There are basically two companies.
L&L and Maddog.
Both seem to be good quality as far as welds and construction.
As Roger said above, there are fitment issues with every style of truck so be prepared to make them fit.
The manufacturer has to make a general pattern so it's affordable for them to produce.
Imagine all the engine and truck combos out there.
For instance I talked to Mark at Maddog and he told me he has to do runs of ten or so at a time so that it makes sense monetarily for him.
So he may be doing 5 runs of parts before he gets to yours. And, he has to make say a 390 set work for a few applications. So there is lead time when you make your order.
I sent him an email with my recommendations for a perfect header fit for an FE in a half ton 4x and never heard back.
oh well.
Getting back to our Ford stuff.
Some may drop right in, others surely won't.
Up to you to make 'em work.
Do a search and check out the guys that have done them, like my "I went and did it" thread and any of grinnergetters. Those are the threads that pop into my head first for lots of header yak.

 

I am putting them on a 400m. 79 F250 Custom 4x4. 2" body lift and will eventually have a 4" suspension lift as well. I am going to use Hedman Fenderwell headers from Summit. $225. They are the cheapest and I am sure not the best but they are what I am using!!!

 

Hah, you found a set I didn't know about.
Those are pretty cheap.
If that fits your bill then go for it.
I would make sure you paint the crap out of them as you'll need to fight rust.
Let us know how they fit.

 

It will be a few weeks. Putting in a Jasper rebuild and changing intakes to be able to run 4 barrel. One piece at a time..................

 

Hedman makes a good product. There should be minimal fitment issues, based on my experiences.

With that being said, you may have issues due to the 2" body lift. This lift will change the location, albeit slightly, of the steering shaft, raising it about 2" at the cab end. Depending on where / how Hedman ran the tubes this "lifted" location of the steering shaft might cause interference.

 

I think the steering might be ok Roger.
Because the cab is higher and the engine still in the frame it may give him some clearance that we didn't have.
Of course this is all just speculation. I'm just riffing off of what I had to deal with. You don't know anything until you bolt them up.

 

Here is what I'm thinking about.

 

I just bought the Hedmans also. I'm glad I came across this forum and pictures. I was looking from the bottom and the top, thinking that the best route was going to be sliding the motor forward and up, setting the headers in the ballpark place, replacing the motor, then bolting the headers into place.

Please keep us up to date on how it goes. I'm hoping my starter will last a lot longer, but I'm mostly just fixing a terrible exhaust design put together by a previous owner. Miter cuts and 90 degree welded pipes to maneuver the exhaust from the headers up and over the skid plate/cross member...no joke. You could cut yourself on the "bends" they are so sharp.

 

That's the trick way to time the exhaust pulses into a free flow. Actually sets them up so they follow each other out instead of jamming into the collector all at once.

 

Well I use the Hedman fenderwell exits, came NIB with a different truck I bought. Put them on ol red....here is the long story. No issues with steering shaft. Yes that bailing wire...lol

CAUTION nothing fancy to see under this hood, in fact its really ugly, but it start and runs like hell with good oil pressure for being a 351M.

