It never dulled from the heat through dpf regens. People would always ask what exhaust that was.:D

Ill take a pic of it when I get home tonight and post it tomorrow for you.


As far as keeping the stock ugly one, I think cermaic coating the thing would be your only option, but at the end of the day, you still have an ugly shiny musket hanging off your truck.

As far as keeping the stock ugly one, I think cermaic coating the thing would be your only option, but at the end of the day, you still have an ugly shiny musket hanging off your truck.

Actually the stock ugly musket does not look all that bad when polished.
Plus,:D I like the stock look for a number of reasons.

DRC, this is what it looks like avatar. I copied someone else on here by wet sanding and started with 400 grit then 600, 1000, and finished with 1500. Using Mothers polish or can use Weynol(spelling) on a small buffing wheel at the end of a drill or similar tool, works great. pm me if you need further help. "Polished Musket club" :lol:

I will be joining the "Polished Musket Club" very soon. I already have the 150 wet or dry paper, gotta go find some finer stuff at OSH on the way home. I'll post when I am done. Maybe I'll start a new thread titled "Polished Musket Club". Everyone will wonder waht the HELL I'm talking about. I promise to reference you as the author of that title, alvareracing!

Polished Musket Club! LMFAO!!!:D

...as opposed to Bugle Polisher's Club ....which could be taken a WHOLE other way:eek: ...not that there's anything wrong with it;):D

LMAO, thats why I love coming on here DP, Its a good laugh after a long day at work.

I did this tonight, but I need to go over it again with a finer grade. I only had 150 and even with that it turned out pretty well.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=191500&highlight=lmm+tip+polish


http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/4926/picsofme12382.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picsofme12382.jpg)


The link honda_400ex posted is a thread I did a while back on polishing the exhaust tip. To answer the high temp paint question, I used the High Temp black BBQ paint you can get from Home Depot.

I've known a bunch of exhaust shops that use that stuff because they have had better results than some of the paints specifially for high temp exhaust which burn right off.

Even with all the regens and over 20K miles, the black paint still looks new.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/4926/picsofme12382.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picsofme12382.jpg)


....To answer the high temp paint question, I used the High Temp black BBQ paint you can get from Home Depot....Even with all the regens and over 20K miles, the black paint still looks new.

AHAA! There's the answer:) Thanks so much. I was going to go with VHT brand which I used in the distant past but I wasn't super impressed with it then. I will definitely swing by the Depot and pick up a can of this other stuff.

By the way, your truck is very,very nice. Nice, clean job on it.

Used buffing wheel and compounds from Lowes then finished it off with Flitz metal polish. Looks pretty good. I'm going to redo tho and start with 1000 grit sand paper to see if it looks better.

What kind of steel is that pipe anyhow, looks stainless but what grade? Also, are there any tailpipes out there that turn out the side as opposed to the back of the truck. I was looking at buying one of those huge mudflaps for towing my toyhauler and I don't know if it would be a good idea to have the hot exhaust blowing right onto it.

I will be joining the "Polished Musket Club" very soon. I already have the 150 wet or dry paper, gotta go find some finer stuff at OSH on the way home. I'll post when I am done. Maybe I'll start a new thread titled "Polished Musket Club". Everyone will wonder waht the HELL I'm talking about. I promise to reference you as the author of that title, alvareracing!


My guess is some kind of stainless steel.

Toughest part will be the sanding - expect to spend several hours sanding..... starting at 150 grit is wise. Polishing after sanding to at least 1000 grit easy if you get a wheel and the appropriate compond sticks like Harbor Freight sells.



Here's another member of the "Polished Musket Club" ..... Sounds like Elmer Fudd get's credit for the original polished musket....... :D

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garage.php?do=view&g=23672

You guys pulling the pipe off the truck at the muffler to do this work? I think if you're going to paint the rest of the pipe black back to the muffler it would be alot easier.

What kind of steel is that pipe anyhow, looks stainless but what grade? Also, are there any tailpipes out there that turn out the side as opposed to the back of the truck. I was looking at buying one of those huge mudflaps for towing my toyhauler and I don't know if it would be a good idea to have the hot exhaust blowing right onto it.


You guys pulling the pipe off the truck at the muffler to do this work? I think if you're going to paint the rest of the pipe black back to the muffler it would be alot easier.


If I was you most def look at a side exit pipe like Banks sells..........

