RK Sport Headers
11-24-2010, 11:56 AM
#1
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RK Sport Headers So after talking to a customer service person from RK sport for several days (BTW great customer service, fast responses, very friendly etc...) he informed me that they only had a few sets of the LT1 style headers left and no plan to make anymore. Anyone hear about this?
I just ordered a pair today for myself.
I just ordered a pair today for myself.
11-24-2010, 12:16 PM
#2
Be prepared for some fitment issues but once you work them out, they work well.
Some tips.
1)#1 primary hits the steering shaft and always leaks at the slip joint. Do a search and you find my solution to this.
2)Right header flange bolts around #6 are a massive MF to put in and torque down. Cut down and grind a wrench to fit.
4)PITA to get the dipstick tube in while setting the right side header.
5)Right side collector hits the K-member. Take the grinder to the K-member.
6)Y-pipe from left header to the merge is way off. Heat the pipe and bend it some.
7)3 bolt flanges blow gaskets out. Get some aluminum gaskets and locking bolts.
Some tips.
1)#1 primary hits the steering shaft and always leaks at the slip joint. Do a search and you find my solution to this.
2)Right header flange bolts around #6 are a massive MF to put in and torque down. Cut down and grind a wrench to fit.
4)PITA to get the dipstick tube in while setting the right side header.
5)Right side collector hits the K-member. Take the grinder to the K-member.
6)Y-pipe from left header to the merge is way off. Heat the pipe and bend it some.
7)3 bolt flanges blow gaskets out. Get some aluminum gaskets and locking bolts.
11-24-2010, 03:02 PM
#4
LPP's are a great way to go. Good fitment, minor (if at all) modifications to K-member, and inexpensive, especially for stainless. Return your RKSports immediately and go with someone else's product.
LPP's, Hooker, Kooks, all good fitting headers and good quality pieces. LPP's are the least expensive of the three.
LPP's, Hooker, Kooks, all good fitting headers and good quality pieces. LPP's are the least expensive of the three.
11-24-2010, 03:03 PM
#5
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Well I haven't heard too many bad things about them personally, and the people who have them installed right now love them.
I needed something that wasn't longtubes, but more power then shorties.
I've had Pacesetters, Hooker and Edelbrock.
Pacesetter was by far the worst to install, issue's all the way around with fitting, spark plug and bolt accessibility.
My hooker shorties went on without any issues besides the dipstick and the Y pipe not lining up correctly but I think that was due to my motor mounts.
Edelbrock were easy going in but total **** performance wise.
I needed something that wasn't longtubes, but more power then shorties.
I've had Pacesetters, Hooker and Edelbrock.
Pacesetter was by far the worst to install, issue's all the way around with fitting, spark plug and bolt accessibility.
My hooker shorties went on without any issues besides the dipstick and the Y pipe not lining up correctly but I think that was due to my motor mounts.
Edelbrock were easy going in but total **** performance wise.
11-24-2010, 03:05 PM
#6
Should have went with the MACs then. They fit beautifully and, aside from the 3-bolt flange collectors, offer tremendously good plug access and power gains. I ran them when I was bolt-on only for several years and would run them again if I had to.
My brother put the RKSports on his 97Z. Watching him install them was painful.
My brother put the RKSports on his 97Z. Watching him install them was painful.
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11-24-2010, 06:59 PM
#8
Received a pm from ws6 store today that they are out of stock on the mac mids. He said he called mac and they are unsure if they will make more. Any other vendors out there with the mac mids? Id hate to pay for them on ebay and them not have them then have to wait for my money back.
edit: sorry for the thread jack. lol
edit: sorry for the thread jack. lol
11-24-2010, 09:01 PM
#10
They are 2 different companies that both make headers. It's been said that the RK sports are copies of the AS&Ms, but that doesn't mean they "turned into" the RK sports.
FTR my AS&M's fit perfectly, and dont leak... The 3 bolt gaskets with them were **** though. I put copper ones on...
11-25-2010, 11:10 AM
#11
I bought them because they were cheap and couldnt find a set of used PS LT in good enough shape and was in my price range at the time. All i heard after i bought them was they were a complete pain in the *** for fitment and leaks. I put them up for sale and found a set of PS LTs afterwards and never looked back. They might of fit awesome and didnt leak but i didnt want to take the chance.
11-26-2010, 10:54 PM
#12
I just installed a set on my 95 this week. I bought the set of a member and they had already been clearanced for the header bolts, steering shaft and freshly ceramic coated. I don't know what you're talking about hitting the K member as mine clears fine on the pass side - probably due to the newer motor mounts. The install was pretty easy (once I got all the emissions crap out) and bolted both up in about 2 hours. Removing my old JBA's was more of a PIA then installing these RK's. The #1 primary (removable one) got a good smear of copper liq gasket to help keep it from leaking (time will tell). I'm having a custom Y made up to help clear my Canton pan, but so far I'm impressed with the design and quality of these headers. Also, the plug access is wayyyy better then the old JBA's I had and contrary to the MacMids they have 1-3/4 primaries (better for my AFR heads) as all other mids only have 1-5/8 primaries. Almost done with the install and I'll be finalizing all of my custom spark wire tomorrow, but really not that hard a job.
