Header hitting steering arm

[truckinbuzzard]

I have a set of hedman shorties. Installed them today and found that the steering arm (shaft) is hitting the #5 cylinder pipe. Is this something that can be fixed by the local exhaust shop by making the pipe a little longer? Maybe the motor mounts have the engine sitting lower than other mounts in the engine bay, but i don\'t see how that could be possible because the bellhousing on the tranny is just about up against the floor. Could it be because these headers cam off of an S-10 blazer? Is there a difference? Thanks, Mike http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif

[truckinbuzzard]

In the picture, the steering shaft is as far up as it will go. If this is gonna be a big problem, are there exhaust manifolds that have a good flow to them. How much would it hurt to run manifolds on a slightly modified engine? The small block that was in there before had manifolds on it. Thanks, Mike http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif steering shaft (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gerrihorses/detail?.dir=/7075re2&.dnm=bc84re2.jpg&.src=ph)

[coppergmc]

Looks like you may have the engine too far foward. It is hard to tell without seeing first hand. You may be too far up and foward. You can move the steering column some which will pivot the shaft where space is needed most. Is the shaft hitting the pipe at the top or bottom?

[mzoomora]

If that is as far up as the shaft will go, I would say you have it too far back maybe. If you move the headers forward it should tilt up more.

[adh383]

if you have the stealth mounts, you should be able to adjust motor to give u clearance-- SUGGESTION you may want to give that brake line a gentle nudge to move it away from the header tube a bit

[truckinbuzzard]

The arm is hitting the pipe on the bottom. It looks to me like might be a problem with the #3 cylinder also hitting . When i pull the arm up and it hits the #5 pipe it is real close to the #3. The only problem with moving the engine is that the frame mounts are hard welded to the frame. The truck had a 400 in it already, but they used stock exhaust manifolds. I don\'t know how much it would hurt performance on the street with a good set of stock manifolds. I know they would fit o.k. because they\'ve already been on there. I\'m just wondering how much it would hurt the performance. Only a street truck. http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif

[mzoomora]

The engine side of the mount should be slotted for adjustment.

[carkiller]

those headers are designed for the jtr stle mounts, which has a 1inch offset to the passenger side.

[rudedogg]

if you go back to manifolds i would like first crack at those headers http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

[mzoomora]

On 2006-09-17 20:49, carkiller wrote:

those headers are designed for the jtr stle mounts, which has a 1inch offset to the passenger side.



I used hedmans with 4.3 mounts, they leave the engine centered, and I had no fitment problems..

[truckinbuzzard]

that\'s my only problem, when i got the truck it already had the clamshell type mounts hard welded to the frame. From what i can see, there it no adjustment slot on them. This sucks. Do they make a set of decent flowing manifolds? Maybe off of a camaro or vette. Maybe my exhaust shop could cut the tubes and add a extra pipe with the bend to it for clearance. http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_frown.gif

[gdmclnh]

From the appearance of the photo the engine is offset at least an inch to the drivers side. I\'ve never seen a set of shorties from any maker that close before.

[carkiller]

On 2006-09-18 06:34, truckinbuzzard wrote:

that\'s my only problem, when i got the truck it already had the clamshell type mounts hard welded to the frame. From what i can see, there it no adjustment slot on them. This sucks. Do they make a set of decent flowing manifolds? Maybe off of a camaro or vette. Maybe my exhaust shop could cut the tubes and add a extra pipe with the bend to it for clearance. http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_frown.gif



you have a grinder and acess to a set of torchs? get rid of what you got, and start over http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

[truckinbuzzard]

it\'s close on that side as well as the other. It\'s just about touching where the upper a-arms are on the passenger side.[URL=http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/truckinbuzzards10/detail?.dir=f853re2&.dnm=2bd9re2.jpg&.src=ph]header

[truckinbuzzard]

Well, i messed that up. Let\'s try it again. By the way, the #2 cylinder pipe has been modified because it was run with angle plug heads and they originally would\'nt fit for the previous owner.header (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/truckinbuzzards10/detail?.dir=/f853re2&.dnm=2bd9re2.jpg&.src=ph)Making progress slowly (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/truckinbuzzards10/detail?.dir=/f853re2&.dnm=36a3re2.jpg&.src=ph)

[char]

turbo it that will get the headers out of the way. i have headmans there not that big though its a tight fit but no clearence issues my mouts are slotted

[truckinbuzzard]

Turbo it? http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif

[jeremytkoontz]

I also have hard welded mounts (previous owner) and headman shorties.... same problem with mine... I took the steering shaft out and ground it down some..... problem solved... I know it sounds crude and maybe a little unsafe but I\'ve been driving it back and forth to work all year almost everyday and I take it to the track every now and then.... I\'ve had no problems.

[char]

lol lame joke gets the headers over the steering shaft...

[coppergmc]

Manifolds don\'t flow as well as headers. You can modify them to improve flow thought. I would probably find a good set that fit. You can port the manifolds similar to the way you port the heads. Work on the inlet and outlets as far as you can reach. Use some 2 1/4 inch down pipes that run into the 2 1/2 mandrel bent exhauste system similar to that sold by Jegs. Manifolds will last alot longer and you won\'t have any of the problems usually found with headers.



Personally, I don\'t think that there is alot of difference in flow between the 1 1/2 inch shortys and properly worked manifolds. If you can\'t run the 1 5/8 long tube headers, go with the manifolds.