Truck manifolds with V-Bands
 

Ok guys I'm posting this thread to get an idea of how many of you would buy
a set of new truck manifolds with V-Bands welded on.

I've seen a few threads where guys have discussed how to weld V-bands
to cast manifolds and some guys have the equipment and the skills to do it,
and have done it.

I think there are a few of you that would like to have a set.

The price will be somewhere around $500.00.
This is a rough price to give you guys an idea of what it will cost.
How we came up with the rough pricing.

New manifolds = $125.00 each 2 x $125.00 = $250.00
V-Bands =.........$50.00 each 2 x $50.00 = $100.00
Labor =................................................$ 150.00
Total .................................................$ 500.00

V-Band flange material will change the price.

I think allowing $50.00 should cover a good SS V-Band

have us send you our truck mani's to save 250 bucks?

We can do that if the manifolds haven't been over heated.
A over heated manifold will be scaly and have a blue tint to it.
When the cast reaches that point it is impossible to weld.

Can you do APS manifolds for use with TiAL's replacement SS turbine housings? Or would that be too much weight?

I think before id spend that kind of coin on em id like to see or hear that you had a set arc burn tested to assure that the weld will be solid and long lasting, to my knowledge no one has done this yet. the test at a local (but HIGHLY reputable shop in sub sea oil and gas) charges 100 bucks for this test. i would certainly consider it if so and the price seems fair

Not saying the test isn't a good idea but there are a bunch of us who have done this with no issues, myself included.

Me too, but i didn't pay $500 either. If you supply your own manifolds, it seems like a fair price though!


What v-bands are you using?

Rob im very interest in doing this for my turbo kit i bought from ya'll. How long would it take to do this and match it to my turbo kit? I have my own manifolds That I could send you so it would cost 250. Also Would this also make enough room so you wouldnt have to notch the k-member?

Thanks Derek

The kits that we are making are setup for the stock flange, this can not be changed.
To do that type of setup will be out of our goal to make a hot side as cheap as possible.

As far as the welding test goes, if you want to have them tested then you have yours tested!

There are 2 kinds of people when it comes to knowing how to do something as
uncommon as welding cast iron, those who know what they are doing and those that think they do.

Chris can weld anything that can be welded, he doesn't have to "test" to know they will hold.

He and I read the threads where guys go back and forth about preheat this and do it like that, blah blah blah.

It can be done a couple of ways but the most important thing is knowing exactly what the 2 materials you are welding contain and choosing the right filler rod.

So it isnt possible to modify my kit. Im in the blind-faithful category so my kit has been paid for thats why i was asking if I could get my manifold's banded... I understand the part about the cost and being to expensive to produce with a complete kit while keeping cost down.

Even I could be tempted by this...

I'd love to send mine in, anything to keep the front sway bar

To headed WS6 your kit is finished already I'm sorry.

TO IT_ss send em in dude.

Okay Rob np lol More money in other places :D

you miss-understood my post, an arc burn test is a test of the iron itself to find the exact content of the base metal. If I was to weld my own I wouldnt have them tested, im a professional welder, just guessing at the metals I know i could get it right.

my post was viewing it as the average joe and not knowing the complexities of welding cast iron, 500 dollars isnt chump change to spend on something done by someone youve never met and with an unknown welding knowledge. millions of guys can weld just fine, not so many know all the little differences that occur within a single process. it was merely a suggestion

You are right, $500.00 is not chump change.
I broke it down so everyone could see where that number was coming from
because I knew that people would question $500.00 for manifolds.

Most guys don't have any money in a set of used truck manifolds.
They ask around and someone will give them away to get them out of there shop.

But if I put a set of V-banded manifolds on my site and say that they are used then
everyone would question the condition of the parts.

At very least it would cost $250.00 for used manifolds and this is provided
that I don't have to waste any time driving to pick them up and that they are free.

I can't depend on a supply of free manifolds for my business.

By using new manifolds that are a phone call away then there will be no question
about the condition of the parts.

The math is there to show how I came up with $500.00.
I don't think it's out of line, it is what it is.

$150.00 is not a lot of money to do this after you take out
CC or PayPal fees, packing material and boxes to ship them in.

As far as the welding goes we have that covered.
I wouldn't offer it if I had any doubt about it.

If you think about it the only other way to get a V-banded set is to use a set of headers.
They will run you $900.00- $1200.00 and you will still need to weld V-Bands to them.

For $500.00 a guy can have a setup that is proven to make power and the spark plug access
doesn't get any easier than a set of cast manifolds.

If you think about your options it's not a bad deal.
If a guy works 50-60 hr's a week he may not have time to find a set of manifolds
or the have the welding knowledge to do this.

He can call a salvage yard they typically get 50% of the new price for them and then there's the shipping on the manifolds, V-Bands and trying to find a welding shop to do something like this.

It's not a bad deal at all if you think about.

Any pics of the said setup?

damn this is very tempting, i was wanting to build my own manifolds but i'd rather just save some money and buy something else for the build. do you have any pictures of the finished product? stupid question but i gotta ask to be double sure, the vbands, your including the clamp and other half correct? damn! lol means i gotta rebuild my whole kit AGAIN AGAIN! haha

I want to run vbands to keep the alternator low in the stock position. I also was looking into a manifold that could be kept rearward facing on the passenger (right) side to keep a/c. I think someone on here used a C6 manifold for that purpose?!?

The V-band kit will come with the manifolds,
1 flange welded to each manifold and the mating flanges with the clamps.

I need to know if you want SS or mind steel flanges.