header clearance concern

[lilmarauder]

I rushed home today to install my stainless works headers. everything went great and fast. I bolted up the passenger side and I saw that I only have 3/8 of a Inch between the header and my frame. So for all the guys out there with stainless works headers, is that how close yours are? Or do I have a goofy header. If the motor torques down it will smash the tube for sure.

I can't upload pictures from my phone but its a tight fit.

[fastblackmerc]

I rushed home today to install my stainless works headers. everything went great and fast. I bolted up the passenger side and I saw that I only have 3/8 of a Inch between the header and my frame. So for all the guys out there with stainless works headers, is that how close yours are? Or do I have a goofy header. If the motor torques down it will smash the tube for sure.

I can't upload pictures from my phone but its a tight fit.

You should be OK. Even if it did touch the frame, you'll slightly dent the header.

[lilmarauder]

Yea I hope I am. If the motor does torque towards the drivers side of the car it will hit. It will have to bend the entire header to make clearance because 6 inches of the tube is that close.

[Blackened300a]

I never had a frame to header clearance issue. Just my steering shaft to header clearance is my concern. It rubs when I make left turns, ill have to see what I can do to remedy that.

[a_d_a_m]

Just my steering shaft to header clearance is my concern. It rubs when I make left turns, ill have to see what I can do to remedy that. Take a bunch of rights.

[lilmarauder]

Ok. Well blackened300a, Would you do me a big favor and go see how much space you do have between the passenger side header and your frame at the closest point? So I can compare to someone else. anyone out there willing to take a look for me?

[MMBLUE]

I never had a frame to header clearance issue. Just my steering shaft to header clearance is my concern. It rubs when I make left turns, ill have to see what I can do to remedy that.

Just stick a "U" shaped spacer under the motor mount bolt and the K member. I got BBK's and had to do that for installation. Mine are about 3/8ths inch.

[lilmarauder]

Thank you for your input. Perhaps I will at least shim the motor mount.

[Blackened300a]

Just stick a "U" shaped spacer under the motor mount bolt and the K member. I got BBK's and had to do that for installation. Mine are about 3/8ths inch.

That was my next route. Never got around to it.

[lilmarauder]

About how much could you shim? Up to a 1/8? Or more?

[MMBLUE]

Thank you for your input. Perhaps I will at least shim the motor mount.


That was my next route. Never got around to it.


The only draw back is if you have JLT or something other than stock elbow going into the throttle body, is a clearance issue with the hood liner rubbing :mad:.

[lilmarauder]

Yea my jlt is already chafing on my hood liner. I'm going to me very upset if these headers get all banged up from smacking my frame. $1000 dollars for headers and they don't fit good.

[LANDY]

I can assure you will be fine without a spacer. The SW headers are the best fit for the marauder.

[lilmarauder]

That's why I bought them without hesitation. I have heard great things about them. the fabrication quality on the headers and exhaust is phenomenal, but I really dislike how close it is to my frame. There is a good chance that it is enough and that I'm worrying too much. I will see when I drive it in the spring.

[Blackened300a]

The only draw back is if you have JLT or something other than stock elbow going into the throttle body, is a clearance issue with the hood liner rubbing :mad:.

OK then forget that idea. I have a aftermarket hood liner that wearing a hole into is not a option. Ill grind the shaft down a little more, or dimple the header.


I can assure you will be fine without a spacer. The SW headers are the best fit for the marauder.
They are but I have SW and they still hit the shaft. At least my starter can be removed in one piece.

[MMBLUE]

OK then forget that idea. I have a aftermarket hood liner that wearing a hole into is not a option. Ill grind the shaft down a little more, or dimple the header.


They are but I have SW and they still hit the shaft. At least my starter can be removed in one piece.

I'd do that before steering shaft grinding too much. A calculated hit with a ball peen hammer will do it some good.

[lilmarauder]

It's too bad we can't get someone to fabricate a aftermarket steering shaft. I haven't put my steering shaft back on yet so I could be in the same situation also. I hope I'm one of the people that don't have that issue. If when I can figure out how to upload pictures from my phone on here I will post up pics of the ceramic coating I went with. It is a bright silver. It has a satin finish. Looks very cool

[Blackened300a]

Read this thread.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=62151

A member was looking into this a few years ago, but I have no idea what became of it.

