Why are long tubes a pain in the ass?

[fdjizm]

You wrap the shit out them bitches!

 

[lethe]

Thats looks tedious wrapping the individual primaries.

 

[racksteris]

Wow! Great job with the wrapping!

Thanks

You wrap the shit out them bitches!

I sure did, about 180 feet of wrap.

Thats looks tedious wrapping the individual primaries.

It took some time, about 2 to get it looking good.

 

[Synyster06Gates]

Okay - bumping an old thread of mine here with a few questions since I'm contemplating doing LTs now (broke a stud off the stock manifolds, chasing down a leak that's fucking magic, and it would go great with my hot rods)

1 - Are new motor mounts required with the LT install? I've heard some people say you need them or you will run into clearance problems.

2 - I know most people stick to the high end headers. I'm cool with that. However, I'm a broke college kid and I'm looking at an affordable setup consisting of OBX LT headers along with their midpipe(s). Have any of you actually seen/experienced fitment problems with them? I've been working my google-foo and I see people post "stay away" but never any experience or link to a real problem. Those that actually install them say they love them.

3 - Locking hardware... yes or no?

 

[AnotherS197GT]

New motor mounts aren't necessary, but may help if you have some clearance issues. Plus you already have to take them out, so you might as well do them if you can afford it. I didn't really care for mine since they added a lot of NVH into the car.

I've heard lots of good about Pacesetters, which will run around $500 with a mid pipe. Check Amazon, they had really good prices on the armor coated pacesetters.

I reused as many of the stock studs as I could since they won't back off. The header bolts that came with the Pypes I had on my car never once backed off though. I would save my money.

 

[skwerl]

I went with JBA because they have a good reputation in spite of being a lower priced header. Fitment was great. I reused all the stock studs except 2, and when I checked torque a week later those two bolts were loose. Use stock MLS gaskets, they are worth the extra cost.

 

[GoneFord]

Okay - bumping an old thread of mine here with a few questions since I'm contemplating doing LTs now (broke a stud off the stock manifolds, chasing down a leak that's fucking magic, and it would go great with my hot rods)

1 - Are new motor mounts required with the LT install? I've heard some people say you need them or you will run into clearance problems.

2 - I know most people stick to the high end headers. I'm cool with that. However, I'm a broke college kid and I'm looking at an affordable setup consisting of OBX LT headers along with their midpipe(s). Have any of you actually seen/experienced fitment problems with them? I've been working my google-foo and I see people post "stay away" but never any experience or link to a real problem. Those that actually install them say they love them.

3 - Locking hardware... yes or no?

1. No. I installed 1.75" primary ARH LTs with a BMR 1/2" lowered engine mount k-member and had no interference issues - anywhere. Stock k-member is no trouble either.

2. Unsure. You usually get what you pay for. ARH and Kooks fitment is perfect. Can't speak for others. Your product selection makes the biggest difference here.

3. Bought locking hardware, but after 12 hours on my own I didn't have the energy to bother. Three years later on a DD I lost a bolt - maybe I never put it in... But none are loose and never had an exhaust leak. Your call. When I pull my motor to replace it with a FRPP stroker I'll install the locking hardware when I put the LTs on before it goes back in the engine bay.

Good luck.

 

[Synyster06Gates]

Hmmm... I'll check into the Pacesetter. I noticed they don't have a flange at the end though. That sucks.

One other question - when it comes time for a new clutch, do the S197s have enough room to allow me to change it without removing teh headers?

2. Unsure. You usually get what you pay for. ARH and Kooks fitment is perfect. Can't speak for others. Your product selection makes the biggest difference here.

Good luck.

From what I understand, OBX copies one of the more expensive/popular brands design and sells them. So because they don't pay much in the way of R&D, they keep the prices low. Dick move, but at this point every dollar helps!

 

[AnotherS197GT]

I'd rather have a slip fit than a ball and socket. Seemed like my bolts at the collectors always came loose...

 

[Synyster06Gates]

I'd rather have a slip fit than a ball and socket. Seemed like my bolts at the collectors always came loose...

How would I go about connecting my 2.5'' exhaust to the 3'' headers?

 

[AnotherS197GT]

If you get the midpipe that goes with the headers, everything should fit fine. The pacesetter mid will slip over the headers, then goes down to 2.5 so it will fit with your stock over axle pipes.

 

[skwerl]

How would I go about connecting my 2.5'' exhaust to the 3'' headers?

Get the matching midpipe, then use reducers after the H or X where the tail pipes connect. I had my reducers welded on because there's isn't enough room for a wide style band clamp. Then I attached my resonators and cut the tail pipes to length after the resonators.

 

[Synyster06Gates]

Get the matching midpipe, then use reducers after the H or X where the tail pipes connect. I had my reducers welded on because there's isn't enough room for a wide style band clamp. Then I attached my resonators and cut the tail pipes to length after the resonators.

Looking for a matching midpipe... everything appears to be 2.5'' from them. Weird.

I've got a second O/R midpipe, I guess I could just chop it up and throw some reducers on the end of it.

Pacesetter Armor coat LTs for $466 shipped or OBX for $540 shipped with 2 midpipes?

 

[BruceH]

Have you checked autoanything.com? They carry pacesetter and jba at very good prices. Sign up and they will send you a lot of coupons. Most are for 15-20% off.

When it was time for my long tubes I went with Mac ceramic. They were under $500 and the mac pro chamber mid pipe sounds very nice with them. You can get the chrome macs for under $390 shipped.

Do the motor mounts. The extra flex in stock mounts can and will allow the headers to make contact with the body/frame.

 

[AnotherS197GT]

I don't think it really matters. I've never heard of OBX until recently. I don't have experience with either brand. What I do have experience with is hacking up exhaust. In my experience, its worth the extra $100 to get the matching mid pipe. I've spent more time and money trying to hack exhaust together than I would have just getting the right pipe the first time...

 

[msczesny1186]

Installs aren't bad just time consuming to make sure it's done right. I went with kooks and the fitment was amazing. Way better then i could of ever imagined. I also bought new OEM Ford Gaskets instead of reusing the old ones.

+1 on matching mid pipe.

+1 on Prothane MM. Better shifts as the drivetrain wont flex and good for clearance if you need them. Only $120ish from summit. A little more NVH but worth it. You can feel the car literally.

 

[Hvacmike]

Have you checked autoanything.com? They carry pacesetter and jba at very good prices. Sign up and they will send you a lot of coupons. Most are for 15-20% off.

When it was time for my long tubes I went with Mac ceramic. They were under $500 and the mac pro chamber mid pipe sounds very nice with them. You can get the chrome macs for under $390 shipped.

Do the motor mounts. The extra flex in stock mounts can and will allow the headers to make contact with the body/frame.

I second this. I picked up some BBK ceramic coated lt.'s with the matching x-pipe for about $650 shipped.

The install took me about 6 hours working on jack stands crawling on the floor. It just took time. My hands did get all cut up from the install. They fit perfect no clearance issues at all.

 

[BruceH]

One thing I learned is to go ahead and unbolt the steering rack instead of fighting it for an hour and then unbolting it. It's only two bolts and one for the shaft. Takes less than 10 minutes to remove and gives you the room needed to get the headers in.

 

[Synyster06Gates]

I went ahead and placed an order for the OBX LT headers. I read good reviews on them on a few other sites and liked the fact that it came with 2 midpipe choices. I think I'm going to splice one of my X pipes into one of them somehow.

It'll be an adventure. I'll update when I get going on the install.

 

[AnotherS197GT]

Good luck. Don't forget the bandaids.