Header pricing differences... ARH

[steveespo]

No disrespect to Danielle but headers aren't just headers. Quality of the material is different, there are many "stainless" grades that will corrode, embrittle and crack, and distort under the heat of a high performance engine exhaust. Secondly the configuration size and length of the primary tubes as well as collector design all factor into the performance gains of a header. Thickness of the materials also plays into durability. The big companies do a lot of RD, the smaller ebay guys make knock offs, you pay for design engineering. Third quality of finish and fit. There are differences in flange thickness, weld quality and clean up at those welds between the cost points, this affects gasket sealing and performance through flow details. I will pay more for the proven brands since I focus on Road Racing and a 100% duty cycle vs drag racing where durability isn't so much and weight is a factor.

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[Terminator2]

OBX headers are here. I'm installing them tomorrow night. They are definitely heavier than my old pypes headers due to thicker wall stainless and larger primaries and larger flange. Quality seems good especially for the price I paid. Lifetime warranty came with them as well. They are said to be T-304 and I just tested them with a magnet and they are not magnetic like my stock piping and my old T-409 Flowmasters I have lying around. So they are definitely nonferrous stainless.

My fake cats are perforated tube glass packs just like my dynomax bullets.

They have a collector spike which I do not believe my old pypes headers had.

 

[TheDivaDanielle]

i guess I shouldn't have been so vague. I don't want to get chased down with pitchforks.

But in my own opinion, yes there is criteria. Stainless? i want that. 304 preferred. Primary size and length? i want long tubes and primaries big enough to breathe with a little room to grow, but not so large that i lose a ton of torque. Collectors should be big and have that power spike/cone. Wall size also matters, i'd prefer something less tinny that might have a better capacity of doing something with the heat, and also dampen the exhaust noise. Then lastly is where I was like "IDGAF" is appearance. Like I won't be mad about non-polished stainless vs ceramic coated or polished stainless. I have at this point had them all.

Sorry if I was too brief.

I had TOG headers on my GTP, cheap summitt headers on my 1st Trans Am, Hookers on my 2nd Trans Am, Stainless Works on my GTO, Kooks on my S197 Coyote and not am fine with going with Texas Speed on my current Mustang, due to the great service and products I had when I went with a Texas Speed cam package for my old GTO.

There is criteria, and i know you can get down to welds and cracking, etc. but if the welds look okay to me, then i'm okay with it.

 

[4V Mayhem]

i guess I shouldn't have been so vague. I don't want to get chased down with pitchforks.

But in my own opinion, yes there is criteria. Stainless? i want that. 304 preferred. Primary size and length? i want long tubes and primaries big enough to breathe with a little room to grow, but not so large that i lose a ton of torque. Collectors should be big and have that power spike/cone. Wall size also matters, i'd prefer something less tinny that might have a better capacity of doing something with the heat, and also dampen the exhaust noise. Then lastly is where I was like "IDGAF" is appearance. Like I won't be mad about non-polished stainless vs ceramic coated or polished stainless. I have at this point had them all.

Sorry if I was too brief.

I had TOG headers on my GTP, cheap summitt headers on my 1st Trans Am, Hookers on my 2nd Trans Am, Stainless Works on my GTO, Kooks on my S197 Coyote and not am fine with going with Texas Speed on my current Mustang, due to the great service and products I had when I went with a Texas Speed cam package for my old GTO.

There is criteria, and i know you can get down to welds and cracking, etc. but if the welds look okay to me, then i'm okay with it.

LOL, I'll take the cheap stuff any day over the expensive stuff. NO header is worth over a thousand dollars...to me that is. For DD street use with track use every now and then, these are more than perfectly fine. They'll last a long time, they'll give you just as much hp/tq as the top brands, and they'll look good when you pop the hood open to show em off. They look just like the more expensive MBRP and Pypes headers just from looking at the finish alone. And those 2 brands are $900. To be honest, at first glance, they look remarkably close to SW. BTW, a test with SW vs ARH showed no hp differences between the two, lol!! The ARH and Kooks do look different and slightly better tho. Still not worth the price to me. Anyway, they look great! Good choice!! I'm sure the welds won't "crack" at all. People been using TSP and OBX and even the no-name brand headers for many years and I have yet to hear a complaint.

