I'm looking into getting either SLP's or Hookers headers for my soon to be TPI, and yes I've done research. My question is do you really have to put a big kink in the SLP's to clear for the steering shaft? If you do, then that's a design flaw IMO.

Has anybody had to do any stupid mods just to make them fit? With either the SLP's or the Hookers. Let me know, I'm go to Famoso this weekend, maybe I'll find some there.

Both of which have to be smog legal, I live in California.

-Gil

 

Been there and dealt with my buds SLP headers and he bought them used with the indent in them. I can say that without the indent, I dont think it would have went in. It is already a tight fit on the brake lines.

 

How was the install? Sounds like you guys had some difficulty?

 

I don't know if I would go so far as to call it a design flaw. See the problem is that everybody is all about bitching with something doesn't work like they thought. For the most part, generally speaking, most people will only make a comment about something when there is a problem. Yes people do say good job about XXXXX product but it's usually only 1% of all the comments out there.

Now if you've done your research then you would know the answer to your question. So it's obvious that you actually haven't done your research. So here is the answer that your looking for............

Nobody can answer your question because nobody knows.

Now if it seems that I'm being a little curt on this subject it's because I am. Every single day there is a thread asking the same question over and over again with someone stating that they have done thier "research". Over the years I have read many many posts about headers and this is what I have come up with. If you are going to be installing 1 5/8 headers on your f-body then you shouldn't have issues with the header fitting properly.

Now we come to the 1 3/4 inch headers. SLP and Hooker built these headers to fit the f-body's but thier mock up cars were probably a low milage cars(unknown though). Now take that into consideration and that your car is most likely not a low milage car. Lets consider what would change things so that these headers would not fit. Here are 2 things I can think of right off hand.

1. shot motor mounts.
2. damage to the car.

If your motor mounts are shot, then your motor is going to sit in a different position than it did stock. This is going to change the angles of things and is also going to make things fit quite differently. Now someone may think that their car has absolutely no frame(structural) damage what so ever. This could be because of a car fax report or what ever but the truth of the matter is you don't know. Have you owned the car since day 1? Probably not so without a specially trained eye, you'll never know if you car has even "slight" damage to it. Plus the age of the car. Your profile states that your car is an 89, that makes your ride about 17-18 years old. I'm sorry but after this amount of time your not going to have a perfectly straight car. That is unless it's been restored or is in prestine shape.

So in the end, to answer your question, the only way to answer your question is to just put the headers on. If you go back into the archives and look around, your going to see that people have had no rubbing, slight rubbing (myslef included), and major rubbing that required denting. Some of these issues have been resolved with just replacing the motor mounts and/or moving the steering rod over a little bit. Both will/should give you the room you need to make the headers fit. If you do have to go through this process though, it should give you an idea that something may not be right and you need to look at the big picture of things. Plus replacing your motor mounts with newer or poly mounts is a good idea anyways, IMO.

ta3ff, I don't want you to feel like I'm picking on you, cause I'm not. I just want people to be informed and understand that we are not dealing with a simple device that you just add something too. We are dealing with an car that is constantly changing as the days go on. I hope this helps ya out and also helps anybody else out that reads this post. Good luck with your install and no matter what happens, you'll be happy with the results.

 

I got my SLP's put in with NO issues . But I just changed the motor mounts. You just need to loosen the sterering shaft to get them on. If you need to dent them , there are other thnigs wrong ......not the headers

 

Well in order to get the driver side on, I took off the valve cover and jacked that side of the motor up some. The rest was an ok install.

 

Be careful of blanket statements like this. My ZZ4 with brand new
ES poly motor mounts made the SLP 1-3/4" headers rub right against
the steering shaft. SLP told me to dimple them and I moved on.

The AFR190 heads lessened the clearance issue somewhat, but
then the AFR210s worsened it..

(Oh, and I'm the original owner of the car, so I know it hasn't been
any frame damaging wreaks..)

YMMV

mike

 

We bought the headers from Mike here lol ^

 

Hey CraZ-28, I don't think you're picking, I just think you're a little long winded LOL. You did provide me with some new insights, along with everybody esle who replied.

I am going to change my motor mounts while the engine is out.

 

So after the headers were in . They would rub on the steering shaft ? Was the car hit before >?

Mine went in sweet . LOTS of room .

 

Yup, steering shaft would hit the tube when turned:

http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~davis/z28...eader-rub1.jpg

as i mentioned, I bought my car new off the Lot in 1985, so I know
there's no damage/wreaks..

mike