My truck came with some headers (no clue what brand) and a custom, nicely welded exhaust, through a pair of flowmasters. it's true dual with no crossover pipe. The problem is the headers put the drivers side so far back out of the gate that the pipe has nowhere to go but UNDER the crossmember. This is ridiculous. It appears my only option is going to be buy some shorty headers and redo the front section of pipe. has anybody ran into this? even with the shorty's, it's going to be a squeeze to get the pipes together both on the passenger side. the drivers side past the crossmember is a no-go - transfer case spits out the front driveshaft right there.

 

Yep, headers suck. That's all I have to say about that.......

It was the passenger side that went below the crossmember on my 79 F-250. Needless to say, they will NOT be re-installed when the truck gets put back together.

 

I see what you are saying. I had a set of Headman long tubes I wanted to put on mine. When I temporarilly installed them I remember that was one of the reasons I decided to go with shortys as well. They dumped out right out in front of the trans crossmember. My only other option would have been to fabricate a custom crossmember.

 

i got mine to fit between the crossmember and transfer case, you just need to use 2.25 inch tubing, i got a 351m and long tube headers and i had enuff room for an x-pipe right behind the transfer case, i can take some pic's if you like so you can see how it was done

 

i am stuck with the same problem, it worries me when I drive over curbs sometimes, horrible mess if it gets hit I just try not and blast over things that might hit bottom.

1979f350inline6 I would like to see your setup

 

please show me!

I'm eyeing these -

Hedman 89218 Hedman Hedders Elite Headers

any thoughts?

 

I suggest you read the fine print:
http://www.hedman.com/content/pdf5217.pdf
Those are no better than what you have now.

 

I may have missed something on that .pdf on my blackberry, but I didn't see anything negative for my application. Based on the pics I've seen of that part # it should be perfect. Based on the length of the tubes on my truck now, with a flat flange I could make them work with about 6" shorter tubes. Maybe 4" shorter. These hedmans are WAY shorter, in fact I think they're stock position. So that, combined with the ball and socket outlet - I should be in business. I'll do some more research.

Next option for us would be true shorty's, which will just shoot down, then 90deg back, then back up. The hedmans would be better.

 

Well, the headers in the pictures are CHEVY shorties. The actual headers are long tube, just like Tue ones on my F-250. They end just before the crossmember. If you look at that PDF again, you will see an illustration of how you must cut the collector at a 45* angle and run the pipe underneath the crossmember.

 

hedman makes some short bent pipes called header extensions for just this situation.
Hedman Hedders 18804 - Hedman Universal Header X-Tensions - Overview - SummitRacing.com

I use these on my truck and they work just fine and everything is over the cross member.

Mark

 

I couldn't see any illustration in the PDF... but I saw that before. I do see that it says 'full-length' headers on their website. that sucks they don't have some exactly like those in the pic! dang!

 

he's a few quick shots i'm doing it with my phone so there not that awesome, but if you want more i'll get better ones when i get home

 

Hooker Headers makes a nice prebent exhaust kit for our trucks with headers already bent up. Just add your own muffler and your done!

I used this setup on my previous truck many moons ago, and it worked great. It actually outlasted my 73 F250(got totaled), and I eneded up making the exhaust work on my 85 F250(rotted to death). That has also been scrapped, but I still have the pipes from the exhaust in storage beleive it or not. I have used parts from the kit for patches on a few other exhausts recently!

I will be buying this set up again for my current project.

 

What about somthing for the 4 wheel drive???

 

I have some pics of my 4 wheel drives "over the crossmember" exhaust in my profile. Sorry but I couldnt post it here.
Its got headers, and is a 2.5 system. I went to an exhaust shop and had them make me 3, 45 degree, angled pipes that were 6" long on either side of the bend. I then cut to fit, tack welded it in place to where nothing hit.
i then removed the parts, welded them up nice and tight, then re installed the set up. it looks like something the factory would do, and works terrific.
I had about 3 hours into it. ( i have a habbit of double, sometimes tripple checking my work before welding it.)
Hope this helps you.