[J-MAN]

It's too bad we can't get someone to fabricate a aftermarket steering shaft. I haven't put my steering shaft back on yet so Icould be in the same situation also. I hope I'm one of the people that don't have that issue. If when I can figure out how to upload pictures from my phone on here I will post up pics of the ceramic coating I went with. It is a bright silver. It has a satin finish. Looks very cool


Curless!!!!

[Joe Walsh]

Still surprised that in this day and age a set of headers cannot be replicted that DON'T hit anything in the Marauder's engine compartment!
For the $$$$ that you lay out, they should fit like a glove.
If they cost $300.00, then.....OK, maybe we could expect some fitment problems.
There was only one engine type and one transmission type supplied in ALL 11,000+ Marauders......:shake:

[DOOM]

Still surprised that in this day and age a set of headers cannot be replicted that DON'T hit anything in the Marauder's engine compartment!
For the $$$$ that you lay out, they should fit like a glove.
If they cost $300.00, then.....OK, maybe we could expect some fitment problems.
There was only one engine type and one transmission type supplied in ALL 11,000+ Marauders......:shake:


EXACTLY!!! :agree:

[Joe Walsh]

BTW: Having to shim the motor mounts to make custom headers fit is :bs:

[merc]

BTW: Having to shim the motor mounts to make custom headers fit is :bs:

My newly purchased Stainless Steel Works headers fits better then the first generation models. From what I am told they have a better fit to finish then before. No problems here and I would highly recommend to others. No shims, no exhaust mod, just bolt and go.

[Blown3.8]

Yeah Mercs fit great. On Sherms we had to shim the motor and grind the shaft. Never had a problem with the passenger side.

[jsignorelli]

I had a slight clearance problem with the steering shaft contacting the SW header, on a tight left turn only. A piece of round wood closet pole against the header, at the contact point, smacked with a mallet created the clearance I needed.

[tbone]

I've had no issues with mine other than the steering shaft which was taken care of at installation.

[lilmarauder]

I contacted stainless works yesterday and they verified that the passenger side header was in fact designed to be that close to the frame on the car. They said a 1/4 inch of gap is normal.

[justbob]

I can assure you will be fine without a spacer. The SW headers are the best fit for the marauder.

Wrong, my "justMac's" are the best fitting MM LT headers by a LONG shot! 😜

No where close to frame contact, 1/4" from steering shaft, and 100% starter view!

Sooooo not worth the aggravation though...

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=73730


Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

[babbage]

My newly purchased Stainless Steel Works headers fits better then the first generation models. From what I am told they have a better fit to finish then before. No problems here and I would highly recommend to others. No shims, no exhaust mod, just bolt and go.


This was my experience too. Self installed MAUCAT, bolted right on!
Plenty of room near steering shaft, no shims, no frame rub etc.

[yjmud]

Tbone's didn't need as much grinding as mine did

[StainlessWorks]

lilmarauder send some pictures our way so we can look at the clearance, we are here to help!

Clearance is always tight in regards to the steering shaft on the Marauders, there isn't a whole lot of room, but plenty you shouldn't have an issue. Since we do a many installs here per week on various applications, we notice a number of motor mounts that are worn and cause the motor to "twist" a bit more than necessary, this can be an issue but not always. Just something to consider, especially if your car has some mileage, has experienced excessive corrosion from winter, salt on the roads or even prolonged exposure to sun. These are all things to be expected as we all know. Don't even get us started on worn out factory rubber hangers, these things will stretch after a few years and cause many strange "clanking" sounds to rattle your brain while driving your loved ones around.

Please don't forget that Stainless Works is an active vendor on this thread, we are here to help and stand by our product 100%.

Paul at Stainless Works

[Krytin]

Yea I hope I am. If the motor does torque towards the drivers side of the car it will hit. It will have to bend the entire header to make clearance because 6 inches of the tube is that close.

Unless the motor is running backwards, it only torques to the passenger side under acceleration. If you had a manual transmission it might torque to the driver's side when downshifting more than one gear at a shift.