Whos got them? and what are your thoughts on them?
Well i guess #1 is do they work?
#2 are they a pain to put on?
#3 what size did you use?
#4 how do you like them and would you use them again?

 

I used them and do not like them. I think they are a gimmic. they were a pain to install and remove when needed.

 

I've got them, they work great.

 

I've got them and they work great. I got mine through summit when I bought my headers. I always recommend them and would definatly use them on any of my other cars.

 

I have them, and I love them.

Yes, they work.
Yes, they are a pain to put on and remove if needed.
I used the 3/4" long ones
I like them and would use them again for sure.

 

i got them and love them, and its not so bad with the clips but atleast i know my header bolts wont losen up and cause any leaks. and i got i think the 1'' long ones but im not sure becuz the ones in jegs only comes in one size.

 

The problem with exhaust gasket leaks is not that the bolt loosens. The problem is the loss of preload on the gasket. It is true that the Stage8 locks will not loosen, but that does not mean that there will be no exhaust leaks. When the gaskets gets heat cycled a bunch of times, it is probable that there will be a leak, and you will have to tighten the bolts which means taking off the locks (PIA).

 

My experience is that ARP bolts work just as well, and there is no messing with any clips....... and they are cheaper.

 

Dunno about that, had them on one car for about 4 years and 2 years on another. Never had a leak, never had to retighten.

 

I said it is probable... did not say it will occur. I have plain ARP bolts on my headers in my truck and have not had to retightenthem for 15,000 miles so far.

Have you ever tried anything else?

I am just stating that I do not think that the Stage8 bolts really do anything. I have no proof that they do, and the pyhsics and mechanics behind the leak problem is not that the bolt loosens (unscrew).

 

I'm sorry but I will have to disagree. My buddy has a 70 Z-28 that we fought with for 2 years with exhaust leaks. The problem was that the header bolts WERE coming loose. We tried ever bolt out there. We would put a load on them and then retighten them after driving for a few minutes. Hell we did this for 3 days and the bolts came loose after a few months. You name it, it was probably done. Our next step was going to be putting a wire through the bolts. Then after seeing how I did mine, we tried it on his. That was 4 years ago and he has never had to tighten them again, except for when he replaced the headers.

 

Yup, tried the bolts that came with the headers, and I tried the ARP. Stage 8's are the good stuff.

 

i dunno who makes them, i think its ARP, but they are new header bolts that wont back out on ya. It has a tiny hex mechanisim to lock the bolt in and you dont have to worry about the whole tabs and all that.

 

I did have the Stage 8 locking bolts. They were "okay", but nothing spectacular.

I decided about 18 months ago to try something different. I went with ARP 12-point header studs. These guys are the best things I've ever used. They did loosen ever so slightly after a couple of heat cycles, but one cinch with a 12-point 3/8" socket and I've never had to retighten. Not only this, but talk about making a somewhat difficult job:

Threading in the bolts and
Lining up the gasket with the header,

Into a super simple:

Hanging the gasket on the studs,
Hanging the headers on the studs, then
installing all the nuts!!

What a piece of cake. I'll never use anything else.

 

I've got some of the Stage 8's waiting to get installed and they look like they will be just what I was looking for. Just so everyone knows, ARP makes header bolts with the holes already drilled for safety wire. They biggest problem I've had with exhausts is keeping the bolts tight. The bolts with the allen head locker inside are called Splitlocks, but I have not heard much about them.