so iv been looking into a set of headers n i could go with gibson, borla, or a banks setup but i was wondering if anyone had any good experiences with the headers that are on ebay. they seem to be alot cheaper and i know u get what u pay for but love to hear from someone that has them on there truck and if thers a difference from the big name brands like i just listed

 

I was halfway wondering the same thing, I've read the ebay headers have .600" thick flanges, whereas the Gibson's have 3/8" thick. But, you have to notch the frame on the passenger side for the ebay headers. Would you rather notch the frame, or take a chance on the flange warping? Tough choice i'm struggling with right now. Let's hope we get an answer here.

 

The Banks headers are the ones with the 5/8" flanges. I have the Thorleys on my truck and they have 3/8" flanges, which are fine. In most cases you get what you pay for.

 

I just had Thorley's installed on my 2000 Ex as I had the motor replaced, and they fit perfectly, no notching, no mods.

 

What are the borlas going for and are they worth it?

 

I think Borla stopped making the V-10 headers.

 

The frame notch is not that significant. It's more of a "shave". You have to cut a 1/2" deep by 4" long section of the frame. It's not too difficult to do with a 4" grinder with a cutting wheel on it if you remove the shock and shock tower.

I have had ebay headers on for nearly 3 years now and here are some of my experiences.

1. They loose thier shiny luster almost immediately so priming and painting with high temp paint is a good idea.

2. Yes, the flange is .600 which makes getting header bolts to thread in a bit of a pain. If you use M8x1.25x25 bolts, you'll save yourself alot of headaches. Just use stainless ones from your local hardware store with a dab of anti-sieze. Also, thread in all the bolts first, then tighten. This also saves alot of headaches.

3. The supplied collector hardware is entirely too short. You will need to buy these when you get the flange hardware from the hardware store.

4. The passenger side is the hardest and it looks as if the engine is closer to the frame on that side. It is, hence the need for the "notch".

5. NO NOT USE THE SUPPLIED GASKETS. Buy some fel-pro ones. They are cheap. It will save you from changing the gaskets early.

6. The idle sound will change as will your mid range throttle response. I gained quite a bit in midrange and high rpm with a combination of these headers, a high flow cat and a flowmaster 70 series muffler.

BTW: the banks kit nets you just about nothing without the complete system. You must have the ottomind, headers, y-pipe, intake, and cat-back in order to recieve the 50+ hp gain that they claim. Thats over $1100 worth of stuff to get 50hp. Not much woth it in my eyes.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...orted-out.html

Here is my thread containing pictures and a review for my Banks setup on an 02. I haven't got all the pictures up yet because I have not had enough time.