I know this question has been asked a million times but I just wanted to re-assure myself on the coreect way to go about fixing it and "how exactly" to do it.
I finally got my C.A.M LT's headers installed yesterday and now I have the infamous steering shaft problem that most seem to have. I had a good friend who runs a shop do the install since I just don't have to time nor the space (apt. complex) to do the install. He has done dozens of header installs before with no problems, but this was the first time he said he has installed the CAMS's (which most have said are basically macs, but he said they were different). He fought the steering issue for several hours and could not get the problem 100% fixed. But from what he said, it is a TON better than what it started out as. From what I've researched so far, there seem to be a couple ways to fix it. The only way I feel comfortable fixing it (meaning I don't want to shim the motor mounts or buy different headers) is to dent the primary tube where the shaft hits. Without taking the header back off, how exactly do I get in there to put this dent in the tube? Is it easier from the top or from underneath the car? Now for the catch. I know most are gonna say to heat the header up before doing so. The problem with that is that exactly where the clevis is hitting, there is a weld on the header so if I were to heat it up, that weld is gonna come out and I will be in worse shape than before. I was thinking is I could get some vice grips around it and bend it enough, or would a need to find something dull to use kind-of like a punch? What would be the best way?
Sorry for the long wind here but I'm just trying to visualize how to do this. Any help would be greatly appreciated
I finally got my C.A.M LT's headers installed yesterday and now I have the infamous steering shaft problem that most seem to have. I had a good friend who runs a shop do the install since I just don't have to time nor the space (apt. complex) to do the install. He has done dozens of header installs before with no problems, but this was the first time he said he has installed the CAMS's (which most have said are basically macs, but he said they were different). He fought the steering issue for several hours and could not get the problem 100% fixed. But from what he said, it is a TON better than what it started out as. From what I've researched so far, there seem to be a couple ways to fix it. The only way I feel comfortable fixing it (meaning I don't want to shim the motor mounts or buy different headers) is to dent the primary tube where the shaft hits. Without taking the header back off, how exactly do I get in there to put this dent in the tube? Is it easier from the top or from underneath the car? Now for the catch. I know most are gonna say to heat the header up before doing so. The problem with that is that exactly where the clevis is hitting, there is a weld on the header so if I were to heat it up, that weld is gonna come out and I will be in worse shape than before. I was thinking is I could get some vice grips around it and bend it enough, or would a need to find something dull to use kind-of like a punch? What would be the best way?
Sorry for the long wind here but I'm just trying to visualize how to do this. Any help would be greatly appreciated