Anyone installed Calspeed 1 7/8" headers on a 2WD with out the heat/hammer mod?
10-04-2012, 11:33 PM
#61
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I just had the 1 7/8 Calspeed headers installed on my 2000 Silverado by the dealer and they fit like crap. They had to notch the same primary in the picture posted above to clear the frame! The spark plug wires are already melted from the 15 mile drive home.
Oh... the motor mounts were replaced too! These suck and I'm pissed. The owner at Calspeed did say that they would fit "perfect and has done many installs with no problems." He offered to take the headers back but I couldn't afford to pay the dealer to remove the Calspeeds and install my stock exhaust.
I should have bought ARH, TSP or Pacesetters. Hell, the OBX fit well with the C6's (Corvettes).
Oh... the motor mounts were replaced too! These suck and I'm pissed. The owner at Calspeed did say that they would fit "perfect and has done many installs with no problems." He offered to take the headers back but I couldn't afford to pay the dealer to remove the Calspeeds and install my stock exhaust.
I should have bought ARH, TSP or Pacesetters. Hell, the OBX fit well with the C6's (Corvettes).
10-09-2012, 06:13 PM
#62
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Installed my 1 7/8 headers today, 2004 ECSB GMC Sierra 2WD, I thought they fit pretty good. I did have to hammer one primary on the passenger side where it was touching frame but didn't take long to fix and I can deal with having to dimple a tube for the price. Cleared my steering shaft by about an 1/8 of an inch, installed y-pipe loosely then reinstalled transmission crossmember so I could adjust it accordingly to not hit. I bolted the rear "mouth-piece" to my cat-back tight and had the rest of it so I could move it a bit. Love the way they sound with my Dynomax ultra-flo cat-back. In all reality guys, if your buying these headers, don't bitch about fitment. In a nutshell they are "ebay" headers. The price I paid for 1 7/8 stainless headers with 3"-3.5" y-pipe shipped to my door, I could have got pacesetter painted headers and offroad-y, and would have had a smaller primary, smaller y-pipe and painted steel. Yes I could have bought AR headers or Dynatech (and other big brands) and spent twice as much, for having to hammer a tube, I'll save the money. I also have 2 spark plug wires touching, not bad but will be remedied with angled plug wires (could use some better ones anyways). Driven 80 miles today with zero issues. I install stuff like this all the time at my shop, and have come to expect if you buy off-brand stuff, expect to have to modify things. Doesn't mean they are bad quality, just means the R&D is nowhere near the big companies and that's why you save money.
And for all the people bitching about them stating "direct fitment", how many times have you seen that on cheap car parts? Seriously, ebay intakes, headers, turbo parts etc etc all say that, and on some vehicles it just might fit perfect, but again, the R&D thing. I've had to modify a set of Kooks before, a set of Hookers on more than one install, so not even the big companies are immune to fitment issues. Now if I had to cut the primary out and reroute it, ya that would **** me off but on MY install, happy with my LT's. I would suggest if your not going to install these yourself and have the ability to modify then skip them. I've learned that when people are having someone else put things on, they expect them to be installed perfect no matter what brand, so go with something with a better fitment reputation. If little things like denting a tube don't bother ya, then go for it
And for all the people bitching about them stating "direct fitment", how many times have you seen that on cheap car parts? Seriously, ebay intakes, headers, turbo parts etc etc all say that, and on some vehicles it just might fit perfect, but again, the R&D thing. I've had to modify a set of Kooks before, a set of Hookers on more than one install, so not even the big companies are immune to fitment issues. Now if I had to cut the primary out and reroute it, ya that would **** me off but on MY install, happy with my LT's. I would suggest if your not going to install these yourself and have the ability to modify then skip them. I've learned that when people are having someone else put things on, they expect them to be installed perfect no matter what brand, so go with something with a better fitment reputation. If little things like denting a tube don't bother ya, then go for it
Last edited by 1FSTZ71; 10-09-2012 at 06:29 PM.
