Differences between ARH and QTP Headers?
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,379
Likes: 2
I just want to share my QTP experience here.
The passenger side slid in like butter. No effort whatsoever. Just raised it in from the bottom and bolt up. The driver's side took a few hours. No grinding done, but damn the look of more space on the driver's side is deceptive.
Quality was very good. No issues with gaps in welds, it was a clean polished header with none of the issues that later cropped up the same year I put mine on.
I also got mine ceramic coated as after seeing stainless steel and our climate after a few years, it was a good idea. Also in comparison for heat, SS doesn't automatically mean heat is kept in the header. It's just kept in more than standard aluminized steel, but don't kid yourself into thinking that it won't make a difference.
After installation, I did get a very tiny amount of contact between the passenger collector and the k-member area. Once warmed up though it's non existent. It's probably resting on it, or the whole exhaust shifts itself when hot. On inspection after 6 months, there's no loss of ceramic anywhere I can see.
HP and torque gain. Same dyno, only power adder mod was exhaust. Conditions similar and SAE corrected.
Stock 325 ft/lb and 306HP.
QTP + Magnaflow Cats + Stainless Steel True Duals + X-pipe + Solo Performance 3 inch mufflers over the axle out the back.
359ft/lb 349HP
A 43HP gain and 34ft/lb across the entire curve.
The passenger side slid in like butter. No effort whatsoever. Just raised it in from the bottom and bolt up. The driver's side took a few hours. No grinding done, but damn the look of more space on the driver's side is deceptive.
Quality was very good. No issues with gaps in welds, it was a clean polished header with none of the issues that later cropped up the same year I put mine on.
I also got mine ceramic coated as after seeing stainless steel and our climate after a few years, it was a good idea. Also in comparison for heat, SS doesn't automatically mean heat is kept in the header. It's just kept in more than standard aluminized steel, but don't kid yourself into thinking that it won't make a difference.
After installation, I did get a very tiny amount of contact between the passenger collector and the k-member area. Once warmed up though it's non existent. It's probably resting on it, or the whole exhaust shifts itself when hot. On inspection after 6 months, there's no loss of ceramic anywhere I can see.
HP and torque gain. Same dyno, only power adder mod was exhaust. Conditions similar and SAE corrected.
Stock 325 ft/lb and 306HP.
QTP + Magnaflow Cats + Stainless Steel True Duals + X-pipe + Solo Performance 3 inch mufflers over the axle out the back.
359ft/lb 349HP
A 43HP gain and 34ft/lb across the entire curve.
The bright spots you see are actually sunlight beaming through as I held them up to take the pics with the flash off
again the bright spots are are sunlight. Also the giant blob you see is excess metal and welds where the O2 bung is.
Just showing the gap
More awesome welds and giant gap.
Bottom primary showing gap
This was the only primary welded in side and out. The others were a perfect fit with only tac welds.
Other side of the flange showing the complete weld around the flange.
Shows the cut in middle of the primary. Also the cut and the welds all around were only on this particular primay tube on only the passenger side header.
These pics can be blown up/zoomed in more for better detail so save them and check em out. I would have been better off buying the Ebay headers.
Shane
Last edited by snatch; Feb 8, 2008 at 05:38 PM.
The bright spots you see are actually sunlight beaming through as I held them up to take the pics with the flash off
again the bright spots are are sunlight. Also the giant blob you see is excess metal and welds where the O2 bung is.
Just showing the gap
More awesome welds and giant gap.
Bottom primary showing gap
This was the only primary welded in side and out. The others were a perfect fit with only tac welds.
Other side of the flange showing the complete weld around the flange.
Shows the cut in middle of the primary. Also the cut and the welds all around were only on this particular primay tube on only the passenger side header.
These pics can be blown up/zoomed in more for better detail so save them and check em out. I would have been better off buying the Ebay headers.
Shane
9 Second Club
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Pikeville, NC
I just put ARH's on my 99 the weekend after christmas and all i can say is it was worth ever penny, i absolutely love them, they look great, sound great, and for the installation took less that 30 seconds per side sliding them into place carefully so i didnt break anything. These were the first headers Ive ever put on and it took one day start to finish, hardest part of the whole job was taking the header bolts out, and i saved some time on install by taking the coil packs off passenger side and then when putting it back on, connected the wires to the plugs first and then to the coil pack before bolting it back on. I have basically stock clearance, and the headers arent touching a thing even when vibrating.
Last edited by JCCamaro; Feb 8, 2008 at 06:26 PM. Reason: because the patriots lost hahahahahaha
I just put ARH's on my 99 the weekend after christmas and all i can say is it was worth ever penny, i absolutely love them, they look great, sound great, and for the installation took less that 30 seconds per side sliding them into place carefully so i didnt break anything. These were the first headers Ive ever put on and it took one day start to finish, hardest part of the whole job was taking the header bolts out, and i saved some time on install by taking the coil packs off passenger side and then when putting it back on, connected the wires to the plugs first and then to the coil pack before bolting it back on. I have basically stock clearance, and the headers arent touching a thing even when vibrating.
I'm beginning to lean heavily towards AR for my LS swapped C3 Corvette. Since you just installed them, could you please take a look at my post earlier in this thread and give me your opinion on clearnaces. If you're wrong, I won't hold it against you
, but you're in a good position to give an opinion. As far as I can tell my biggest problem would be clearinng the steering rack on the passenger side . . . I bought them from MPH. Like I stated earlier, Im so glad they have such great customer service or I would have been stuck trying to fix these.
