Stainless Steel?

RockOn

Turbocharged
Joined
Feb 22, 2018
Messages
551
Location
Escondido, CA
Ride
2006 R3 Classic, 2008 R3T, 2009 Harley Ultra
My brother-in-law has offered to remove my catalytic converter on my '06 Classic and make a cross pipe. He also suggested considering the the option of removing the innards of the cat box and leaving it in place with the thought the exhaust sound may improve, He needs to know if the cat and any of the pipes going in and coming out of the cat are made of stainless steel. What is the cat box and pipes made of? Thanks.

Happy New Year!
 
How are you going to pass emissions inspections?
They don't have yearly or any inspections on motorcycles in California. I know, you would thing this state would be the first but I see it coming over the horizon with Gov, Newsom on a pink Electric Vespa leading the way to inspections. Cause it's more money in the coffer that's now heavily in the red and will discourage a few to buy EV, 'cough' Electricycles. :mad:
 
With my telescoping magnet I've confirmed the cat box and the shield around it on two sides(on top and behind) are not magnetic. Same goes for the head pipes, exhaust pipes and chrome plated heat shields. My magnet does stick to the muffler cans and the clamps and fasteners. One odd thing, the left end of the cat box is magnetic, the end with the part numbers and the "C" stamped in it(meaning, I'm told, it has the catalyst element inside, those stamped with an, "N" don't contain the catalyst). Interesting. I don't think my bro-in-law will want to mess with all the stainless involved. He is skilled at cutting and welding most metals, but not stainless.
 
A lot a stainless steel is STILL magnetic, some not at all and some maybe just less so.

Many of us have an immediate association when we think about stainless steel — anythig, one quality that oftentimes comes into question is its magnetism.

WHY IS STAINLESS STEEL NOT MAGNETIC?​

You could also ask, is stainless steel magnetic? The truth of the matter is, some stainless steels are magnetic, while others are not. You see, stainless steel is conventionally thought of as a single type of material, but within metallurgy, stainless steel actually accounts for a group of metals with varying qualities and chemical compositions. In fact, it might be helpful to think of stainless steel as a kind of generic term based on the chemical composition of steel.

HOW DOES A STEEL BECOME CLASSIFIED AS STAINLESS?​

ng from kitchen appliances, medical instruments, components for renewable energy technologies, and building construction may come to mind. When you really think about it, chances are you’ll find something made from stainless steel nearly everywhere you look.

While stainless steel is known for being corrosion resistant, strong, and aesthetically pleasin
Steel alloys composed with a minimum of 10.5% chromium fall into the stainless category.
The chromium content attributes particular qualities to the steel, including exceptional corrosion resistance. This quality is what gives stainless its rust-free status. It also allows steel to repair itself after being scratched or damaged - unlike plated steels which often become scratched, with those scratches leading to the eventual corrosion of the steel.

WHAT MAKES SOMETHING MAGNETIC?​

But back to magnetism. In the case of steel, whether or not it is magnetic comes down to the microstructure of the steel. Basic stainless steels have what’s known as a “ferritic” structure, which enables them to be magnetic. Remember the chromium content? It’s the addition of chromium that leads to the ferritic structure. This, plus the addition of carbon, hardens the steel and qualifies it as a martensitic steel. Stainless steel knives are typically martensitic.
Martensitic steel differs from the most common stainless steels, which are referred to as austenitic. In austenitic steel, there is a higher percentage off chromium, and nickel is also present. In terms of magnetism, it is the addition of nickel that renders the steel non-magnetic.

IS STAINLESS STEEL MAGNETIC OR NOT?​

As I’ve covered above, this is not an all-or-nothing answer. Some stainless steels are magnetic, and others are not. The defining factor of magnetism comes down to the the steel’s microstructure. Martensitic stainless steels (which have a ferritic microstructure) are magnetic. Austenitic stainless steels contain nickel and are non-magnetic.
 
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