Here I am with my new headers. Angry yo! 
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
Hedman Elite Header Review
- Thread starter Cricket
- Start date
Did you end up getting the ones this post is about then at least?
I agree about Hedman, they tried to blame my *stock* vehicle for being modified (only modification being their headers lol) and wouldn't hear anything after that. I really hate doing business with companies like this, but they have an otherwise excellent product that I just don't see any viable alternatives. (and no, I don't want to hear about tri-y's from anyone, as their performance has been shown to be worse than standard full length headers)
Even on the headers like mine that didn't fit because they AREN'T MADE RIGHT they are impressive pieces. The plugs are very easy to get at (easiest I've heard of thus far) and the collectors are awesome.
BTW, read your thread, sorry I didn't respond, I figured the ORD shackles did something other than exactly what I experienced and didn't read it.
Hedman is fully to blame for the shackle problem, there is plenty of room inboard, they just make them wrong and seem unwilling to correct it, even after years now. BTW, turning the bolts around didn't work on mine anyways.
Your experience has refreshed my anger at their total lack of care for customer experience, I'm going to see if I can't find the presidents phone number or email address, and let him/her know.
I agree about Hedman, they tried to blame my *stock* vehicle for being modified (only modification being their headers lol) and wouldn't hear anything after that. I really hate doing business with companies like this, but they have an otherwise excellent product that I just don't see any viable alternatives. (and no, I don't want to hear about tri-y's from anyone, as their performance has been shown to be worse than standard full length headers)
Even on the headers like mine that didn't fit because they AREN'T MADE RIGHT they are impressive pieces. The plugs are very easy to get at (easiest I've heard of thus far) and the collectors are awesome.
BTW, read your thread, sorry I didn't respond, I figured the ORD shackles did something other than exactly what I experienced and didn't read it.
Hedman is fully to blame for the shackle problem, there is plenty of room inboard, they just make them wrong and seem unwilling to correct it, even after years now. BTW, turning the bolts around didn't work on mine anyways.
Your experience has refreshed my anger at their total lack of care for customer experience, I'm going to see if I can't find the presidents phone number or email address, and let him/her know.
cheyennek20
1/2 ton status
Did you end up getting the ones this post is about then at least?Big D, No I did not change them out. I am going to stick with these for now and do some of my own "modification".....i.e.
I'll post up after the weekend on this to let the world know how it went.
As far as the customer service...you hit the nail right in the head. I wasn't really asking for them to do much. In fact, all I really wanted to do was let them know they had a problem. I even had pics to prove it!
I decided to keep them after seeing the price of the Hookers that someone on another post told me about. I'd trade them out, but I'm a Marine....EVERYONE knows we don't make a whole bunch of cash. Anyway, the thicker flanges and plug access (you're right it rocks!) along with the ball and socket collectors were enough to keep me interested.
I appreciate the input and if you get the name and email address, PM it to me. I'd like to send them some of my thoughts as well.
Installed my 69830s just now.
They went on great. Passenger side went on without any trouble. Driver's side I had to loosen the starter to get it in. No big deal. It took me about 2 hours to do the whole job.
There's quite a gap when it comes to mating up with the rest if the exhaust. The old headers reached back further. I expected this.
This one's for you Glenn, clutch clearance. Plenty of it. Nothing to worry about. Got like 5-6 inches of breathing room.
Old headers. They were installed on my Blazer in '77.
Here's why I replaced them. You can see my beautiful patch job from last summer.
That white stuff that looks like a beehive is the foam I used that seeped through the crack during the repair.
They went on great. Passenger side went on without any trouble. Driver's side I had to loosen the starter to get it in. No big deal. It took me about 2 hours to do the whole job.
There's quite a gap when it comes to mating up with the rest if the exhaust. The old headers reached back further. I expected this.
This one's for you Glenn, clutch clearance. Plenty of it. Nothing to worry about. Got like 5-6 inches of breathing room.
Old headers. They were installed on my Blazer in '77.
Here's why I replaced them. You can see my beautiful patch job from last summer.
That white stuff that looks like a beehive is the foam I used that seeped through the crack during the repair.
Here's the clutch clearance with the collector pipe installed.
Slapperbar
Retired Navy NDT Examiner
Craig, in your last picture, how far is it from the centerline of the collector joint to the upper shackle bolt?
I have a 1991 V2500 with the 4L80E and they may fit.
I have a 1991 V2500 with the 4L80E and they may fit.
I'll find out for you next time I'm down there.
Slapperbar
Retired Navy NDT Examiner
Cool, thanks.
blowedupmotor87
1/2 ton status
I got my 69830's in but, I'm kinda disappointed, one of them has a hole in it! Right where all the tubes come together, there's a hole smack in the middle of them. 
