Is Airflo out of business?

[Flrider]

So, I was looking to get some 18" tips from Airflo and a search sends me to another company.
Seems like they are out of business.

Anyone know where I can get some 18" tips?

Thanks

[Jess from VA]

I just looked too Jack and can't find them either.

I searched old posts here, and when I click on the old Air Flow exhaust interweb link, all that opens is this...
https://sixrobblees.com/     (not it)

Search chrome 4" truck stacks - 18" (flat cut)  (or slash cut, but not turnouts, which will drag)

[Flrider]

I just looked too Jack and can't find them either.

I searched old posts here, and when I click on the old Air Flow exhaust interweb link, all that opens is this...
https://sixrobblees.com/     (not it)

Search chrome 4" truck stacks - 18" (flat cut)  (or slash cut, but not turnouts, which will drag)

Hey Jess

I got the same results as you, tried doing a Google search but not much came up.
I'll try doing a more in depth search.

Thanks

[Jess from VA]

I searched a few actual (semi) truck stack sites, but the smallest they had is five inch diameter.

Evilbay has stuff, but you have to search through page after page of crap.

You could call Pinwall Cycle (salvage) and see if they have some used Airflows (and calling beats paging through stuff forever) but you'd need pictures to see if it's good enough.  https://pinwallcycle.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=honda

You obviously don't want aluminized, and even though stainless is good stuff it would not look right.

Mark T (Horseapple) makes full systems, but he may share some information for 4 X 18" stacks.

[chief120865]

found these https://www.bigrigchromeshop.com/straight-stack-in-chrome-18-inches-p-25978.html#.XoIlGohKiUk

[MarkT]

found these https://www.bigrigchromeshop.com/straight-stack-in-chrome-18-inches-p-25978.html#.XoIlGohKiUk

Those are Grand Rock brand.  I've not used those, but have bought many others, which have had inconsistent quality - it might be good but just as likely not good enough.  Airflow used to sell Dynaflex - the best ready made stacks I've found in 20 years.  I have hired a top shelf company to custom make them for me, which resulted in great quality but throughput was too slow and cost was high.  Didn't fit so they are out of my plan.  The industry changes a lot thx to the EPA and competition from offshore who aren't strangled by them.  Airflow was acquired by Sixroblees, who has not begun to retail or wholesale stacks, per my conversation with their principal a couple months ago.  They may not.  The two businesses are not far apart - a couple miles IIRC, per their addresses viewed on Google maps.  I have bought wholesale Dynaflex from Airflow over the past 20 years though they weren't my preferred distributor.  I recently had Dynaflex make stacks for me in quantity, had to wait a long time, and they were finally shipped on pallets.  Received them last week.  I am not selling them w/o a pipe build - not worth the hassle to me.  Also my cost is higher than it used to be and I have not reflected that in my pricing yet.  I need to do that as they have damaged my margins significantly but there are not competitive options for high quality pre-made stacks and they know that.    I am presently using a distributor who handles the paperwork but otherwise has them drop shipped because Dynaflex won't sell to me directly at wholesale unless I buy $15,000 in inventory.  Not doing that for several reasons.  Their products are superb.  The rest of their business management, not so much. My distributor is less interested in partnering with me to keep me in business but more interested in maximizing their profit per transaction regardless of the bad effect that has on me.  Which means of course I have zero loyalty for them and their gouging practices.  I just know if I have a problem and need backup it's gonna be "So solly, sayanara."  My previous distributor cared about my success and I was really sorry to lose them as I suspected they were throwing me to the wolves - and that turned out to be true.

Fleetpride lists 4" stacks on their website but they aren't Dynaflex.  I saw them on Iowa80 too.  Quality also marginal.  From China, marginal and inconsistent quality - yeah I had to stop buying Fleetpride offshore stacks after they resourced their stacks to a factory that was worse - went to Dynaflex which is consistent but more expensive.  The Chinese stacks are generally good enough for a pickup truck, but not for bikes where they will be seen closer up.  There are Chinese stacks that look good but whether the chrome is properly applied and won't peel when you cut them, is iffy.  I had to make claims on them a number of times.  Improperly prepped base metal, wavy, pits, or looks good but cut it on the saw and the electroplating peels at the cut.  If you get a good product run from a quality Chinese factory it's a roll of the dice.

