Exhaust question - Ball and socket off of header?

[badmix]

***UPDATE***

Just got the Ball & Socket setup welded up. It looks great and sealed up nice. Im never going to the Flange & Gasket setup ever again.

 

[Chevy305]

Just out of curiousity, I have a set of these Hedman headers on my truck. How do you guys keep the collectors tight? No matter what, the bolts always loosen up and leak. Sorry for the threadjack...

I had a problem with that too. I turned to stainless bolts and double nutted stainless nuts. I think my exhaust system isn't supported well enough with the hangers I have in there. If your exhaust is solid, then check your motor mounts.

 

[TerryD]

That's a good looking setup man. I think I'd put top-lock style lock nuts on them instead of just regular nuts or ny-lock nuts. Other than that, awesome idea! Got any pictures of your y-pipe and setup on there? I'm needing headers and new pipes for my K5 sometime soon.

I kept burning gaskets out of the flanges on my 84 Camaro. They are shorties with the Hooker head pipe, but still don't line up great so it's a MAJOR PITA to work with them. We took it down to visit some family friends in NC (bout a 3hr trip) and burnt one of the gaskets out on the way down. Luckily, Randy is a gear head too, so him and Dad put the car up on stands and got some tools out. I ran to Advance and bought a set of the aluminum gaskets that Advance Auto keeps on the performance wall.

I put them in using locking nuts on the bolts and I've not had a leak since. Those things are awesome. I've not yet put the one on the driver's side yet, but the passenger side was the one that is hardest to get to (figures it would burn out when I wasn't near home ) but I'm going to continue using them. Box says "...may be the LAST set of collector gaskets you ever have to buy." and I believe them!

 

[badmix]

I tried the aluminum gaskets, when those failed me, I went with the ball and socket setup.

Im not using a Y pipe. Im running true duals, with long tube headers, catco cats and dynamax muff with the tail pipes coming out behind the rear wheels.

With the ball and socket, you dont have to be 100% lined up like the ole flange setup. You can be a degree or two off when putting it together.

 

[anwat]

For future reference, I you don't want the nuts coming loose the easiest and highest price option would be stage 8 fasteners. Not fighting with the pinch lock nuts every time you have to take them off is worth the extra money to me.

 

[bablazer73]

The hooker Headers I put on the Dually had ball/socket collectors. awesome set up.