Hooker Competition Headers Install Trouble

[bman1985]

I'm sure this has been covered before but, I installed my headers and the driver side exits right near the transmission crossmember. I went to hook up the exhust pipe and its about 1/2" too low...what gives??

[bigblock73]

I had a used set of them, one side exited right at the criossmember...I would have had to modify one of the two to make them work...so I sold them and got Sanderson BB8's. The Hookers were 73-87 specific too!

[85Bowtie]

Originally Posted by bman1985

...what gives??

What gives is Hooker Headers suck. Try a set of Dougs or TTI's next time.

[terryj]

How close to the crossmember is the collector? I installed a set of Headman's and had to use the S curve extenders to clear the crossmember on the drivers side. The Headman headers have the "ball" type flange allowing up to a 20 degree angle for the pipe to flange fitting, which helped also.

[bman1985]

I called hooker's tech line, they said the headers were designed to fit the trucks with a "double hump" cross member..mine is not one of those. They didn't offer any other advice except that I could return them! How useless.
The headers didn't clear my AC brackets either and they gave me the same story on that. Even though it says they fit my truck.

Terryj: the s-bend looks like it would work, but I think it might be too long I only have about 6 inches between the header and the crossmember.

[terryj]

Originally Posted by bman1985

I called hooker's tech line, they said the headers were designed to fit the trucks with a "double hump" cross member..mine is not one of those. They didn't offer any other advice except that I could return them! How useless.
The headers didn't clear my AC brackets either and they gave me the same story on that. Even though it says they fit my truck.

Terryj: the s-bend looks like it would work, but I think it might be too long I only have about 6 inches between the header and the crossmember.

You could try a local muffler shop and see if they could design a piece for you that would fit.

[85Bowtie]

Originally Posted by bman1985

I called hooker's tech line, they said the headers were designed to fit the trucks with a "double hump" cross member..mine is not one of those. They didn't offer any other advice except that I could return them! How useless.
The headers didn't clear my AC brackets either and they gave me the same story on that. Even though it says they fit my truck.

This is exactly why I will never purchase a set of headers from them again. Piss poor fit, terrible quality and too many other good companies out there that produce a better product for the same price.

[konakustoms]

I had to make bends to get over my cross member also.....

[76stepsidechevy]

My hookers bolted right up however my truck is 4 wheel and im guessing you guys all have 2wd trucks.

[85chevy383]

i bought a set of 1 7/8 primary hookers for a camaro, had to trim the frame but lifted the collectors up to where they do not hang below the frame... was a p.i.t.a. but i got the big tubes and cant see collectors under the truck

[konakustoms]

My truck is lowered 6" and I have never hit the headers on anything. Not Yet.....lol

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 85chevy383

i bought a set of 1 7/8 primary hookers for a camaro, had to trim the frame but lifted the collectors up to where they do not hang below the frame... was a p.i.t.a. but i got the big tubes and cant see collectors under the truck

x2.

[bman1985]

I figured since Hooker was a well known company that they would have a good product, guess they don't have to! I never thought I'd have so many issues with the install. I'm going tomorrow to see if I can get the exhaust pipe bent to fit. If not I guess I'll have to go around the junk yard looking for a double hump crossmember

[bman1985]

Ok here is what I ended up with. The flange was too close to the bend point for them to bend it as is. So they cut the flange off, bent a pipe to fit, and welded the flange back on, they said they couldn't make a flange this size at the shop I went to. So much for the fully mandrel bent exhaust!

Cost me $40 but was a heck of a lot easier than digging around the junk yard... Got to drive the truck a few miles with the open headers too :-) I'll post some pics of the install once I get it on.

[pig rig]

I had the same problem with mine on my crew cab and when I took it in to my exhaust guy he did a funky curve around the trans cross member it was about 2 inches off the ground ( yeah I drug it) so I modified my crossmember and when I redid the exhuast not only was it quieter but it had more top end power and the ECM quit throwing a O2 code

heres some pictures of the mods I did kinda hard to see

[pig rig]

those picture suck!!!!!!
but if you look at the right side of the third picture you can see I welded in a chunk of 4" pipe and I welded up the crossmember solid because the pipe dose away with most of the bolts in it. the crossmember is a pain to get in and out now but not bad you just need the tranny jacked up a little higher so you can turn the crossmeber side ways

I hope my bad pictures give you some what of a visual as one way to fix your problem