10-09-2012, 07:13 PM
#64
Installed my 1 7/8 headers today, 2004 ECSB GMC Sierra 2WD, I thought they fit pretty good. I did have to hammer one primary on the passenger side where it was touching frame but didn't take long to fix and I can deal with having to dimple a tube for the price. Cleared my steering shaft by about an 1/8 of an inch, installed y-pipe loosely then reinstalled transmission crossmember so I could adjust it accordingly to not hit. I bolted the rear "mouth-piece" to my cat-back tight and had the rest of it so I could move it a bit. Love the way they sound with my Dynomax ultra-flo cat-back. In all reality guys, if your buying these headers, don't bitch about fitment. In a nutshell they are "ebay" headers. The price I paid for 1 7/8 stainless headers with 3"-3.5" y-pipe shipped to my door, I could have got pacesetter painted headers and offroad-y, and would have had a smaller primary, smaller y-pipe and painted steel. Yes I could have bought AR headers or Dynatech (and other big brands) and spent twice as much, for having to hammer a tube, I'll save the money. I also have 2 spark plug wires touching, not bad but will be remedied with angled plug wires (could use some better ones anyways). Driven 80 miles today with zero issues. I install stuff like this all the time at my shop, and have come to expect if you buy off-brand stuff, expect to have to modify things. Doesn't mean they are bad quality, just means the R&D is nowhere near the big companies and that's why you save money.
And for all the people bitching about them stating "direct fitment", how many times have you seen that on cheap car parts? Seriously, ebay intakes, headers, turbo parts etc etc all say that, and on some vehicles it just might fit perfect, but again, the R&D thing. I've had to modify a set of Kooks before, a set of Hookers on more than one install, so not even the big companies are immune to fitment issues. Now if I had to cut the primary out and reroute it, ya that would **** me off but on MY install, happy with my LT's. I would suggest if your not going to install these yourself and have the ability to modify then skip them. I've learned that when people are having someone else put things on, they expect them to be installed perfect no matter what brand, so go with something with a better fitment reputation. If little things like denting a tube don't bother ya, then go for it
And for all the people bitching about them stating "direct fitment", how many times have you seen that on cheap car parts? Seriously, ebay intakes, headers, turbo parts etc etc all say that, and on some vehicles it just might fit perfect, but again, the R&D thing. I've had to modify a set of Kooks before, a set of Hookers on more than one install, so not even the big companies are immune to fitment issues. Now if I had to cut the primary out and reroute it, ya that would **** me off but on MY install, happy with my LT's. I would suggest if your not going to install these yourself and have the ability to modify then skip them. I've learned that when people are having someone else put things on, they expect them to be installed perfect no matter what brand, so go with something with a better fitment reputation. If little things like denting a tube don't bother ya, then go for it
10-09-2012, 07:29 PM
#65
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A little more than I probably needed to but it oval'd out nicely so I didn't lose volume so much, just shape change in that area. I didn't measure diameter in that spot but I bet it's right about 1 3/4, looks like more in the pic but it didn't have to go that far, just a wide section (since we have a boxed frame there, if it was open I would have only needed the size of say a ball-peen). Still overall I'm very happy with the purchase
10-10-2012, 12:47 AM
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Maybe my opinion on them is because of my outlook on things lol. I went in not expecting perfect headers, I knew before seeing any installs that the chance of them fitting perfect were slim at best, but trusted that I could make em' work. I wanted a little performance but mainly I wanted to ditch stock manifolds/cats and add a nice sound and get stainless, these fit the bill for me. Maybe if we all went in thinking we were getting the worst headers in the world more people would like them lol
10-10-2012, 01:28 AM
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There is so much hate for these headers here. I've had mine for about 9 months. And about 6 others on CGM have them. As I said many times, for $350, it's one of the better mods I have done.
I don't think I would be the **** out of mine to fit a 4x4 though. I read one or two saying they had no issues at all with 4x4, but I don't recall pics of it.
I don't think I would be the **** out of mine to fit a 4x4 though. I read one or two saying they had no issues at all with 4x4, but I don't recall pics of it.