This a story about changing from stock exhaust manifolds to fenderwell exit headers. Or if you are just changing stock exhaust manifold gaskets. Truck is a 79 F250 4x4 351M 4 spd.
The #1 thing in my book is to LUBE THE HELL outa those soon to be old exhaust bolts.
I would use PB blaster or Sea Foam Deep Creep. If the vehicle is not your daily driver, soak them as much a possible for like a week straight.
Use the red tube to get right in there, spray the top side of the bolt head and let it soak. This step is very important because you do not want to break off any of those bolts.
I have heard of heating up the bolts with a torch, good way to burn up your valve cover gaskets, and catch fire to your sprayed on lube, I always change them cold.
I even heard of starting the truck to heat up those bolts, great way to burn your hands and fingers. Remember LUBE LUBE LUBE, jack up truck to a comfortable working height, take off front tires. And do all the other safety stuff, block rear tires ect....
I start on the passenger side, it’s always easier. Do not try to "snap" torque the bolts loose, use a slow draw break torque. And use a quality socket, as straight on as possible.
If you break one, don't panic, you do not have to remove the head to fix this problem, at least I didn't, and I broke 3 on pass side and 2 on dvs side, on 1 truck and 2 and 2 on another truck.
If you do continue removing the rest of the bolts, hopefully with better luck. And then ditch that ol heavy stock factory manifold, do not throw them away those stock suckers are pricey especially the dvs side, why I do not know.
If there is any bolt left sticking out of the head after you remove the rest of them and the exhaust manifold maybe you can vice grip it and get it to break loose. Probably not, and you only gouge it up.
Some guys say they can weld a nut on there and get it out, those guys are luckier than me. If it’s broke flush with the head, just keep reading.
If you do break a bolt, use a GOOD QUALITY set of drill bits to drill it out. Use a center punch to make sure you start in the middle, VERY IMPORTANT. Start with a smaller bit and work your way up to a bigger one.
Match your drill bit to your tap size needed for the correct bolt size. 7/16 1/2 or 9/16 can't remember. I would then tap in new threads. As a tech note if you are going to re-tap the hole weld the tap into a old 3/8 drive socket that way you can get in there with a extension and get it tapped right the first time.
I WOULD NOT USE A EASY OUT, been there done that, broke it off in the hole, another long story.
If you are having trouble tapping in new threads, might be able to use a "helicoil" thread insert, easy to use, buy it in a kit, just have to drill out a bigger hole to insert the thread coil. Debur or run a tap in to clean out the old holes best you can.
Get new hardware, grade 8 or better, do not use the hdwr provided (junk) not enough washer face to the header flange. I got mine with a premade large washer, and use the lock washers with the little face to face lock teeth.
They are called Norlock fasteners, got them and my bolts from Fastenall, use some thick header gaskets from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard, pricey but awesome. Make sure you use anti seize compound on the hardware.
DO NOT have any solvent on your hands when you install the gaskets, it will cause a hot spot on the gasket and burn it up. Passenger side inner fenderwell will need a bit of trimming or bend outa the way for now, trim later.
2 people makes this part a lot easier, while you wrestle the header into position, from under the truck, your helper will align the gaskets and start the bolts, all hand tight at first.
If you are having trouble getting it in, try taking off the shock tower, 3 bolts ? Might give you more wiggle room, did for me especially on the dvs side. Evenly tighten down bolts, all the while making sure the header doesn't catch on anything.
Ck the clearance on the cab mount frame bracket to the collector area, grind the bracket as needed. Use a quality audible Tq wrench, start at minimum working your way to max. STOP THERE, DRINK ONE BEER, AND GET READY FOR OTHER SIDE.
Ok on dvs side, remove dip stick and tube (plug pan to stop oil leak) and brake line coil from master cylinder to frame mounted proportional valve. Cap/plug all opening, brake fluid in the eye is a M...F....
Probably have to remove that brake line clamp plate from back side of shock tower, remember to take tower outa the way also. Bend/trim inner metal fenderwell and install in same order as passenger side.
Re-install all the other stuff you took off, remember to re-bleed brakes. Make sure nothing is touching your headers, spark plug wires, fuel line ect...I would start the truck with open headers, so you can soak up the fruits of your hard labor.
Some smoke is normal from all the lube and the paint burning off YOUR new headers. Let truck idle, blip throttle to scare the neighbors, again make sure nothing is touching the headers.
Decide if you are man enough to drive it around the block, let idle till all the smoke quits. Shut off and do a torque ck on those bolts. CAREFUL THE HEADERS ARE HOT!
The torque will be different due to the bolts being hot now, do a minimum tq ck. Start in middle and work your out.
Decide what exhaust system you want to use, cherry bombs, flowmasters, I prefer straights to stacks. If you are not going to do it yourself, make appt with muffler shop, have fun driving there. Remember you can install a Y-style muffler bypass with cap.
I do another cold torque ck then next day. And then again in a day or two after they settle in place from driving/muffler hanging on them. If you used those cool lock washers should have no problems.
I know this is long but hope it helps, have fun let us know how it turns out, and throw in a pic.
If you own a ½ ton go to this thread 7-24-2010 “My 460 needs to be heard” ½ ton swap with pics.

I included some options for exhaust systems....lol. The wife like the stacks sound (loud and obnoxious) so there ya go.

 

Holy crap Rich, you must be stuck in a hotel room somewhere.

 

Ya think....lol....Russia again...... But at least there is NOT 4 ft of snow this time.

It is a copy and paste from a post of mine years ago, I like to spell it out for folks, I am sure I missed a thing or 2? Add in any and all advice, please.

I am about to dump all my bits of saved up Ford truck info and a ton of mike o0o0o0/ND parts diagrams in a big ol thread.

Splattered with a ton of tech pics, and good idea shots....