[Jess from VA]

Thanks for the information Mark.   

For Jack's (and many) purposes, all they want is decent 18" chrome slip-fit tips to go on the OE pipes.   Just tips don't ever need cut (flat or slash cut anyway).  I never liked the flimsy OE tips squashed down sideways or lenghtways for the Valks (and gave mine away a long time ago).

Both my Interstates have Air Flow 18" flat cut tips (on OE pipes), and they were top quality, but now have the haze, nicks and bottom rubs you'd expect after 13-15 years (but that matches my 21yo bikes just fine).  (I used to polish mine up two inches on the inside, but the heck with that anymore.) 

[Flrider]

Thanks for the replies Jess and Mark.

Sucks when you don't order something and then you happen to want some when it is no longer available 

Jess
I am same as you, I don't really like the OEM tips, I like more of the Flat Cut so I can add my Grumpy's Tips so 18" flat cut was my choice.
As far as quality, I am not picky since most of it is hidden under bags, I will keep searching, thanks 

Mark
Thanks for all the great info, I know first hand that you are always looking for top quality for your products, still have the exhaust I got from you many years ago   

Chief
Thanks for the link, I think that with that pic and no prior experience from anyone here it will be taking chances on the quality of it, I am not picky but also don't want garbage if you get what I am saying.
Those look tapered on one end so looks like they will need cutting anyways.



I'll let you guys know what I come up with, I guess we need to find a different vendor for our Valk exhaust truck stacks and tips needs

[Bighead]

 I happen to have an unmolested set of Airflo stacks. Not the wimpy “18 but a full set. That has never been installed.
I also have a set on my ‘97. 

[MarkT]

You can safely cut airflow stacks since they are Dynaflex and I've never seen bad chrome from them.  You could take one 36" flat-cut and cut it in 2 then drill the holes on the unchromed-edge end so the cut edge is forward while the chrome edge is the visible one.  2 things - be sure it's cut absolutely square so use a quality saw that holds square between the fence and blade, like a bandsaw.  NOT A CHEAP SAW LIKE HARBOR FREIGHT.  I use Milwaukee chop saws with very ridged abrasive blades, reinforced for cutting concrete - called Walter Portacut blades.  HF blades and other brands too are very flexy and won't cut straight.  Use a carpenter's square to make the fence exactly square to the blade.  Put a fresh microfiber rag on the fence and table to prevent scratching the chrome. Just recently I picked up a 14" carbide saw for cutting stainless and it doesn't flex.  Just used it on one of my Milwaukee chop saws to cut the 5" stacks on the build that is waiting for Fedex.  BTW this type of blade leaves less cleanup of a burr compared to abrasive which actually melts its way through a cut.  Also when you cut it, stop before you go through the backside.  Rotate the stack and finish the cut.  If you don't get the 2nd cut exactly right you can still save it by feathering the cut with an appropriate grinder.  That never happens with me anymore; I make sure the 2nd cut is correct so as not to have to save it.  "Measure twice, cut once."  And verify you aren't goofing BEFORE you cut. I remove the "sprue" (burr) on the inside with a carbide burr in a die grinder.  The burr on the outside I remove with a 1" highspeed belt sander, sanding just the edge, not into the chrome face at all.  My tricks.  If you don't have such tools and the skill/practice using them, it's easy to mess up the chrome.  I use towels and freshly washed microfiber rags to prevent scratching when working on finished chrome.  The headers are wrapped with carpeting so I don't add blems.  Take care not to overheat the chrome, if you do it will color.  I use cooling sprays when I need to grind or sand on say the edge of a chrome piece, or do a grind then dip it in a bath then resume.

Here's the pipes I mentioned above.  Note how nice the crack is where I cut it.  Not to mention the nice fit of the recontoured to 5" diameter OEM cover.