11-27-2010, 09:25 AM
#13
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I have Mac mids on my 93. I love them. I read through hundreds of posts before choosing them and from what I read, they are pretty much the best mid length headers we can get. I got them used from a member a while back.
11-27-2010, 09:26 AM
#14
The Good:
I ran my RK Sports for 7+ years as a DD all year through snow and salt and the ceramic finish has started to just fall off heavy over the last couple years. I bought these back in 2000 when they were $680 shipped and they are worth every penny I paid for them.
The gasket flange is very thick and has never warped on me after removing them at least 6 times. Comes with a very nice y pipe that flows well and fits up tight under car. They are now being replaced by those stainless edelbrock 1 3/4-1 7/8 longtubes with high velocity 3.5 collectors. The Rk's are actually pretty bad *** for flow for mids length headers from the 1 3/4 primary's. I do not think Im going to gain much over the RK's going to the stepped Edelbrocks except for the superior collector on the edelbrocks.
The bad:
1: When you get to installing them you will need to test fit them as there is one bolt that we welded to the collector. I will look later if I go to my parents house to let you know the exact one as it makes a world of difference on ease of install.
2: Gaskets suck and the hardware they sent to bolt the y pipe to the collectors is all mild steel. Weld up the one mild steel to the collector then replace every thing with stainless.
3: I removed my oil cooler off of mine while I installed my heads and cam back in the cc305/306 days so I could not tell you if you need to remove them.
4: Knotch the K-member only a smidge so you can put your rachet and extensions on nice and straight, this makes a huge difference also. I can remove and install mine in about a 2 hour span by myself after modding that.
5: Remove your steering column as thats a quicky job and makes install a smidge easier.
They are going to get sandblasted then recoated to live a garage life on my fathers 96Z so they have been a great set.
I ran my RK Sports for 7+ years as a DD all year through snow and salt and the ceramic finish has started to just fall off heavy over the last couple years. I bought these back in 2000 when they were $680 shipped and they are worth every penny I paid for them.
The gasket flange is very thick and has never warped on me after removing them at least 6 times. Comes with a very nice y pipe that flows well and fits up tight under car. They are now being replaced by those stainless edelbrock 1 3/4-1 7/8 longtubes with high velocity 3.5 collectors. The Rk's are actually pretty bad *** for flow for mids length headers from the 1 3/4 primary's. I do not think Im going to gain much over the RK's going to the stepped Edelbrocks except for the superior collector on the edelbrocks.
The bad:
1: When you get to installing them you will need to test fit them as there is one bolt that we welded to the collector. I will look later if I go to my parents house to let you know the exact one as it makes a world of difference on ease of install.
2: Gaskets suck and the hardware they sent to bolt the y pipe to the collectors is all mild steel. Weld up the one mild steel to the collector then replace every thing with stainless.
3: I removed my oil cooler off of mine while I installed my heads and cam back in the cc305/306 days so I could not tell you if you need to remove them.
4: Knotch the K-member only a smidge so you can put your rachet and extensions on nice and straight, this makes a huge difference also. I can remove and install mine in about a 2 hour span by myself after modding that.
5: Remove your steering column as thats a quicky job and makes install a smidge easier.
They are going to get sandblasted then recoated to live a garage life on my fathers 96Z so they have been a great set.
11-27-2010, 09:37 AM
#15
And to make this clear I never have had the headers ever contact the k-member, frame, or body. I only cut k-member to make the wrench fit perfect in there and it was only about a a half a dime in size.
11-27-2010, 09:13 PM
#18
I dont doubt that they would work awesome once the bugs are all worked out i just heard to much issues and didnt want to deal with that crap and sold them. I bought them because i wanted to lower my car and didnt want to be having clearance issues but didnt want to sacrfice power. Being they were a 1 3/4 primary they fit the ticket but ended up selling them for some LTs and made a custom tucked up y so wouldnt be banging ALL the time.
11-27-2010, 09:37 PM
#19
Aren't the RK Sport headers identical to BBK shortys?
If so, who cares if RK sport stops selling them? I believe the BBK's are cheaper anyway and I know some people that have had less than perfect customer service with RK Sport.
If so, who cares if RK sport stops selling them? I believe the BBK's are cheaper anyway and I know some people that have had less than perfect customer service with RK Sport.
11-27-2010, 09:42 PM
#20
^ no, they are almost identical to the as&m's as mentioned above. I had issues trying to install RK's with a BMR K member. Needless to say, I had to sell them without ever running them. I wouldn't mind the ground clearance they'd give, but I'm not having that big of an issue with my lt's scraping either.
