what is the trick to weld collectors to headers?
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ.
You don't have to weld anything inside the collector!! First thing you have to do is slip the collector over the tubes and tack the tubes together, nothing heavy just a little to hold the spacing. You then need to weld a star shaped filler in between the four tubes that should be cut flush with each other. After doing that weld between the tubes on the outside then work your way towards the star you just welded in. When you get all that welded up then slid the collector back over the tubes and weld around the outside. Now you're done and shouldn't have any leaks. You can usually see any possible problems from light coming through any holes.
Don't know how you'll be welding but take your time and make sure you don't get bead buildup blocking a smooth transition into the collector.
Good luck,
Brett
Don't know how you'll be welding but take your time and make sure you don't get bead buildup blocking a smooth transition into the collector.
Good luck,
Brett
Originally Posted by METAL MAN
You don't have to weld anything inside the collector!! First thing you have to do is slip the collector over the tubes and tack the tubes together, nothing heavy just a little to hold the spacing. You then need to weld a star shaped filler in between the four tubes that should be cut flush with each other. After doing that weld between the tubes on the outside then work your way towards the star you just welded in. When you get all that welded up then slid the collector back over the tubes and weld around the outside. Now you're done and shouldn't have any leaks. You can usually see any possible problems from light coming through any holes.
Don't know how you'll be welding but take your time and make sure you don't get bead buildup blocking a smooth transition into the collector.
Good luck,
Brett
Don't know how you'll be welding but take your time and make sure you don't get bead buildup blocking a smooth transition into the collector.
Good luck,
Brett
this is exactly what we did
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Originally Posted by METAL MAN
You don't have to weld anything inside the collector!! First thing you have to do is slip the collector over the tubes and tack the tubes together, nothing heavy just a little to hold the spacing. You then need to weld a star shaped filler in between the four tubes that should be cut flush with each other. After doing that weld between the tubes on the outside then work your way towards the star you just welded in. When you get all that welded up then slid the collector back over the tubes and weld around the outside. Now you're done and shouldn't have any leaks. You can usually see any possible problems from light coming through any holes.
Don't know how you'll be welding but take your time and make sure you don't get bead buildup blocking a smooth transition into the collector.
Good luck,
Brett
Don't know how you'll be welding but take your time and make sure you don't get bead buildup blocking a smooth transition into the collector.
Good luck,
Brett
I am in the middle of the same thing. Got a pair of stainless hooker collectors. Looks like some serious shaping of the collector is invoved before anything. They give you just a modest "dent" between the pipes. As far as I can see, the headers tubes probably should have been squared where they meet together first to reduce the valley between the pipes. Nearly impossible to do on 321 stainless once they are welded to the header flange.. Think slip fit merge collectors would have been better for me at this point. Might go that way.
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