Obx Header Install On 05 Vert/auto Trans
1/6/08, 04:52 AM
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Obx Header Install On 05 Vert/auto Trans
Hi Everyone,
The first thing I must do is thank my friend Larry (Aircare84) for traveling more than an hour to help me with my install. I want Larry to jump in this thread alot to give his opinion/experience on both of our installs.
As most of you know that visit the GT Tech forum there has a great deal of buzz in the last few months about the OBX longtubes that can be had on Ebay for about $480.00 shipped. There has been alot of comparisions to American made headers like AR, Kooks, JBA, etc. I am starting this new thread with the intent to provide as much accurate information to those that may be considering these headers. Not a bashing session about price. I have now been involved to 2 installs of these headers. The 1st was on Larry's 2006 GT with manual transmission and my 2005 GT Convertible with auto transmission. Both of these installs presented different issues. Overall I would say Larry's install was easier than mine for several reasons. First, his manual trans car does not have transmission cooling lines on the passenger side like my auto trans. The headers do not interfere with these lines at all but just working around them is a pain. (Right Larry?)
Second reason is my convertible has extra bracing in several areas that is harder to work around. And the last thing that made my install more time consuming was that I used the Stage 8 Locking Header Bolts for my install. Larry used the stock fasteners. The Stage 8 system will prevent the bolts from loosening up over time but they added at least 1 hour to my install getting all those locking plates and C-clips on. What a pain. 
Here are some facts about the OBX Headers.
1. They are truely made from 304 SS. (no magnet draw)
2. Primary size is 1 5/8 dia.
3. Tubing wall thickness on all primaries, and H-pipes is .060 thick (16 ga.)
4. Header flange is 3/8 inch thick or thicker. Both Larry's and mine measured about 7/16 thick.
As with most longtube installs regardless of make the steering shaft lays close to a primary tube. I need to say that on both installs we did not have to remove the shaft. We just raised the engine 2-3 inches and pushed the engine sideways to rotate the header in place on both sides. Larry has experienced a minor rub going around a corner on his steering shaft. In fact we moved his engine over toward the passenger side a little more yesterday. On mine we put a well positioned flat with a plastic faced dead blow hammer on my primary before we installed the header. This is a minor thing. Perhaps a 1/16 deep flat about 3 inches long. I have plenty of clearance.
On both of our installs the longtubes fit great. I have plenty of clearance everywhere around mine. Larry's is a little close to the steering shaft and 1 primary is close to his bellhousing but is not rubbing. Then the H - pipes need to be installed. Both Larry and I installed the H-pipe that has the resonators on them. This is an area that OBX could use some improvment. It seems that their bends in the tubing and the jigs they use to position the hangers could use some work. As I remember Larry's was pretty tough but mine was a pure bit@h!! No way could one man get them puppies on. It takes 2 guys and a big dead blow hammer to pound them over the header collectors. Problem is the H-pipe has to be put on as a unit at the same time. One guy can't be on both sides at the same time.
Overall I am very happy with these headers and their overall quality. I am attaching some pictures that show the flange and tubing thickness on my set. Also shown is my Mac Prochamber (already sold) laying with the 2 H-pipes you get with the OBX system. My long range plans are to build a Prochamber style box on the extra set from OBX. I really like that sound. But that will be another project down the road. I will get a sound clip later today. I have no driving experience to share as I have a problem with another mod that is preventing me from driving the car.
The first thing I must do is thank my friend Larry (Aircare84) for traveling more than an hour to help me with my install. I want Larry to jump in this thread alot to give his opinion/experience on both of our installs.
As most of you know that visit the GT Tech forum there has a great deal of buzz in the last few months about the OBX longtubes that can be had on Ebay for about $480.00 shipped. There has been alot of comparisions to American made headers like AR, Kooks, JBA, etc. I am starting this new thread with the intent to provide as much accurate information to those that may be considering these headers. Not a bashing session about price. I have now been involved to 2 installs of these headers. The 1st was on Larry's 2006 GT with manual transmission and my 2005 GT Convertible with auto transmission. Both of these installs presented different issues. Overall I would say Larry's install was easier than mine for several reasons. First, his manual trans car does not have transmission cooling lines on the passenger side like my auto trans. The headers do not interfere with these lines at all but just working around them is a pain. (Right Larry?)
Second reason is my convertible has extra bracing in several areas that is harder to work around. And the last thing that made my install more time consuming was that I used the Stage 8 Locking Header Bolts for my install. Larry used the stock fasteners. The Stage 8 system will prevent the bolts from loosening up over time but they added at least 1 hour to my install getting all those locking plates and C-clips on. What a pain. Here are some facts about the OBX Headers.
