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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 07:07 PM
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Default Super lightweight header

It's for an Acura RSX, but damn 7 1/2 lbs for a long tube header!



Using these numbers here the lightest current header/cats/x-pipe system weighs 45.4 lbs for a QTP system.

For these system, multiply by 2 for a V8, add 12 lbs for a Random Tech x-pipe, and another 12 lbs for the cats, and 2.5 lbs for clamps and it's a grand total of 41.5 lbs for a complete system. Dayam!
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 09:09 PM
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Are you suggesting that a Acura RSX header to save 4 lbs?
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 09:21 PM
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Not at all. This was built to be a lightweight system. For the racers, it would be awesome if even lighter headers were created. Weight could still be dropped from the x-pipe if constructed the same way, and an open pipe could be used in place of the cats. At one time Halltech made a Ti header system, but I never heard anything after seeing pictures of their prototype.

I like this because I like anything that gets weight out of the car without a loss of performance.
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 10:29 PM
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All of the H.P. bike stuff is Ti, and has been for a few years now.. Even comes stock on the majority of them; put a dent in the aftermarket industry..

With the "Corvette Tax", they would probably be 5 grand..
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 10:48 PM
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There were lots of concerns about whether the Ti exhaust could take the heat. At least on a bike, even a full fairing sport bike, gets a lot of airflow to cool it down. Anyway, from what I remember the Halltech headers were the shortest lt headers I've seen yet. If a no BS company like LGM sold them in the same style as their current headers, I'd get them....I might have to sell a kidney on ebay....there's another kidney in there anyway....right?
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Old Dec 28, 2004 | 01:03 AM
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There were lots of concerns about whether the Ti exhaust could take the heat. At least on a bike, even a full fairing sport bike, gets a lot of airflow to cool it down. Anyway, from what I remember the Halltech headers were the shortest lt headers I've seen yet. If a no BS company like LGM sold them in the same style as their current headers, I'd get them....I might have to sell a kidney on ebay....there's another kidney in there anyway....right?

and the bike pipes still turn all different colors of the rainbow i dont think they would last under the hood

if it were 14 pounds lighter it would not justify the higher price they would charge for them
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Old Dec 28, 2004 | 07:58 AM
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I remember a fellow biker from a few years ago that had to keep repainting the pipes on his naked bike with progressively higher heat resistant paints because it'd keep burning off on him!

Weight isn't the only reason to go Ti. Ti would make the benefits from coatings almost negligible, wouldn't ever corrode, and would be a little quieter as well. Of course none of that matters if the thing self-destructs. The things I don't get is that if heat is a problem with Ti, how can intake valves on racing motors and the LS7 can be Ti and still survive. Two different Ti alloys I'm sure, but I don't know which alloys are used for either application.
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Old Dec 28, 2004 | 09:13 AM
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Originally Posted by gmosley
There were lots of concerns about whether the Ti exhaust could take the heat. At least on a bike, even a full fairing sport bike, gets a lot of airflow to cool it down.
The McLaren F1 used TI for the headers on the v-12. That car was notorious for being a little hot behind the firewall. TI is also used as the skin on the Blackbird mach 3 aircraft as TI was the only material they knew would take the heat at that time.

Todd
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Old Dec 28, 2004 | 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by WhiteDiamond
The McLaren F1 used TI for the headers on the v-12. That car was notorious for being a little hot behind the firewall. TI is also used as the skin on the Blackbird mach 3 aircraft as TI was the only material they knew would take the heat at that time.

Todd
I was about to mention the McLaren F1. I think its just a matter of cost. I'd love to have a set of titanium longtube headers as long as the price is reasonable but if the headers and install costs the same as a supercharger install, I'll go with the supercharger. I'm sure, at some point, titanium headers will be sold by the aftermarket.
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Old Dec 28, 2004 | 12:15 PM
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Ti is an ideal material for headers, as its heat resistance properties are better than stainless steel.

Russia has a ton of this stuff.. I say "bring it on!"
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Old Dec 28, 2004 | 12:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Dan_the_C5_Man


Ti is an ideal material for headers, as its heat resistance properties are better than stainless steel.

Russia has a ton of this stuff.. I say "bring it on!"

True, but it's very expensive to produce and fabricate and it requires special welding techniques. Look at the cost of a stainless cat back system compared to a Ti. The Ti is twice as much, consequently a long tube set of headers would probably be in the $2K+ range.
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