 

[mustang_guy]

LOL, I'll take the cheap stuff any day over the expensive stuff. NO header is worth over a thousand dollars...to me that is. For DD street use with track use every now and then, these are more than perfectly fine.They'll last a long time, they'll give you just as much hp/tq as the top brands, and they'll look good when you pop the hood open to show em off. They look just like the more expensive MBRP and Pypes headers just from looking at the finish alone. And those 2 brands are $900. To be honest, at first glance, they look remarkably close to SW. BTW, a test with SW vs ARH showed no hp differences between the two, lol!! The ARH and Kooks do look different and slightly better tho. Still not worth the price to me. Anyway, they look great! Good choice!! I'm sure the welds won't "crack" at all. People been using TSP and OBX and even the no-name brand headers for many years and I have yet to hear a complaint.

100% false.

 

[4V Mayhem]

100% false.

http://www.mustang6g.com/?p=5839

This is a test between ARH and SW...because people insisted that ARH would make more power than SW. Guess what...lol, they were wrong. Both made similar hp with no significant difference. TSP has many times years ago challenged the major companies to a dyno comparison. Yet nobody took them up on the offer. You can think what you want. But ARH, SW, Kooks, OBX, TSP, SP, BBK...they'll all make similar power with no significant difference.

 

[mustang_guy]

http://www.mustang6g.com/?p=5839

This is a test between ARH and SW...because people insisted that ARH would make more power than SW. Guess what...lol, they were wrong. Both made similar hp with no significant difference. TSP has many times years ago challenged the major companies to a dyno comparison. Yet nobody took them up on the offer. You can think what you want. But ARH, SW, Kooks, OBX, TSP, SP, BBK...they'll all make similar power with no significant difference.

seen it, old news. similar at basic bolt on level yes. You said just as much and that's false. Its also false once you get past basic bolt ons. Good try though.

 

[mustang_guy]

There is a reason cobra jets are put together with arh headers. Its not because they get the best deal. There is a difference once enough flow is introduced. Budget headers work for some people but they are drastically inferior in pretty much every measure.

 

[Terminator2]

There is a reason cobra jets are put together with arh headers. Its not because they get the best deal. There is a difference once enough flow is introduced. Budget headers work for some people but they are drastically inferior in pretty much every measure.

I disagree 100%. I'll keep my extra $1000 I saved and buy a GT350 intake mani.

 

[4V Mayhem]

seen it, old news. similar at basic bolt on level yes. You said just as much and that's false. Its also false once you get past basic bolt ons. Good try though.

Wrong/incorrect/false.

 

[4V Mayhem]

There is a reason cobra jets are put together with arh headers. Its not because they get the best deal. There is a difference once enough flow is introduced. Budget headers work for some people but they are drastically inferior in pretty much every measure.

Lol, still wrong.

 

[Terminator2]

http://www.mustang6g.com/?p=5839

This is a test between ARH and SW...because people insisted that ARH would make more power than SW. Guess what...lol, they were wrong. Both made similar hp with no significant difference. TSP has many times years ago challenged the major companies to a dyno comparison. Yet nobody took them up on the offer. You can think what you want. But ARH, SW, Kooks, OBX, TSP, SP, BBK...they'll all make similar power with no significant difference.

This! My 1 7/8 long tube headers will make the same power as all the other 1 7/8 long tube headers.

 

[Todd15Fastback]

Guess we will find out soon enough with a few people having these TSP headers and getting them installed soon enough.

 

[mustang_guy]

Wrong/incorrect/false.

Lol, still wrong.

Oh thats right, you have tons of experience building cars that actually go fast. :lol:

 

[Dominant1]

My upcoming build includes the entire arh exhaust system from headers to tips...cant wait till its done...

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