Header question...

[Silver_Bullet85]

Hey guys, I've been shopping around for some good headers and stumbled across these on summit

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hed-69892

They seem pretty tough and well built, perfect for what I'm looking for and for not too high of a price. My question is if anyone has any experience with these or a similar header from headman fitting on my truck.

I've got a '85 c10 silverado with a TH350 and a brand new 383 I'm about to drop in


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[LTZ C20]

Hedman makes a good set of headers. I used a set on my 350 and they are great. Since you have a C10, is it lowered or stock? Reason I ask is for clearance and look.

I have a 79 C20. My old headers were full length and they hung below the frame. Kinda funny lookin. My new Hedman's are for a 4x4 and they fit great and tuck up above the frame and are not visible. That means I also don't have to worry about hitting anything or debris in the road if situation arose. I would check out a 4x4 version as an idea. Just in case.

Other then that I love mine.

[Silver_Bullet85]

Good to know, I may go with the 4x4 then, I'm not planning on lowering mine, might even try and pick up the front a little bit for stance. I'm dreaming of eventually converting it to 4x4 but that more than likely a ways off, which might as well plan ahead I guess.

I agree with you on running the exhaust below the frame, I don't want to have to worry about hitting something. Thanks for the input.


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[LTZ C20]

Your welcome.

[ehjorten]

I have a set of the Hedman Elites on my '77 K20.  They fit great and are built great.  The only complaint that I have is that I would not buy the Ball and Socket Flange version ever again!!!  They have been nothing but problems.  I would much rather have the standard flat gasket ones any day over this BS design!

[74k20]

I JUST installed some Headman 69890 headers on my 74k20. The fit was great, bit tight to the front spring hanger bolts tho.  Why do you NOT like the ball/socket design?  I've got them on my '65 Chevelle with a bbc, and they seem fine.  These are the only 2 sets of headers I've run tho, so no history of good/bad, except the ball/socket seems to work fine.

[ehjorten]

On my truck the ball and socket joints will just not stay tight!  They are constantly coming loose and I have tried red loctite, double nuts, double nuts with red-loctite, welded nuts to bolts!  Because the fastener joint is not a hard joint the bolts stretch and relax and also the sockets are expanding I think and the joint just loosens up and leaks!

I think if it was a more OEM design with 2 bolts instead of 3 bolts and had springs compressed under the heads of the bolts it would work better.

A standard flat gasket joint is a much better design from a fastener standpoint.

[bd]

Erik, any possibility of converting it to stud and spring?

[ehjorten]

Anything is possible if you want it bad enough!  With the stock collectors I don't think there would be enough room.  The bolts are too close to the collector sidewall.

[ehjorten]

To be fair and honest...this was my first adventure into the world of Ball and Socket collectors on any of my vehicles.  I have always had the traditional 3-bolt, flat-ends on my headers.  I friend suggested I go ball and socket because there is no gasket to leak and they are less sensitive to the exhaust being a little off-angle.  I took that bait and hook and from my above posts you can see that I wasn't happy!  Thinking back now...I have never had any problems with leaky gaskets between my headers and exhaust pipe, so why change?

Maybe it isn't the header?!  Maybe it is the flange on the exhaust pipe?  I bought the Hedman reducers for my headers that already had the O2 bungs in them.  Maybe the reducers are too thin?!  I don't know!