1. They are truely made from 304 SS. (no magnet draw)
2. Primary size is 1 5/8 dia.
3. Tubing wall thickness on all primaries, and H-pipes is .060 thick (16 ga.)
4. Header flange is 3/8 inch thick or thicker. Both Larry's and mine measured about 7/16 thick.
As with most longtube installs regardless of make the steering shaft lays close to a primary tube. I need to say that on both installs we did not have to remove the shaft. We just raised the engine 2-3 inches and pushed the engine sideways to rotate the header in place on both sides. Larry has experienced a minor rub going around a corner on his steering shaft. In fact we moved his engine over toward the passenger side a little more yesterday. On mine we put a well positioned flat with a plastic faced dead blow hammer on my primary before we installed the header. This is a minor thing. Perhaps a 1/16 deep flat about 3 inches long. I have plenty of clearance.
On both of our installs the longtubes fit great. I have plenty of clearance everywhere around mine. Larry's is a little close to the steering shaft and 1 primary is close to his bellhousing but is not rubbing. Then the H - pipes need to be installed. Both Larry and I installed the H-pipe that has the resonators on them. This is an area that OBX could use some improvment. It seems that their bends in the tubing and the jigs they use to position the hangers could use some work. As I remember Larry's was pretty tough but mine was a pure bit@h!! No way could one man get them puppies on. It takes 2 guys and a big dead blow hammer to pound them over the header collectors. Problem is the H-pipe has to be put on as a unit at the same time. One guy can't be on both sides at the same time.
Overall I am very happy with these headers and their overall quality. I am attaching some pictures that show the flange and tubing thickness on my set. Also shown is my Mac Prochamber (already sold) laying with the 2 H-pipes you get with the OBX system. My long range plans are to build a Prochamber style box on the extra set from OBX. I really like that sound. But that will be another project down the road. I will get a sound clip later today. I have no driving experience to share as I have a problem with another mod that is preventing me from driving the car.
1/6/08, 05:10 AM
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Here are some of the pictures I took. You can read the digital calipers for the thicknesses of the flange and tube thickness. And I forgot to mention that as part of my install I added the Prothane motor mounts on my install. These are not required for the headers to fit but do provide more clearance around them over the stock mounts.
Scott
Scott
1/6/08, 07:03 AM
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Good write up! Scott I can't tell from the photo, but have the primary tubes been welded on both sides of the header flange? From the photo it looks like their just welded on the out side....
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attach...1&d=1199621118
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attach...1&d=1199621118
1/6/08, 07:29 AM
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Good write up! Scott I can't tell from the photo, but have the primary tubes been welded on both sides of the header flange? From the photo it looks like their just welded on the out side.... http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attach...1&d=1199621118
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attach...1&d=1199621118It is very hard to tell even when you are holding them and looking right into the ports because they have been machined and ground smooth. You can see the hand grinder marks in all of the tubes. And even if they are not welded on the inside as long as they were welded correctly (hot enough for full weld penetration) if really won't matter. I will say the welds everywhere are top notch.
Let me add another observation I made but forget to post earlier. I believe OBX starts with 1/2 thick flanges, welds the primary in and then machines the flange flat. I can tell because the flange thickness varies about .030 in thickness from one end to the other.
1/6/08, 08:33 AM
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It is very hard to tell even when you are holding them and looking right into the ports because they have been machined and ground smooth. You can see the hand grinder marks in all of the tubes. And even if they are not welded on the inside as long as they were welded correctly (hot enough for full weld penetration) if really won't matter. I will say the welds everywhere are top notch. Let me add another observation I made but forget to post earlier. I believe OBX starts with 1/2 thick flanges, welds the primary in and then machines the flange flat. I can tell because the flange thickness varies about .030 in thickness from one end to the other.
Let me add another observation I made but forget to post earlier. I believe OBX starts with 1/2 thick flanges, welds the primary in and then machines the flange flat. I can tell because the flange thickness varies about .030 in thickness from one end to the other.
1/6/08, 10:05 AM
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Scott, O' buddy I'm familiar with Full weld penetration , I worked for a aircraft manufacturer in machine fabrication for twenty years, and thats why I asked. In doing research for my headers (Steeda) I found that many manufactures weld there primary's to the header flange differently some weld inside and tack on the outside and some just weld the inside and in your case just weld the outside! In a perfect world As you stated, "As long as they were welded correctly" you should have no problem! and thats where a problem can exist. Almost all weld failure on headers happens on primary tube, header flange welds!
I didn't know you were so smart.
I only worked in the aircraft industry for about 10 yrs of my career but as you also know if things are welding correctly the weld than is as strong or stronger than the parent materials. Only time and enough heat cycles will tell the truth.
1/6/08, 11:59 AM
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I didn't know you were so smart. I only worked in the aircraft industry for about 10 yrs of my career but as you also know if things are welding correctly the weld than is as strong or stronger than the parent materials. Only time and enough heat cycles will tell the truth.
