Has anyone done it?
CK5
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Exhaust outside the frame rails
- Thread starter Zeus33rd
- Start date
I did it once, built a true dual system kinda like on jeep cj's. I wanted side pipes, as in pipes that exit out the sides before the rear tires. I routed the pipes down from the manifolds than under the frame to the outside and up to where I had my mufflers (under front floor pans) then ran about a foot of pipe off the mufflers and out the sides. It looked badass, but the smell was unbearable, sitting at a stoplight was the worst, exhaust came right up in the windows. Not sure if that's what you meant when you asked the question but that's my story. Soon after, I had a full length system run.
trucks with stock saddle tanks = fun / not good idea / hard to get around .
unless
you have a crew cab and dump them before the tanks .
unless
you have a crew cab and dump them before the tanks .
Hmmm, with a 1" body lift, which I planned on doing some day anyway, and new poly body bushings, (mine are thrashed) I think I'll gain an additional 1.5"+ of lift/clearance. It almost looks like I could fit exhaust tubing between the forward cab mount and the frame, basically on the surface of the frame extension pad thing where the body mount is.
I tried to fit a stock bbc exhaust manifold in there alittle bit ago. Not a fockin chance...ever, not with the boxed frame. Out of the box headers...probably not...maaaybe some super shorties or somthing. It it might be kinda fun to re-kindle my exhaust routing/prototyping skills and build my own headers from a box of bends. Back in the day, I worked for a VERY large aftermarket motorcycle exhaust company. BUB Enterprises, company is dead now, but we competed with vance n hines and sampson etc. Near the end of my time there, I was transferred/promoted to the tooling and prototyping dept. A band saw, a bazillion pieces of random bends, green masking tape, a small air grinder, a sharpie and a welder to tack with...I built either exhaust, or tooling, for every bike that Harley made at the time, Indians, Suzuki's and Kawasaki's, sport bikes and cruisers, even a bit of ATV and sport exhaust in super bling titanium tube.
If I did something like that, I could probably fit everything where it's supposed to be, inside the frame rails. I was just kickin around ideas in my head with the outside the rails stuff. I'd have to murderize my inner fenders to make that work...not willing to do that.
I mostly don't have a choice but to build my own.
I tried to fit a stock bbc exhaust manifold in there alittle bit ago. Not a fockin chance...ever, not with the boxed frame. Out of the box headers...probably not...maaaybe some super shorties or somthing. It it might be kinda fun to re-kindle my exhaust routing/prototyping skills and build my own headers from a box of bends. Back in the day, I worked for a VERY large aftermarket motorcycle exhaust company. BUB Enterprises, company is dead now, but we competed with vance n hines and sampson etc. Near the end of my time there, I was transferred/promoted to the tooling and prototyping dept. A band saw, a bazillion pieces of random bends, green masking tape, a small air grinder, a sharpie and a welder to tack with...I built either exhaust, or tooling, for every bike that Harley made at the time, Indians, Suzuki's and Kawasaki's, sport bikes and cruisers, even a bit of ATV and sport exhaust in super bling titanium tube.
If I did something like that, I could probably fit everything where it's supposed to be, inside the frame rails. I was just kickin around ideas in my head with the outside the rails stuff. I'd have to murderize my inner fenders to make that work...not willing to do that.
I mostly don't have a choice but to build my own.
Nice to meet you Joe... My name is Greg.
I'm building a Blazer with outboarded headers. You can see some photos in my thread if you'd like.
Just start at the end of the thread and work backwards, otherwise you'll spend the rest of your weekend reading way too much stuff.
-G
Nice to meet you Joe... My name is Greg.
I'm building a Blazer with outboarded headers. You can see some photos in my thread if you'd like.
Just start at the end of the thread and work backwards, otherwise you'll spend the rest of your weekend reading way too much stuff.
-G
Almost forgot about this thread.
Greg, I've already looked through your thread from front to back. I don't really need to actually read any of it, just skimmed through and looked at the pictures etc. It's not personal, I take more inspiration from pictures and the relevant discussions.
I had forgotten about your outside the frame exhaust. What is the type and configuration of your motor and transmission mounts? Poly or rubber etc? Do you have any worries about wear and drivetrain/frame flex over time over time causing your headers to contact the frame? Are you EVER going to actually drive that thing? How long has it been...10+ years? :O
Someone brought up a good point about the saddle tanks I have. I had forgotten about those being an issue. Dunno if I wanna deal with it. And terminating the pipes before the saddle tanks would leave the exhaust dead center in the middle of the cab, between the two doors. No thank you...gag. :O
The Sanderson block hugger headers look promising. Based on the dimensions listed on the website, if they won't bolt right on, it would be really close, not much work to make them fit. A buddy mentioned chevelle headers possibly working too.
http://www.sandersonheaders.com/san...tml?category_id=573#product-details-tab-tab59
I'm running those Sanderson BB8's if I can help with anything. 
Joe,
I don't take it personally.... My philosophy about build threads is that people come for the photos, and might stay to read the words if the fabrication looks good enough!
Some people are good talkers... but the photos don't lie. 
The motor mounts are a simple rubber "puck" style that I got from a hotrod website (the link is in the thread somewhere). Because of all the frame modifications and the increased height of the motor (and the need to clear the upper link bar on the passenger side) the motor mounts actually sit on TOP of the framerails, instead of in between them. It's a bit odd, but it works!
