Help with Mac long tube headers

Wolfhound

Founding Member

May 24, 2002

1,046

0

0

Space Coast, Florida

Dec 26, 2004

#1

• Dec 26, 2004

• #1

I bought a set of Mac long tube headers and on the drivers side I can't get the steering shaft back on. One of the headers tube needs to move over about an inch. I have heard of other people getting a new steering shaft. Anybody know of a way to get around this or where I might find a steering shaft that will work?

Thanks

 

Jkstang78

Founding Member

Oct 14, 2002

1,510

1

38

long island N.Y.

Dec 26, 2004

#2

• Dec 26, 2004

• #2

.

 

Jkstang78

Founding Member

Oct 14, 2002

1,510

1

38

long island N.Y.

Dec 26, 2004

#3

• Dec 26, 2004

• #3

Ok with the mac long tubes the Steering shaft has to go inbetween the header pipe. If that is what your doing and it is not working then you might have to get a flaming river steering shaft.

what kind of motor mounts are you using you might want to switch to the convertable mounts since they make the motor sit a lil lower.

 

Wolfhound

Founding Member

May 24, 2002

1,046

0

0

Space Coast, Florida

Dec 26, 2004

#4

• Dec 26, 2004

• #4

I am running it through the header pipe already but it needs almost an inch more to fit. I am using the energy suspension mounts. Thanks for the help. I will check out the flaming river shafts.

 

Hissing Cobra

Founding Member

Jan 4, 2002

798

0

17

Massachusetts

Dec 26, 2004

#5

• Dec 26, 2004

• #5

Welcome to the wonderful world of the MAC longtube headers. This is the same EXACT problem that I had with mine, which I installed last April.

I had to dent in one tube on the passenger side in order for the starter to clear. On the driver's side, I had to buy the Flaming River steering shaft assembly. It was either that or bang in two tubes on that side.

For $350.00 dollars, the fitment of these pieces was totally unacceptable and necessitated the purchase of a $175.00 steering shaft.

The next time I do an exhaust system, I will not use MAC headers. For what it's worth though, I've had no problems at all with their 2.5" off road H-pipe or 2.5" cat back system.

 

M

mandkcasey

New Member

Dec 26, 2004

6

0

0

Dec 26, 2004

#6

• Dec 26, 2004

• #6

Off topic, but what long tube headers have people been able to install with no problems in fitment? BBK? Bassani? some others? Just curious.

Thanks

 

flying high

Founding Member

Apr 5, 2000

1,835

0

0

colton ca

Dec 26, 2004

#7

• Dec 26, 2004

• #7

mandkcasey said:

Off topic, but what long tube headers have people been able to install with no problems in fitment? BBK? Bassani? some others? Just curious.

Thanks

Click to expand...

bbk ceramic coated headers, they fit perfect on my dads car, my mac one, dont even get me started, pos.

 

Ourobos

Member

Apr 12, 2004

260

1

17

Dec 26, 2004

#8

• Dec 26, 2004

• #8

You can get the older style MACs that the shaft doesn't go between primaries. Mine fit great.

 

Hissing Cobra

Founding Member

Jan 4, 2002

798

0

17

Massachusetts

Dec 27, 2004

#9

• Dec 27, 2004

• #9

Where can you get the older style of Mac's? My brother has had these on his car for 8 years with NO fitment problems. That is why I ordered mine. When they arrived, I was taken by surprise that they were different and didn't know that the fitment problems would occur until we bolted everything up. Why did they have to change something that worked?

Proceed with caution, those who intend to buy these headers.

 

281pony

Active Member

Aug 31, 2003

2,681

2

46

Oly, WA

Dec 27, 2004

#10

• Dec 27, 2004

• #10

also for what its worth. i had a mac x-pipe once. wouldnt fit. x-pipe is a multi-piece design which is HORRIBLE in my opinion. they should be one piece.

didnt line up, threads were not tapped right. also had a set of tailpipes that didnt fit either.

the only mac thing i have that stayed on the car was my throttle body. it has stuck on me once when i started to step on it some for no apparent reason. not my number one choice for parts, thats for sure.

 

S

strtracer442

New Member

Dec 12, 2003

175

0

0

Roseville,MI

Dec 27, 2004

#11

• Dec 27, 2004

• #11

I have 1 3/4" mac long tubes, and have no fit problems. I did have to lift the motor to get them in, but that is to be expected with long tubes.

 

ram360

Founding Member

Oct 19, 2002

2,162

1

59

Pennsylvania

Dec 27, 2004

#12

• Dec 27, 2004

• #12

I know I had to bend one of the tubes on the mac lts for my car. Even w/ the flaming river shaft I had some rubbing issues until I bent the one tube. I guess I got lucky with my set.

 

M

Matts89LX5.0

Founding Member

Nov 1, 2002

1,314

0

36

Long Island, NY

Dec 27, 2004

#13

• Dec 27, 2004

• #13

yea, all i had to do was lift my motor up, but the bottom the steering shaft rubs a little, mainly because i'm using worn out motor mounts. New motor mounts are a must if you insist on running mac LTs

 

Hissing Cobra

Founding Member

Jan 4, 2002

798

0

17

Massachusetts

Dec 27, 2004

#14

• Dec 27, 2004

• #14

We rested the Mac longtubes down onto the crossmember and then dropped the engine in, right onto brand new Energy Suspension polyurethane motor mounts.

They still wouldn't fit. After bolting on the passenger side header, the starter wouldn't fit. The problem was solved by beating in the lower tube (after it was heated.) The driver's side produced a rubbing steering shaft on both tubes. I wasn't about to dent two of them in, so I purchased the Flaming River kit.

If I had known that they would rub that much and necessitate the need for a new steering shaft, I would have bought another brand.

Can you all tell how unhappy I was with the installation? We built this car from the ground up and this was the ONLY problem that we encountered.