Done with stock manifods and broken studs which headers?
 

I love my v10 but am totaly done with the stock manifolds.
round #1 replaced all exaust studs with "new improved" ford studs at $6 a piece plus nuts etc. :-arrgh 12 out of 20 broken or broke coming out. they lasted less then a year before two popped on pass side. (yes I torqued them properly)

Round #2 Replaced broken ones on pass side with Dorman studs (6 months)

Round #3 1 on drivers side started braking replaced, (got 8 months)

Round #4 Pulled them all, got my manifods machined flat, all new studs (this time I got 2 years..... drivers side started ticking today! %$#*!!!!:-arrgh


So My question is, will headers solve my stud issues!!?

on a side note I have a flowmaster y pipe to an after market free flow cat and a flowmaster 70 series muffler to duals. MY exhaust is so loud and it buzzes and resonates and sounds like crap!

So I want to know what the options are for headers out there, I don't want them rotting off in 2 years, I don't want them loud (nothing can be as loud as this in now) and I don't EVER want to here an exhaust tick from my exhaust again!!!! Also whats a muffler that sounds good?

What are my options, headman sounds like people have had issues with gaskets leaking? Banks are way expensive, is there any other options? I'm running 4:30 gears and a 5 speed. Is the complete Banks kit worth it or really just over priced. I want my truck to sound good and not have to where ear plugs when I tow because my exhaust resonates and buzzes so much.

Also anyone running 5 star tune with a 5 speed stick, is there noticeable improvement? Thanks!

I went with the Banks headers and stock exhaust for a nice sound and good increase in mid-range power. No issues so far and a well designed kit.

gibson also makes headers for the 6.8.but they dont come with the y pipe.im thinking of going with the banks on my ex as soon as i get price quotes.

It sounds to me like the banks are the best option. You really get what u pay for with headers. Put the headers on it and ditch the Flowmaster for a Magnaflow. Should tone it down a bit

I too went with the Banks headers, they are not cheap but they do seem to be very high quality. They are also a complete kit, not only is the hardware included but they supply heat shields for the starter, swaybar link, fuel lines and wiring harness. And of course the kit also includes the Y pipe that some of the others don't.
I am still in the process of installing mine, so I don't have any performance feedback yet, but I have only heard good things from others that have added them. I got mine from autoanything.com for about $900 during a Black Friday sale.

I went with Banks because I wanted to do my best to make sure this was a one time thing. I had headers back in the day, and was always chasing leaks etc, the flange/s on the Banks kit are 5/8 thick! and the rest of it looks quality too.
I'd do it again..

I finished my Banks header install. Took a while due to working 12 hour days for the past two weeks solid, I have no idea how many hours were actually spent on the job but it was a major PITA due to access. I know Sammie/Christina is working on hers now and I'm sure her hands and forearms are smaller than mine so hopefully she will have an easier go of it. With the stock manifolds in place it looks pretty roomy in there, that all changes when you shoehorn five 1 5/8" primary tubes into that same space, then have to squeeze a meaty hand and arm up into tiny gaps to install bolts into holes that can't be seen.
I only have about 10 miles on it so far but just from that I am very happy with the gains. The only change was the headers, I am a one change at a time kind of guy, I like to see and feel the individual components improvements. The rest of the exhaust is stock. At idle it almost seems to be slightly more quiet, my son said "It sounds like a Prius" when I started it before the test drive. As soon as I pulled out of the driveway and rolled into the gas the sound came to life, not loud but a cool sounding whoosh. I've read others describe it as sounding like snakes hissing, I think it's more like the air rushing through a big turbo minus the whistle, whoosh! That sound is most noticable at low speed and gets masked by normal other truck and road noises as speed increases. Once warmed up I got on the highway and dropped the hammer, WOW! this thing now wants to rev, it sure seems to get to the high RPMs quick and ran through the gears in a hurry. As far as my finely tuned butt-dyno is concerned there has been a noticeable improvement over stock.
Some of the reviews I've read have said they felt only a slight increase while running solo but the gains really showed up when towing. If thats the case I am very interested to see how it performs with the ToyHauler in tow considering how good it feels solo. Hopefully the extra grunt provided by the headers will help to keep the rig in OD on more hills, that alone will improve our overall towing MPGs. Next week's 1500 mile tow should be the real test.
I will be posting a photo thread of the install over in the Excursion forum.
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Make certian you recheck all the bolts after running the new headers a couple hundred miles. They will need retorqued.