I think it was one of the bad batches and I got lucky after hearing the excuses and how QTP treated there customers who got a set of these.
Shane
I think it was one of the bad batches and I got lucky after hearing the excuses and how QTP treated there customers who got a set of these.
Shane
I just got my qtp's in the mail the driver side is perfect but the passenger side has that gap in the collector where i can see the sunlight go through.......im going to be sending that one back 
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I sell a bunch of headers at my shop and hands down the ARH is the best header I've seen. The older QTP's were nice as I had a set of those on my car, but quality seems to have went down when they lowered the price. I've talked to the guys at ARH several times and they are all about quality. As for fitment, like a friggin glove! They make great power, are made in the USA, have quality welds throughout (no holes with them at all), and the y pipe is all stainless also. They will also do custom sets to met your needs, big or small. As the y pipe, I have a 3 inch to a 4 inch outlet that is a work of art going on my car. Don't see the QTP flowing more in any way.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
From: Burkesville,Kentucky
The bright spots you see are actually sunlight beaming through as I held them up to take the pics with the flash off
again the bright spots are are sunlight. Also the giant blob you see is excess metal and welds where the O2 bung is.
Just showing the gap
More awesome welds and giant gap.
Bottom primary showing gap
This was the only primary welded in side and out. The others were a perfect fit with only tac welds.
Other side of the flange showing the complete weld around the flange.
Shows the cut in middle of the primary. Also the cut and the welds all around were only on this particular primay tube on only the passenger side header.
These pics can be blown up/zoomed in more for better detail so save them and check em out. I would have been better off buying the Ebay headers.
Shane
I'm ready to buy (going with AR). MPH seems like the most reputable vendor. Who's a good contact over there? I'd like to talk to them about my application.
I spoke with both Barry and Nick at PRI last year. One of the guys at the QTP booth mentioned he had tri-Y headers on his car and since they were already fabbed it would be easy to make me a set. Barry also talked about how his electric cut-outs never leak due to the type of motor they use.
I then spoke with Nick at the ARH booth and the first thing he asked me was why? He was more interested in the best header setup for me, not just the sale. He talked about how the tri-Y's should be tuned to your engine combination, which other vendors have since confirmed.
So to me, QTP seemed a bit arrogant, and ARH seemed more customer oriented. So I ordered my ARH system through Norris Motorsports and I've had it on about a month. The y-pipe has settled against my g-load brace a bit and I never replaced the hangers in the back so it's rattling a bit as a result. I plan to take it back to Mike's and see if he can tweak it a bit more. The ARH's have a hollow, echo-ey sound which my Grot's never had (even with the leaks after 7 years).
Speaking of leaks, my headers from 'Roger the Dodger' Grotyohann only blew out the collector weld after 6-7 years of use.
I then spoke with Nick at the ARH booth and the first thing he asked me was why? He was more interested in the best header setup for me, not just the sale. He talked about how the tri-Y's should be tuned to your engine combination, which other vendors have since confirmed.
So to me, QTP seemed a bit arrogant, and ARH seemed more customer oriented. So I ordered my ARH system through Norris Motorsports and I've had it on about a month. The y-pipe has settled against my g-load brace a bit and I never replaced the hangers in the back so it's rattling a bit as a result. I plan to take it back to Mike's and see if he can tweak it a bit more. The ARH's have a hollow, echo-ey sound which my Grot's never had (even with the leaks after 7 years).
Speaking of leaks, my headers from 'Roger the Dodger' Grotyohann only blew out the collector weld after 6-7 years of use.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
From: Burkesville,Kentucky
I didn't buy directly from QTP. I got them from Fast Toys Performance and they resolved my problem and made me a happy customer. QTP refused to help out with the problem so MPH to it all on themselves. Great customer service at MPH.
I got my set of QTP's back in 2003 --- the ones without the merge collectors. They were beautiful with excellent fit and perfect welds with no slag left behind. There were no gaps or holes or other wierd issues. The headers installed very easily without even taking the oil filter plug out. They didn't rest on anything and fit awesome. The ypipe fit alright after some tweaking. However, I blew two sets of magnaflow cats and finally converted the catted ypipe to an ory pipe.
So, it sounds like the qtp's started having problems after the price decrease which I think was possible because they started getting the headers machine-welded, etc rather than hand-built like my set, or so I have been told.
So, it sounds like the qtp's started having problems after the price decrease which I think was possible because they started getting the headers machine-welded, etc rather than hand-built like my set, or so I have been told.
Last edited by vader99; Feb 10, 2008 at 01:25 AM.
Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,117
Likes: 3
From: Philly
The new batches haven't been like that. Sucks that you had to get that crummy set. TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
From: Burkesville,Kentucky
What sucks even more was the way Barry talked to me on the phone. Curseing at me and telling me and anybody who told me my headers was sucky didn't know what they was talking about. Thats not the way to treat customers.
Get some ARH and be done with this already.... 
But why should there be a crappy batch? For the price that we pay for these "top of the line" headers I expect nothing but the best in terms of quality and customer service. If you can't make the header 100% then don't make them at all.