My headers needed quite a bit material to be removed from my K-member.

What do you guys think?
If I hook a wide strap thats heat shielded around the header collector and then to a come-along. I fire up the engine and get the primarys nice and hot do you think I could pull the header over some (ie bend) so the they are located where they belong?

 

you'll risk breaking the welds.

how bout you return them for some headers that FIT.

what company are they

 

They are QTP's I'm putting some Kooks 1 7/8 and I would like to sell them but I don't want to pass on a problem. The headers would only have to move about 1" over the length of those headers they should give that much without breaking the welds on the flange.

 

So we have no one out there that has tried this or has worked with constructing headers?
Ed

 

1" is what i would consider a HUGE amount.

sounds like a design problem to me.

would you buy a rim with a tolerance of +/- 1"??

 

Look 1" over a 17" rim thats 8.5 radius and a 1" out. Certainly thats a hugh amount.
BUT it also a rotating assembly. Headers are not! IT is an angular change of between 2.2 degreesand 1.6 Degrees figuring the headers are between 24" and 36" from the collector to the mounting flange. Your wheel analogy is 6.8 degrees besides its cast aluminum in most cases and a solid structure and by the way rotates at how many RPM.

I just thought some fabricators with header construction would have some tips.
Ed


These headers are installed on my car zero interference problems while driving but I modified my K-member! I want to sell them and not pass the problems on. I'm sure thats a rare quality in people these days.
I bought them used off LS1TECH. The guy claismed he never installed them and he bought them off a friend. They are QTP but I don't know if they were a bad batch that got sold out the back door! They make great power as my dyno sheet would tell ya.

So if I could just pull them in toward the car centerline a little the would ROCK and I could sell them with a clear conscience.

 

[cough]joke.....[/cough]



replied to the PM....wish i could help more....i guess give it a try

 

Joke <- on the poster after I pointed out the ridiculous comparison.

 

i bet something gets ruined on the flange/welds or the heads...

im guessing manufacturing defect...or how bad are your motor mounts? even the cheapest poor built headers fit better than that. ive seen ebay headers that fit with minor grinding on the k-member

 

From my experience with welding and with 304 stainless...you'll probably need to get the headers hotter than operating temp to be able to move them...like...glowing red from a torch hot...

If you're hell bent on trying to do this, keep in mind, it will make the Y pipe probably not fit anymore. Also, rather than heat with the engine, I'd focus heat on the middle of the primaries over a large distance if possible to allow for a gradual bend (heat high and move the collector a little, then move the heat a little and move the collector more, then move the heat more and so on), so the collector doesn't deform/suffer damage. 304 stainless is easy to re-weld with a TIG if a weld does crack...but the welds might not crack until you sell someone the headers, and they drive with them for a few days/weeks...the modification you do might put a lot of stress into the header that will show up as cracks near or in welds at a later date.

 

Thanks for the input. I can try that I have torches. The Y-pipe is staying and I'm adapting it to the new headers. I also have a Lincoln 225 tig welder so if I did get in trouble I could weld them back up. You kind of answered my question I wasnt sure if the 900 degree exhaust temp would make them pliable enough.
Ed