Clearance-wise I'm working to leave around 3/4" of space around all the primary tubes to account for engine rocking, frame flexing (not likely to happen!) or settling of the motor mounts over time... You will often times see scraps of 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4" lumber in my build photos. Pretty much whenever you see wood as a material in my status, I'm blocking out "clearance space" for other components.....
For the record, the truck has only been "offline" for 8 years.... though it will probably take a full DECADE before it's running and driving under it's own power again.
Life changes priorities.... and the longer a build takes, the more "at risk" it becomes of NEVER getting finished.
-G
How close did you mount that 8.1 to the stock big block location?
The tall deck is only .400 taller at the angle, which is only .28" taller height and further out. I would just try Hooker long tubes like I run unless you set the engine in a different position. The long tubes will give you the most power and torque no doubt.
The tall deck is only .400 taller at the angle, which is only .28" taller height and further out. I would just try Hooker long tubes like I run unless you set the engine in a different position. The long tubes will give you the most power and torque no doubt.
Same position as stock mostly. But the mounts are not stock. Bushed dom sleeves with 9/16ths bolts. That and frame boxed too makes long tubes not an option. At all, not even close.
I think you might be surprised, unless you moved a lot or made the frame thicker there is a lot of room between my frame and headers, and it clears the shackles down low too so boxing the frame shouldn't matter. Our trucks have a LOT of room for headers, much more room than most cars. I think my Dad even used some old camaro or chevelle headers in his old 77 K20 once, they just bolted in.
This is an old pic, but the best one I have for header/frame clearance.
This is an old pic, but the best one I have for header/frame clearance.
There is no room, like I said...my motor mounts are different...not even close to stock, that coupled with the frame boxing makes long tubes not an option.
And I'm not interested in having big ass ugly header tube/collectors hanging down, waggling out for everyone to see. Yuck.
And I'm not interested in having big ass ugly header tube/collectors hanging down, waggling out for everyone to see. Yuck.
With the motor mounts I'm not totally sure they would clear but in the past I have used chevelle headers. They call them long tube but more of a mid length.
Only problem is finding a set to see if they work.
I have put exhaust through the frame. Unfortunately I suck at taking pictures. Also mine were located right after the collectors. On some long tubes. We used oval tubing to go through the frame then back to round and mostly mirrored the frame. It was on a Ford but the principle is the same.
Have done similar things on Jeeps.
On my crew cab I plan on going outside of the frame before the end of the cab. Just gonna brace and box
Only problem is finding a set to see if they work.
I have put exhaust through the frame. Unfortunately I suck at taking pictures. Also mine were located right after the collectors. On some long tubes. We used oval tubing to go through the frame then back to round and mostly mirrored the frame. It was on a Ford but the principle is the same.
Have done similar things on Jeeps.
On my crew cab I plan on going outside of the frame before the end of the cab. Just gonna brace and box
You can see the spot where the top two bolts for the stock motor mount plate were, before I plugged them with weld. The brackets on the block were on the motor when it came to me, so I used them. They offset to the rear slightly on the drivers side for whatever reason, that's why this mount is to the rear of those bolt holes. Passenger side mount is built right off the front half of the stock motor mount plate, the drivers side is built on the rear half.
If headers do that then they must be cheap junk. Good headers will be tucked up nice and not stick out. It's the universal junk for $90 a set that is made to fit multiple vehicles that stick way down and look like crap and leak all the time because of the cheap stamped collectors.
It looks like your engine might be lower than stock. Also, your 1 ton frame might be wider than my 1/2 ton frame. I'll get a measurement on my headers and see if they would fit within your measurement, they are just Hooker Competition headers for a stock BBC in our generation of trucks.
It is no worry...I've pretty much made up my mind on the Sanderson headers I think. They list less than 3" clearance needed from the mounting surface to the outside of the tubes. I also reallly like the idea of a patented, gasket free system. $350 for a raw un-plated set is a pretty good deal. Great for setup purposes, then send them back for re-plating when finished making sure they fit etc.
A buddy said he has a set of chevelle headers from when his 8.1 was in a blazer frame. Gotta check those out too.
If anything, the motor sits higher. It looks lower than yours, in that pic, because the top flange on my frame is waay wider than yours.
I'm not to concerned about squeezing every bit of hp possible out it. In this case, I want it to look clean, tight and OEM'ish. I plan on running the stock Vortec 8100 plastic motor cover plate thingy etc.
This is a 'themed build", believe it or not...it needs to look a certain way, and fit within a certain image, for what I want to do with it to be successful. All of that will become obvious sooner or later. NorCal69 is in on the secret, it's gonna be pretty damn sick when I get it all fleshed out.
A buddy said he has a set of chevelle headers from when his 8.1 was in a blazer frame. Gotta check those out too.
If anything, the motor sits higher. It looks lower than yours, in that pic, because the top flange on my frame is waay wider than yours.
I'm not to concerned about squeezing every bit of hp possible out it. In this case, I want it to look clean, tight and OEM'ish. I plan on running the stock Vortec 8100 plastic motor cover plate thingy etc.
This is a 'themed build", believe it or not...it needs to look a certain way, and fit within a certain image, for what I want to do with it to be successful. All of that will become obvious sooner or later. NorCal69 is in on the secret, it's gonna be pretty damn sick when I get it all fleshed out.
Haven't really ever heard much bad about Sanderson stuff. Good way to go for put em in and forget about em
As far as Sanderson goes, I think I remember them being an offshoot of thorley headers...something about a divorce or some other thing that split the company up, and the doug I guess (doug thorley) took off and started up another company. I might have that mixed up tho...it's a foggy memory for sure.
