Header install hitting steering shaft

[Camarojt]

Started my header install and passenger side goes straight in with tons of clearance! Then drivers side is tight as hell and once I did get it in, it's all over the steering shaft! I managed to get the header back out, so then I decided to just disconnect the steering shaft to gain the clearance to install the header. I then managed to get the header to clear enough to install it. I tightened it up with 2 bolts just Bc I wanted to see if the shaft was gonna clear! IT DIDNT EVEN COME CLOSE! It's point blank against the header.

I have read on the forums for about 2hrs tonight and after what I saw, this seems to be common about 20 to 30% of the time with ALL brands. I've seen numerous Kooks threads, stainless works threads, ARH threads, Dynatech threads, and the list goes on

My point is this, rather than blaming a brand or someone replying to this thread saying yours fit fine....
Are there any guys out there that have met these problems?? And if so, what are the viable solutions?

Dimpling the tube is the first solution.

Someone suggested that loosening the motor mounts and pushing the motor 1/2" to the other side is another.

I'm curious in this option.
Is it possible that some cars are coming from the factory just not evenly spaced on the motor mounts?
I've got TONS of room on my passenger side. I think I could have shot them like a basketball from the top and they would have dropped in. Passenger side is another story

Any help would be very much appreciated!

[LS3 SS]

What type of Headers do you have? you may need to contact the company and talk to a service rep.

[Camarojt]

From what I've seen, 90% of the time this only gets the person who bought the headers angry Bc the companies are saying that they have no figment issues on thousands of cars.
So I will do that in the morning. But I'm more so wanting a solution otherwise. I'm not getting my hopes up for a magic pair that will fit. I honestly think that the space on the driver side is way tighter on my car specifically.

[SPCBA]

did your chinese header idea
( http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269175 )
blow up in and around your face?

Originally Posted by Camarojt

I have read on the forums for about 2hrs tonight and after what I saw, this seems to be common about 20 to 30% of the time with ALL brands. I've seen numerous Kooks threads, stainless works threads, ARH threads, Dynatech threads, and the list goes on

My point is this, rather than blaming a brand!

funny i know of several people in over three years of owning a camaro adding headers and none have any fitment issues. either the 20+ fifth gens that i personally have seen are the abnormality or your 20-30% number is false. is it panther pee? works every time 60% of the time

blaming the manufacturer is exactly what should happen. make the call and have them make it right. you really want to slide your engine to one side so a header that should fit makes it in there. dimpling the header sounds like a nother bad idea.

goodluck hope you can get set straight by whomever you bought the headers from.

[heymatt]

Post up the measurements from side to side using a common reference point. I'm sure some one will chime in for comparison.

[family man]

Originally Posted by SPCBA

did your chinese header idea
( http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269175 )
blow up in and around your face?

Are you referring to Stainless Power headers? According to the Stainless Works website, the Stainless Power brand headers are made in America.

Does that mean that Stainless Works is no longer making headers in the USA?

No, Stainless Works continues to make headers in the USA under the Stainless Works brand. Today and into the future we will continue to make the same application headers both here in our plant in Ohio as well as subcontracting under the "Stainless Power" brand. In fact, Stainless Works still is manufacturing all the lead pipes and X-pipes in our plant here, and providing catalytic converters, O2 extensions, clamps and header bolts for the Stainless Power product line.
We have, to date, selected only a few header products to be subcontracted under the "Stainless Power" brand. Not only will we continue full production for the current "Stainless Works" products, but in fact, we are currently increasing our commitment to manufacturing headers and exhaust products here in Ohio. We are breaking ground in December 2011 for a large expansion, and have ordered another all electric CNC mandrel bender with stackable tooling capable of 1D bending up to 3" dia. in 304 SS Tubing. This expansion and investment of over $1MM is designed to increase capacity and reduce lead times for our values customers proving our continued commitment to the Stainless Works' "Made in the USA" tradition.

[Camarojt]

Originally Posted by SPCBA

did your chinese header idea
( http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269175 )
blow up in and around your face?




funny i know of several people in over three years of owning a camaro adding headers and none have any fitment issues. either the 20+ fifth gens that i personally have seen are the abnormality or your 20-30% number is false. is it panther pee? works every time 60% of the time

blaming the manufacturer is exactly what should happen. make the call and have them make it right. you really want to slide your engine to one side so a header that should fit makes it in there. dimpling the header sounds like a nother bad idea.

goodluck hope you can get set straight by whomever you bought the headers from.

Thanks for your enlightened advice, tho I didn't really see the advice part.

With just a few searches last night I found numerous people having fitment issues, and they were all top brand headers. I can post the links if you would like to read them all. Mostly threads were about Kooks and having to disconnect steering shaft to get them to even fit. Then some couldn't get them to fit once they reconnected the shaft.

If your headers fit fine, then that's great, no worries, but I guess you feel good about coming on this particular thread, when someone is asking the people that HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM for advice, and you being a smart a$$ and just chiming in to assume that it had to be Bc of buying a Chinese brand. Dude get over your arrogance! Anyone can chime in and spout off behind a computer sitting at home! Funny how you wouldn't go to the track popping off your chicken Sh!t comments. So very brave you are!

[VADER SS L99]

I'm sorry but I don't buy that header products from companies like ARH and Kooks have fitment issues 20-30percent of the time especially on 5th gens where there is more than enough room. If that were true there would be a ton of unhappy people complaining on these forums. I would be contacting the header mfg and getting a new set or a refund because there is no excuse for a header on the 5th gen platform to have any issues considering the space. No 5th gen header should have to be modified to fit nor should the car. If it does I would call that poor quality or a defect on the header mfg. Ever install LT's on a 4th gen, Vette or 4v Mustang? Now those have to be perfect to fit without issue. The 5th gen not so much..

[Kelly@PCMofNC]

Huh, that's strange. What brand do you have (sorry if I missed it). Of the numerous sets of Kooks we've installed I have yet to run into a problem.

[BlaqWhole]

Is this thread REALLY gonna turn into another header bash? Don't you all think it's a bit overdone now?? The guy is looking for advice. If all you guys can do is bash, then that shows me and everyone else what kind of site this is turning into. And BTW, there are other sites where by now he would have had a bunch of good advice without any mention of "Chinese headers". So if you can't offer good advice, then back off. And if it pleases you THAT much, then enjoy and smile to yourself...but stay out of the way while us grown-ups try to solve the problem.

Camarojt, post up some pics of both sides and of where it's hitting the steering shaft. I'm curious to see what it looks like.

[quincy speeder]

I read this thread twice. The OP does not say which brand header he bought.

Really? Asking advise and complaining but never telling us what brand so you can be helped?

[dcoates18481]

It WOULD help to know which header we are talking about......

[bhillakaiceberg]

Originally Posted by dcoates18481

It WOULD help to know which header we are talking about......

Don't be shy............................

[davidcroft]

OBX?
He swears its not a bad brand
It's gotta be the 20-30% of gen 5s that have to shift the motor over a few inches!

Sorry I just felt like chiming in and brand bashing while we're being honest