Stepped headers

[Heo]

How do you calculate stepped headers?
Since im probably forced to build headers
for a Fairlane i can as well made them like that

[frnkeore]

I do it with PipeMax.

[475fetoploader]

There’s a kind fella in Kingman Arizona, builds pretty nice Fairlane headers. They fit very well. REF unlimited. 

[bobb428]

1st off, are you running a full exhaust?

[Heo]

Toploader, since i putting a 400 cleveland in the Fairlane i dont think
he makes them. And shipping of a set of headers is to expensive

[Heo]

1st off, are you running a full exhaust?

Most of the time yes, and i know probably dont any difference but
since i building them any way so.....and easier to stuf the tubes
in to each other than but welding them

[jayb]

I usually do three steps, increasing in size by 1/8" outside diameter each time.  For a 32" primary length, I make the first tube 16" long, the second tube 8", and the third tube 8".  I really like making stepped headers, because when you go to the next tube size, you can slide it over the first tube by an inch or so.  Makes welding easier, and they also sort of support themselves prior to welding.  If you have a slip-on collector, you can almost do the whole side by just tack welding the first tube to the flange, then slipping the second and third tubes in place over the previous tube, then the collector over the last tube.  Tack them all in place, remove the header and then finish weld.  Much easier than butt welding all the pipes...

[Blueoval77]

What Jay is saying here is absolutely solid info . It makes the job so much easier to do when you can slide them over one another . It makes it so much easier to tig as well . You can get away with out back purging in most cases.

[Heo]

I usually do three steps, increasing in size by 1/8" outside diameter each time.  For a 32" primary length, I make the first tube 16" long, the second tube 8", and the third tube 8".  I really like making stepped headers, because when you go to the next tube size, you can slide it over the first tube by an inch or so.  Makes welding easier, and they also sort of support themselves prior to welding.  If you have a slip-on collector, you can almost do the whole side by just tack welding the first tube to the flange, then slipping the second and third tubes in place over the previous tube, then the collector over the last tube.  Tack them all in place, remove the header and then finish weld.  Much easier than butt welding all the pipes...

Thanks Jay, Yes thats what i thought about, much easier to build when you slide them together