AHAA! There's the answer:) Thanks so much. I was going to go with VHT brand which I used in the distant past but I wasn't super impressed with it then. I will definitely swing by the Depot and pick up a can of this other stuff.

By the way, your truck is very,very nice. Nice, clean job on it.


You're very welcome glad I could help ya out. And thanks for the compliment, I love this truck and am extremely pleased with it. I like the truck this way keeping the upgrades simple and clean for a daily driver and a tow rig.

Next thing after my stock tires wear out my truck will be seeing a new set of some black 20" rims and Toyos. Still deciding which ones though.
However, I put the truck mods on the back burner for the moment since my '68 Camaro and purchasing a house is getting all the $ and attention right now.

You learn somthing new every time you come on here. I was having a bad weekend and hopped on here found this and now i have a polished tip. thanks all. going to polish it some more and then paint the rest black on the next nice day i have off.

This is my first attempt at polishing mine. I need to hit it again when I have more time and my arms are not ready to fall off. :eyecrazy:

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garage.php?do=big&p=90685

several hours! holy crap there won't be any tail pipe left. LOL seriously, is not that hard or long. I won't start with 150 thats too darn corse. You will be sanding your butt off to remove those scrathes. Start with maybe 220 or 320 and go up from there. The smoother and finer the sanding the easier and faster you'll get the shine. Same concept as paint.

I spent probably around 6 hours on mine. Problem was that the metal had alot of imperfections in it and the only way to get them out was to use a more coarse paper 150-220 and I didn't have the right tools for the job...it was all by hand.

It was kind of all for not since I plan on dumping the DPF and getting a different exhaust in the next month anyway :(

I spent probably around 6 hours on mine. Problem was that the metal had alot of imperfections in it and the only way to get them out was to use a more coarse paper 150-220 and I didn't have the right tools for the job...it was all by hand.

It was kind of all for not since I plan on dumping the DPF and getting a different exhaust in the next month anyway :(

yeah same here, i did mine, and 3 months later it was off the truck in a pile somewhere, oh well, looked better for a short time at least

:laugh_expWell, ExCUUUUSSSSe MEEEE!:rolleyes:

Thanks for the links, but they STILL don't answer my question, so I guess I can ask whatever the hell I want and you can take a flying flip at a rolling donut:D.

The question was, will the VHT burn off long term? Does anyone have any long term results to know? I'm not sure what max. temp VHT advertises it can handle but the exhust temps have to be over 500, maybe more and for sustained periods on long trips.

This detailing does look excellent though.

nice looks good

Sorry Ive lagged. Had to put the stock pipe back on for the dealer So here you guys go... Its a 5"-6" tip.. sorry its dirty.


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=90802&d=1241721601



http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=90801&d=1241721588


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=90800&d=1241721564'

When you guys polished your musket, did you do the work with the tip on the truck?

Has anyone slash cut the end of the musket?

I believe so, there is someone who has it cut on here

When you guys polished your musket, did you do the work with the tip on the truck?

I did, it turned out nice. Then used high temp black flat spray paint to finish off the area around the 3 "connections". Chris

Chris what grit did you start out with? Also what polish did you use?

How big is the "nozzle" inside the air intake portion of the pipe?

Reason I ask is b/c if the DPF falls off, keep the kitty (so DPF can go back on if necessary) and I straight pipe the muffler, I would essentially have a 4" system. The air intake tailpipe looks like it would be the choke point on the system. Might have to open it up with a die grinder?

I use tire foam on mine. looks brand new all the time. you have to wipe it down every few years to get the oily stuff off. but keeps it nice and no rust ever starts!

Glad I read this thread! The plain musket tip has been bugging me. With the chrome bumpers and polished stainless nerf bars the exhaust looked out of place. I will definitely be trying this when I have the time. Thanks guys.

Sorry i have seen this asked a few times ,are you giuys doing this while exhaust is on the truck thanks

Sorry i have seen this asked a few times ,are you giuys doing this while exhaust is on the truck thanks

if you are talking about the polishing / painting, yes!

The Johnson Compensator Polishing Club?

Hello r1junkie. Can you post some photos of 2008 GMC 2500HD Z71 4X4? I want to know more further about it.

Well I got mine done yesterday and man it looks good. Thanks for the help fellas and I think this makes me the newest member of the polished musket club

Has anyone slash cut the end of the musket?

I was the one who slash cut it. Looked ok until I pulled the whole exhaust off.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231566

I just pulled the exhaust out of the last rubber mount to give my self some more working room