kc8oye Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 has anyone tried to take a pair of standard flat flange headers, cut the flat flanges off, and weld on a pair of ball-and-socket type flanges? headers are expensive... and I can get the ball and socket set for about $90... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Wolf Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 Mine are cut off, and a thicker flange is welded on. I will try and take a picture tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted October 20, 2010 Author Share Posted October 20, 2010 i'm not talking about a thicker flange winston I'm talking an actual ball-and-socket like most modern car manifolds use. I'[m talking about using these style "flanges" since they allow movement and mis-alignment. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FLO-15925/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowtieThunder Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 Hmmm I wonder how well that would work...kind of a neat concept Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 I have never done it to the header, but I have to cut my org. flat flange off my lead pipe when I got my new headers. The ball and socket is real nice no need for the collector gasket which blows out or you wrap the flange. What every you do Tim cut everything square as it will make welding the new pipe easier to weld on. Tim if it helps I'll grab a picture of my when I head out to the garage, here is a picture of my ball and socket system its a very nice system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 They also have flanges that use a donut gasket. I think either way, it has to be better than the flat gasket type. I have shorty headers with ball & socket...and they develop leaks every time I'd go to the drags. I guess the movement of the engine is enough for them to open up a little and let a lot of noise out. I had the bolts double-nutted so they weren't backing off, but I'd find them loose nonetheless. It must have been the actual ball or socket that was wearing or deforming. I ended up using longer bolts and intalling "exhaust springs" under each one. When you tighten the bolts, it compresses the springs and keeps a preload on the assembly. I haven't had a problem since. Here is a pic of the type of spring I used (minus the bolts)...got them from the HELP section at the parts store. A couple of these would have probably cured the flex issue also... (these are from summit listed as "flex pipes"}. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicDragon42 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 An interesting but not a new method for exhaust components. I remember my 1956 Buick Century convertible had ball and socket on the muffler at both exhaust and tail pipes. I always thought it was a better method than pipe inside pipe but much more expensive to manufacture. It sure made changing a muffler a quick job. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 yeah.. I figure if I can cut the header's as close to square as possible, it shouldn't be too difficult to weld those on. it'll be a while yet.. my poor monte is stuck in michigan freezing it's backside off with no quarter panels on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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