Header manipulation?

[carpeonnel]

Just put my new Hedmans on my K5 the other day and I have a problem. The headers are too close to my shackles and they're going to be scrubbing along side the header at the collector where the 4 pipes join. They're barely touching the headers on both sides now and I know it's gonna be a problem expecially when the engine starts torqueing over. SO my question is this: What can I do to move them away from the shackles a little bit? I figure at least a 1/2in away would work but would prefer more. I was thinking about heating them up and bending them slightly in. Or just taking a ratchet strap across both collectors underneath the truck and pulling them towards each other to bend them in. OR putting tension on them with the ratchet strap and heating up the bends of headers, where they come off the exhaust ports and seeing if they'll give. Anybody had this problem before? Think something like that will work? THoughts?

 

[George_Pimpdaddy]

i have this same problem too, i keep telling myself it wont be a problem once its lifted lol honestly mine sound like the exact same ones as you have and surprisingly they are still leak free!

 

[obijuan]

on my truck the collectors were just cut off and welded the pipes to them.

 

[bonanza]

I got the same headers, they're leak free and sound great through original 40 series flowmasters. Every header I've seen for these trucks has this problem. I believe they do this so that no matter your engine/trans/transfer case combo you will still have shift linkage, etc. room. I personally wouldn't worry about it.

 

[carpeonnel]

I don't know. On my 86 I previously had they were close but just touched a little when i'd rev the engine you know but these are basically pressed against the shackles. I dunno. I might just see if I can get them to bend a little

 

[carpeonnel]

I'm actually putting super 40s and an H pipe on mine as well

 

[bonanza]

I haven't put an h-pipe on mine yet, but it sure wins the sound competition. I've got 2-1/2" aluminized exhaust that I made from mandrel bends bought off ebay. It looks beautiful and sounds brutal. I'm gonna have every 5.0 mustang in town wanting to race me!

 

[carpeonnel]

there's a damn good muffler shop down from me that's gonna do my exhuast. The guy that did it last time did a really good job of running it nice and tight out of the way with some great bends, so they're gonna get my business again. hhhmmm... I might call him in the morning and see if he might be able to do something with the headers to get them off the shackles

 

[lak2004]

Here ya go: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213472

 

[pauly383]

They cost a bit more , but the cheap black Hookers with the contingency tag on the truggy project I sold ( not current one , I got stock Chevelle manifolds and duals on current one ) cleared the shackles by more than enough for driving and wheeling .

 

[carpeonnel]

Here ya go: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213472

They cost a bit more , but the cheap black Hookers with the contingency tag on the truggy project I sold ( not current one , I got stock Chevelle manifolds and duals on current one ) cleared the shackles by more than enough for driving and wheeling .

I appreciate it, but I got these headers for basically nothing in a trade so I'm not looking to putting anymore money into a set of headers. Especially not another 3 bills (this project already has enough dumped into it) I was just wondering if anybody had tried bending the header, or something of the sort, with any success?

 

[Blue85]

If you want to do an H-pipe, it seems like you could strap the collectors together while it is installed. Then it would hold them together. However, it could be a pain to get things back together if you unbolt a header someday.

 

[carpeonnel]

If you want to do an H-pipe, it seems like you could strap the collectors together while it is installed. Then it would hold them together. However, it could be a pain to get things back together if you unbolt a header someday.

True, but I think that would create alot of tension on the collectors and leaks would be a beotch. I'm just gonna run a ratchet strap across them and see if they'll give and then heat them up with a propane torch if needed.

If they get f'd up I'll just see what I can do.

 

[USSkoval]

I have the same ones also. I chose them because of the larger collector and the ball flange... and before I knew the coated ones didn't have a clearance issue. It's been two years and they are fine, still no leaks, They used to rattle a little at idle, but not anymore. It seems they have bent themselves to fit better.
With that said, since you don't have a bunch of cash tied up in them, I would try your ratchet strap/torch idea.

 

[dyeager535]

I think I posted in the other thread that was linked about how to do this.

Take a 2x4 thats the right length, get the headers hot by running the engine, then wedge the 2x4 in there so you can get leverage on the header tube, and bend them inwards. Mine has even less than a 1/2" of clearance (maybe 1/8" or so) but never contact the shackles. That's going to be vehicle dependent, so more is going to be better.

I tried the ratcheting tie down trick (to a tree even) but unless you've got some monster semi-truck sized tie downs, they stretch too much and don't exert enough pressure on the header to bend them.

 

[carpeonnel]

gotcha. Sounds like a good plan. soon as I can get the bastard running I'll try it but I'm still having problems with the wiring