"F" ing headers

[Dakudaman]

I am so pissed right now me ears burn! I was putting some KYB's on the front of the truck today and noticed my right header is hitting my upper control arm on bumps, I guess. And had damaged the right header some what.

What realy pisses me off is the heat from the bottom tube is so close to the upper control arm it had damaged my NEW upper control arm bushings!
So now I need a set of headers that are far enough away from the control arms and the bushing.

What I have right now is Heddman headers. And they are POFS!

I have a thread in the parts needed section if anyone has a GOOD set of coated ones for sale.

[TurboBlew]

Just grind down the lips on the control arms. Same thing happened on my borla stainless headers. (about $800 each side!)
The tube could be sectioned and rewelded... but Im not too concerned.

A heat sheild on the header will help that rear bushing!

[AFDakRT]

I got the truck up on jack stands tearing the front end apart and I just noticed my upper control arm on the right side put a nice dent in my Spintech mid-length too. Oh well. I'm putting poly CABs in to try and curb the header heat damage. Any header is going to run close to the control arms so I wouldn't bother selling what you got.

[Grapejuice1998]

I am so pissed right now me ears burn! I was putting some KYB's on the front of the truck today and noticed my right header is hitting my upper control arm on bumps, I guess. And had damaged the right header some what.

What realy pisses me off is the heat from the bottom tube is so close to the upper control arm it had damaged my NEW upper control arm bushings!
So now I need a set of headers that are far enough away from the control arms and the bushing.

What I have right now is Heddman headers. And they are POFS!

I have a thread in the parts needed section if anyone has a GOOD set of coated ones for sale.

That header dent is pretty much standard with every type of header. As mentioned, you'll have to grind on the control arm a bit.

Get yourself some poly bushings and silicone lube them real good. They'll last and they won't squeak if you get enough silicone on them.

[punishem1]

I ride low, and recently my upper c-arm bushings started squeaking. Maybe from Heat?

[JCFDak01]

Somethings squeeking when i go over speed bumps, haven't pin-pointed it yet. But i'd love to fix it eventually.

[TurboBlew]

Pretty easy to inspect. And the squeak prolly means the bushing(s) is/are shot.
Ironically I sawa dakota stranded on the side of the road with a broken balljoint. Had to laugh.

[JCFDak01]

I'll be sure to check them...

Ball joints on mine are fine, i've checked them and its had the recall done in the past.

[ScojoDak]

Here's a cure for the a-arm denting headers. After I swapped my JBA's for Thorleys, I cut that lip off the top of the a-arm.

http://www.curbly.com/uploads/photos/0000/0001/1440/sawzall_large.jpg

[70Cuda383]

no such thing as headers taht don't need dents. luckilly, a small dent here or there won't hurt the headers performance too much. trust me, it's ok to dent headers for clearance.

the trick is to use an iron pipe maybe 1 or 2 " in diameter, lay it on the header where it needs to be dented, and hit the pipe with a hammer, makes for a nice smooth dent, vs a sharp impact from hitting it directly with the hammer.

[TurboBlew]

Here's a cure for the a-arm denting headers. After I swapped my JBA's for Thorleys, I cut that lip off the top of the a-arm.

http://www.curbly.com/uploads/photos/0000/0001/1440/sawzall_large.jpg

or belt sander, plasma cutter....:D

[TurboBlew]

no such thing as headers taht don't need dents. luckilly, a small dent here or there won't hurt the headers performance too much. trust me, it's ok to dent headers for clearance.

the trick is to use an iron pipe maybe 1 or 2 " in diameter, lay it on the header where it needs to be dented, and hit the pipe with a hammer, makes for a nice smooth dent, vs a sharp impact from hitting it directly with the hammer.

well if the control arm didnt dent my header I could be in the 9s!:D

[bwdakrt]

no such thing as headers taht don't need dents. luckilly, a small dent here or there won't hurt the headers performance too much. trust me, it's ok to dent headers for clearance.

Had my Gibson shorty headers on for 6 years with no dents, dings or control arm bushings problems. Clearance has never been an issue.

[Five9Dak]

Had my Gibson shorty headers on for 6 years with no dents, dings or control arm bushings problems. Clearance has never been an issue.

Good solution if ultimate power and torque production aren't an issue either :jester: Just messing with you.

As far as I know this is SOP with mid and long tube headers on that side of the truck. Perils of an offset motor.

[hskrRT]

Had my Gibson shorty headers on for 6 years with no dents, dings or control arm bushings problems. Clearance has never been an issue.

That's cause you drive like your age!!:nana:

[Lil_Bee_R/T]

no such thing as headers taht don't need dents. luckilly, a small dent here or there won't hurt the headers performance too much. trust me, it's ok to dent headers for clearance.

the trick is to use an iron pipe maybe 1 or 2 " in diameter, lay it on the header where it needs to be dented, and hit the pipe with a hammer, makes for a nice smooth dent, vs a sharp impact from hitting it directly with the hammer.

im sure its not the dent they are worried about its the chance that the header will get cought an damage the head or bend an tear up the heads. i havent heard for anyone talkin about it. but i know i can happen.

id go ahead an cut the lip to make some room for the header. im glad mine dont run close like that

[Dakudaman]

That's cause you drive like your age!!:nana:

You are wrong my friend............................he don't drive 85!:jester:

[bwdakrt]

That's cause you drive like your age!!:nana:

You are wrong my friend............................he don't drive 85!:jester:

Everybody has to pick on the OLD FART!!!! :D

[caulk04]

Had my Gibson shorty headers on for 6 years with no dents, dings or control arm bushings problems. Clearance has never been an issue.

Do remember that you're at stock height. All these other guys are lowered.

[bwdakrt]

Do remember that you're at stock height. All these other guys are lowered.

Hadn't thought about it that!! :huh: You're probably right!

[gmac95]

I have the some problem. A week after installing me Eddy's I look to check on them and see a nice dent on my passenger side. I was pissed but shit happens. Maybe someday I will bite the bullit and buy a set of Spintech Longtubes.

[TrueblueR/T]

The no dent upper a frame

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh19/Truebluert/91720005S.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh19/Truebluert/suspension1.jpg

however it does mount differently,,changes the front geometry and has no isolation bushings at all..lol

[threesixoh]

so louder, rougher ride, and need different shocks? got a link?

[mopar31898]

Some one had a set of tubular control arms for sale in the for sale section. They might give you better clearance!

[TrueblueR/T]

so louder, rougher ride, and need different shocks? got a link?

sure

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/3521,25_Strut-Type-Upper-Control-Arm.html

you can use stock type shocks I just choose not to..They do require a different ball joint..You also have to build the bracket to bolt them to..They don't bolt on the way our trucks do [gen-3]..you will need to calculate the size depending on ride heighth and desired suspension operation,,camber gain,,anti dive geometry.. They can also effect the ackerman angle to a degree..

[70Cuda383]

Do remember that you're at stock height. All these other guys are lowered.


Plus, even today, no 2 trucks are exactly the same. so now and then, you'll find one out there that fits without any problems!

the headers on my big block, were custom fabricated for a big block in a GenIII dakota 2wd. should fit perfectly, right? nope. I still had to ding them here and there to fit. I'm sure they fit perfectly on the truck that they were built on though!

[addicted2blue00]

most common issue ive seen with dropped daks and headers, as already siad youll have to grind or cut the arm

[Dakudaman]

Gonna grind and cut today