Headers

[bucks77ford]

I want to buy some headers for my 75 F250 and I'm wondering how good the 18 gauge steel holds up. I'd like to get heavier gauge one like 14 gauge but seeing that the truck needs some more upgrades I'd like to spend as little as possible. However, if the thinner steel headers only last a couple years before they start to deteriorate, than I'd get better ones.

 

[Dirky]

I've got the Hedman Elite on mine. 3/8" flange and 14 gauge steel primary. Well built, (material wise) but started to leak at the collector after some time. The fit is poor, almost hitting the pass. side leaf spring, and only a few inches away from the drive shaft on the driver side. Not sure if they actually installed a pair of these headers before they put them to market, because the fit is "interesting".

They are the best header on the market for these trucks with the FE, sadly, but they were reasonably priced when I bought them, somewhere around $350... Summit has re-listed them at $530... Not sure why the price jumped so much!

The thermal ceramic coating that is on them is nice... Been almost two years, and the finish has only dulled, no flaking of any sort.

Two key factors for me: Thick flange and 14 gauge primary tubes.

I wouldn't go with anything less. That 1/4" garbage will leak, for sure! 18 gauge steel just won't last as long, just how it is, but a good header coating that protects the exterior of the metal will help a lot.

Derek.

 

[bucks77ford]

Ya, I've heard some different things with the hedmans not fitting quite well and the same thing about the thinner metaled headers. I did get a PM from a guy running the cheaper hedmann header (not elite) on his 75 supercab 460 2wd and the fit was great with no problems and have lasted a long time, but he did have them ceramic coated. So, I'm sorta torn. Get the cheaper headers and have them coated since there is at least one guy with proof that they fit well or go with the Elite Hedman Headers with the thermal coating on them and possibly battle the fitment as mentioned. If I'm gonna spend over or close to $500 either way, I'd rather do it right the first time.

 

[LEB Ben]

All I have to say is you're gonna wanna go Mad Dog. It'll be $500 plus coating. Not a huge Hedman fan myself, flanges and tube thickness is pretty garbage until you move up in to their more expensive lines...but at that price point, there are better options out there anyway. My opinion of $200 headers, they're throw away pieces and if you can get 5 years out of them...more power to you.

 

[bucks77ford]

All I have to say is you're gonna wanna go Mad Dog. It'll be $500 plus coating. Not a huge Hedman fan myself, flanges and tube thickness is pretty garbage until you move up in to their more expensive lines...but at that price point, there are better options out there anyway. My opinion of $200 headers, they're throw away pieces and if you can get 5 years out of them...more power to you.

Ya, I hear ya. I was looking at the L and Ls too. And I agree, I am just gonna pony up for the thicker ones and be done with it. Do it right the first time.

 

[LEB Ben]

^^^L&L are fine...but not what the once were. And they've been having trouble with their heat coatings...so you'd have to send them off to be coated anyway...if you want them to last. I'll reiterate, currently, Mad Dog is where it's at.

 

[Dirky]

Which engine? Do you have an FE? I don't even know if you've got a 4x4 or what, but if this is the case, neither Mad Dog or L&L had a header for that application about two years ago. Things may have changed.

Derek.