Hey all,

I have a problem with my Rinehart 2-1 Black exhaust for my '09 Night Train that has been going on for over a year. The background:

While in Iraq, I ordered the NT and asked the dealer to install the Rinehart Black 2-1 exhaust system among other P&A parts and accessories. I got home from Iraq on 30MAY09, picked up the bike (with the pipes, Arlen Ness Big Sucker intake and the HD Download and all the P&A accessories already installed) on 1JUN09. Of course, it promptly began raining in Upstate NY, and that cut down my riding time severely through June and July. In later July, I noticed the exhaust seemed to have a few areas that were 'bluing' or at least lightening up a lot. Finally on Veteran's Day, I took some pics to my dealer (being back to work and travelling a lot didn't help) showing the condition of the exhaust which was less than 4 months old. The dealer tried contacting Rinehart, who asked for the pics to be sent to them. Apparently the guy my parts person talked to agreed something wasn't right, and they'd try to work something out.

I heard nothing until later December, when the dealer called and said Rinehart wanted the bike dyno'd to check the A/F ratios were correct. When I got the bike to the dealer, the tech flat out told me it was corrosion, not heat-related damage to the pipes (which were now looking even worse, despite limited riding and being in a garage through the fall). He ran the dyno tests showing the A/F ratios were spot-on and each cylinder was within 1% of each other (14.1:1 ratios or thereabouts on both jugs). The tech took some new pics and sent them along with the dyno info to Rinehart.

Finally, after no contact from anyone, I called Rinehart in March, and they told me that they'd try to help me out, but weren't sure how to go about a fix. I sent them more pics taken in early March (after the bike was trailered down to FL for a week of riding (Daytona Bike Week)).

That got me nowhere despite repeated contact with my dealer asking if they'd heard from Rinehart. Finally, I called Rinehart back in early May and asked how this was going to be fixed, and was floored by their response: It's not their problem, and they can't and won't do anything about it. Bub built the pipes, so it's not their concern, and Bub only warranteed the finish from discoloration for 90 days. I stated it's MORE than discoloration, the exhaust is rusting from UNDER the coating, and was told again it's not Rinehart's problem. When I stated they had no problem taking the $700 for the exhaust, the guy (Alex I think is his name) told me "Oh, we didn't get any of that money. We only get a small royalty on the exhausts Bub built with our name on them." He also went on to tell me they had tons of complaints, and asked me if I thought they should give new systems to everyone with discoloration problems because of Bub. My answer was yes; when the problem is a quality control and total issue of manufacturing defect, yes. He went on to pretty much finish the conversation with my by telling me there was nothing Rinehart could or would do, and even if he wanted to, they weren't making 2-1 systems for Softails yet (with their new manufacturing partner, Clearline Industries). At this, I called my dealer and the service manager called Rinehart. He got a little farther, and they agreed to re-coat the system.

SO- my question: how long should this possibly take. I gave the system to my dealer on 15MAY10, and they shipped it out to Clearline Industries on 17MAY10. It's now 24JUL10, and still no indication that anything has been or will be done with the system.

Has anyone else had any experience with this kind of situation? How did you resolve it? Bear in mind, my dealer seems only marginally more interested in helping than Rinehart does.

Attached are some pics of the exhaust. No way it should look like it does (I live in Upstate NY- not a salt-air environment) in less than a year of light use- the bike had 3200 miles on it when I removed the Rinehart and reinstalled the factory exhaust. The first 2 were taken 15MAY10 when I pulled the system off the bike. The next 3 were taken on 6MAR10 while the bike was on the trailer when we got back to NY.

Thanks,

 

Depending on work schedules I'd say one-two weeks. At least that is the time I'm being quoted from a coating company in Wisconsin for header pipe ceramic coatings. One week for powder coating of aluminum wheels.

 

1-2 weeks with a max of 4 depending on scheduale and backlogs etc.


man what did they do jus tspray bomb them with some krylon flat black rattle cans then send them to you? i'd be beating them with the pipes if i paid $700 for that hunk of crap

 

Worst thing is the exhaust is now at Clearline Industries and has been since the middle of May. I understand they would be focusing on the new production with Rinehart, but two months and counting to re-coat? How much different can the setup I had be from any new design for Softails Rinehart thought up?

 

should send them to me for powder that way you never have to worry about having to re finish them bud

 

Well, at some point in the last couple weeks, Clearline Industries sent the muffler and heat shields back to Spitzie's HD (though I had to call and ask, they didn't volunteer that anything had come back). Problem is, they did NOT send the "Y" pipe cover or any of the clamps (which I don't know why they got sent with the stuff to be coated when the mechanic took it all apart) back...so it's STILL not done. It's only been 3 months...I don't know why I'm so touchy....

At least the coating looks better- a darker black than the original coating appeared to have. There is a little knick in the finish on the muffler, but I don't know what caused it, shipping or opening the package. As my mechanic said, "You can't expect it to be perfect". Ummm, yes- yes I can. They had the parts OFF the bike, in their coating shop, it should have been media blasted to clean off the old coating and rust and then PROPERLY re-coated. So yes, it SHOULD be perfect. No telling them though...since it's NOT an HD part, the dealer could care less.

At any rate, I might have the exhaust back before Christmas at this rate. We'll see. Just make a note to self- stay FAR away from Rinehart until they show they have capacity to build exhausts and that their manufacturing firm can do a proper job with the coatings.

 

Six, maybe seven weeks is reasonable.

 

FYI, I just had two RG wheels powder coated and the turn around was one week including chemical strip. They quoted less than two weeks for my entire Sportster exhaust and that's with them doing all the metal prep. Also applying "race coat" to the internal surfaces.

 

I'll offer this too. I ordered a trailer a while back. Factory said I should have it in 4-5 weeks. Dealer said 7 weeks. I got the call it was finished this week, almost 11 weeks after the order was placed. A buddy of mine told me some of the trailer manufacturers are batch building. They run for a few weeks, then lay off the crews until they have a have a big back log and then start building again. I just hope quality hasn't taken a big hit! Maybe the you have experienced the same.