Oh well, a buddy of mine said he can weld it up just fine so, not a huge deal but, it was a bit disappointing. I don't have a pic but, I will have some pics once the header is fixed and installed!
Oh well, a buddy of mine said he can weld it up just fine so, not a huge deal but, it was a bit disappointing. I don't have a pic but, I will have some pics once the header is fixed and installed! 
lak2004
1/2 ton status
Where did you get it from? Im sure you could get it replaced, after all chit does happen. If you dealt with Jegs or Summit for it, they have very good customer service IMO and would fix the problem.
What about the ceramic coating? If it was just a painted header there'd be no issue but I'd be wary about welding on a ceramic-coated header...Right where all the tubes come together, there's a hole smack in the middle of them.
Did you get them from Summit by chance?
Yep, if it's ceramic coated, return it. They will rust quickly if you put heat like that to the ceramic.
As an aside, talked to someone at Hedman, emailed their tech support last week in regards to the shackle issues on the other headers, no response yet...
As an aside, talked to someone at Hedman, emailed their tech support last week in regards to the shackle issues on the other headers, no response yet...
blowedupmotor87
1/2 ton status
What about the ceramic coating? If it was just a painted header there'd be no issue but I'd be wary about welding on a ceramic-coated header...
I do believe it was Summit, IIRC. Will there really be bad damage from welding it? It's a small hole right where the tubes gather together (looking into the collector you see the four circles of the tubes, the hole is smack in the middle of them). I can see on the other header where they put a small square piece there, looks like they forgot to put it on this one. I'd say the hole is about 1/2 (max) the size of the end of an average sized pinky (at least, I think my pinky's are average sized). Hmm, on the subject of welding, it wouldn't seem like that'd do any more damage to weld than putting the bung for the O2 sensos in will do (same side, the driver's side is the messed up side and the O2 sensor side). I was planning to mount the O2 bung on the header, just before the coupler (is that the word?) or, does the O2 sensor need to be further downstream so that it's bung doesn't require welding on the ceramic coated header? Thanks y'all!
Slapperbar
Retired Navy NDT Examiner
Put the bung on the other side of the collector. DO NOT WELD ON CERAMIC COATED HEADERS. The weld WILL suck if you don't grind off the coating off of the area to be welded. Don't be impatient, it's defective. Send it back and replace it.
If you have a Summit receipt for them or a customer number where I can find your order and you want to switch them, PM me and we'll set it up. It would be easier on you to switch them then to try and weld them.
I didn't have mine welded into the header itself. I DO have an EGR pipe welded into one of the primary tubes, but I had no choice.
I can state unequivocally that heat kills the coating, I used manifolds to break the engine in, but not long enough. Headers got glowing red and proceeded to discolor. Now they are fairly well covered in surface rust up in the engine bay.
I can state unequivocally that heat kills the coating, I used manifolds to break the engine in, but not long enough. Headers got glowing red and proceeded to discolor. Now they are fairly well covered in surface rust up in the engine bay.
blowedupmotor87
1/2 ton status
Will do! Bung is going on the other side of the collector, thanks for the advice on that, we had been trying to figure out the best spot for it.
Craig, you have a PM, thanks man!
The headers' coating was damaged by engine break-in? Did you have a full exhaust on it at the time? I've got a brand new motor that they are going onto, is this something I need to worry about?
Thanks for all the help everybody! Okay, I know this is probably a dumb question (I'll admit it's kinda me being hardheaded to ask but, just wanna make sure before going through whole return process) but:
If the only welding is going to be a small section on the inside right where all the tubes come together, is that going to generate enough heat to damage the outside coating? (Not gonna do the 02 sensor bung to the header or any other welding, just wondering about the one small spot). It just seems weird to me that the coating is that finicky since it has to deal with exhaust heat anyway?
If y'all think it will damage it, then okay, I'm done being stubborn. Thanks again for all the help y'all!
It will damage it, no question. Welding has to get it hot enough to bond, which means the coating HAS to be removed to get a weld...if the hole was there when they were coated, almost certainly the coating is on the inside as well. If they are like mine, you'll notice the coating goes in an inch or so in the primaries from overspray.
I know for my headers it explicitly stated that you are to break the engine in on manifolds, just like it says running header wrap voids any sort of warranty. I did break it in with manifolds, I just didn't wait long enough.
I know for my headers it explicitly stated that you are to break the engine in on manifolds, just like it says running header wrap voids any sort of warranty. I did break it in with manifolds, I just didn't wait long enough.
This strange. I've never heard or done this. I've broke several motors in with headers. Also what do you mean by wait long enough?
If you use coated headers while breaking in a motor, all the excessive heat and metal dust etc. created when motor is in break-in process will possibly discolor the headers IIRC.