I only worked in the aircraft industry for about 10 yrs of my career but as you also know if things are welding correctly the weld than is as strong or stronger than the parent materials. Only time and enough heat cycles will tell the truth. 
Hey! OldMach1Dude....
I am not trying to enter an adversarial position with you! I'm sure there will be enough people that will do that in this thread... Nor am I trying to make any social cometary on the fact that I believe when at all possible, and I realize it is getting harder to do, We should as Americans do all we can to support manufacturing in this country! ( kinda makes me sick to my stomach thinking about some 12 year old kid working for 25 cents a hour, 16 hours a day for a government owned corporation) So I can save a couple hundred bucks on a component thats not necessary to my everyday life!.......Nope your not going to hear that from me..... So the final analysis is what Scott?...You got a $400 set of long tube headers, material seems to be good,....welds appearer OK!, fit is questionable and a great guarantee on craftsmanship and materials..
Sounds like you got what you payed for!.....
1/6/08, 12:18 PM
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Amen to this. http://www.evoperform.com/shop/index...roducts_id=133
Born American and will do my best to remain so...
Born American and will do my best to remain so...
1/6/08, 12:20 PM
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Hey! OldMach1Dude.... I am not trying to enter an adversarial position with you! I'm sure there will be enough people that will do that in this thread... Nor am I trying to make any social cometary on the fact that I believe when at all possible, and I realize it is getting harder to do, We should as Americans do all we can to support manufacturing in this country! ( kinda makes me sick to my stomach thinking about some 12 year old kid working for 25 cents a hour, 16 hours a day for a government owned corporation) So I can save a couple hundred bucks on a component thats not necessary to my everyday life!.......Nope your not going to hear that from me..... So the final analysis is what Scott?...You got a $400 set of long tube headers, material seems to be good,....welds appearer OK!, fit is questionable and a great guarantee on craftsmanship and materials.. Sounds like you got what you payed for!.....I didn't take it your post in a bad way. If my OBX headers crack or fall apart I will tell the truth about them. That is all I ever try to do. If I made a bad call by purchasing these headers I will admit it publicly.
That I pormise.Scott
1/6/08, 12:42 PM
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Born American and will do my best to remain so...
Born American and will do my best to remain so...
Dude if you have nothing to contribute concerning the topic at hand in this thread, then don't post.
1/6/08, 12:56 PM
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Here is a sound clip I took today. I purposely took it in my garage so that it could be compared to my last exhaust setup. The first vid is with the stock manifolds, offroad Mac Prochamber, Borla pipes, and GTA mufflers.
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q...pipesGTAmu.flv
Now the next vid is the OBX longtubes, OBX H-pipe with resonators,Borla pipes and GTA mufflers.
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q...TAMufflers.flv
Tell me what you guys hear. I think the Prochamber has a mellowing effect about it. The OBX H-pipe has a little more volume and maybe harshness to it. So what I would like to do someday is build a Prochamber style box on the extra H-pipe you get with the OBX system. This modding stuff has no limits does it?
Scott
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q...pipesGTAmu.flv
Now the next vid is the OBX longtubes, OBX H-pipe with resonators,Borla pipes and GTA mufflers.
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q...TAMufflers.flv
Tell me what you guys hear. I think the Prochamber has a mellowing effect about it. The OBX H-pipe has a little more volume and maybe harshness to it. So what I would like to do someday is build a Prochamber style box on the extra H-pipe you get with the OBX system. This modding stuff has no limits does it?
Scott
1/6/08, 01:12 PM
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Here is a sound clip I took today. I purposely took it in my garage so that it could be compared to my last exhaust setup. The first vid is with the stock manifolds, offroad Mac Prochamber, Borla pipes, and GTA mufflers.
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q...pipesGTAmu.flv
Now the next vid is the OBX longtubes, OBX H-pipe with resonators,Borla pipes and GTA mufflers.
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q...TAMufflers.flv
Tell me what you guys hear. I think the Prochamber has a mellowing effect about it. The OBX H-pipe has a little more volume and maybe harshness to it. So what I would like to do someday is build a Prochamber style box on the extra H-pipe you get with the OBX system. This modding stuff has no limits does it?
Scott
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q...pipesGTAmu.flv
Now the next vid is the OBX longtubes, OBX H-pipe with resonators,Borla pipes and GTA mufflers.
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q...TAMufflers.flv
Tell me what you guys hear. I think the Prochamber has a mellowing effect about it. The OBX H-pipe has a little more volume and maybe harshness to it. So what I would like to do someday is build a Prochamber style box on the extra H-pipe you get with the OBX system. This modding stuff has no limits does it?
Scott