Headers -- your recommendation.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,924
Likes: 392
From: Atlanta - - - - - Save the manuals
Headers -- your recommendation.
Please post your recommendation for my header purchase. I'm looking for information that is difficult to determine from the usual advertisements and performance improvements.
I'm looking for general brand information (Hooker, ARH, etc.) for street headers (something that does not reduce ground clearance), that is of good quality (I can drive for a good number of years on the street without problems) and I can install myself (DIY install on a Quickjack and fits my X pipe or the header's X pipe fits my existing exhaust) .
Any and all opinions are welcome, but if you've done a specific brand/model yourself I'd like know that also.
This is a 2005 LS2 (No mods yet)
I'm looking for general brand information (Hooker, ARH, etc.) for street headers (something that does not reduce ground clearance), that is of good quality (I can drive for a good number of years on the street without problems) and I can install myself (DIY install on a Quickjack and fits my X pipe or the header's X pipe fits my existing exhaust) .
Any and all opinions are welcome, but if you've done a specific brand/model yourself I'd like know that also.
This is a 2005 LS2 (No mods yet)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,238
Likes: 203
From: Lexington South Carolina
I know some people will recommend you spend 2 grand on a set of Kooks headers. I have a set of cheap OBX headers off of eBay and the fit and clearance is good. They have been on the vehicle for years and have never had an issue with them.
Retired & lovin' it!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,471
Likes: 543
From: Jackson NJ
I've had ARH 1 3/4" on my '05 since 2009 & they have been great. Very high quality; perfect fit; nice power add with Corsa Sports & X-pipe. Also had local shop (ECS) do a tune which enhances the set up. There are cheaper headers available, but remember, you get what you pay for.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
"AlohaC5" Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,562
Likes: 44
From: Madison, AL
American businesses like Kooks, American Racing Headers, Borla and others invest a lot of money in R&D, testing, certifications, marketing, advertising as well as patents, while creating many jobs along the supply chain. Yet the Chinese Communists (PRC) will buy these headers (OBX), reverse engineer them, and sell them on eBay for some "savings" that pulls revenue from these American businesses and the jobs they create. As Corvette owners, if you can't put up the dollars for new or used set of originals.... well, you get the idea... Every 5 years or so you see these, "Who makes the best headers?" threads in search.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,243
Likes: 1,133
From: North Myrtle Beach SC
Ok, these companies did the research and engineering almost 15 years ago. The tooling was paid for long ago, but they continue to charge $1500 for $20 worth of tubing.
Im going to buy Speed Engineering when the time comes.
Im going to buy Speed Engineering when the time comes.
"AlohaC5" Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,562
Likes: 44
From: Madison, AL
Same could be said for GM parts. So if you work for GM powertrain in Detroit, and China copies your transmission and other components and sells them on the market for 50% off, decreasing demand for genuine GM powertrain component parts, and puts you out of a job for decreased demand and GM revenue.... the irony.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 220
Likes: 4
From: Trophy Club Texas
Hinson Headers here too. Two plus years no problem with the headers. I did have a problem with the Hinson high flow cats in the H pipe. I replaced them with Kooks. Looking back, I wouldn't have replaced the failed Hinson cats. I would have left them straight through.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 4,609
Likes: 1,802
From: Erlanger, Kentucky
Had ARH's on my Grand Sport and they are good but there were a couple of areas where they came close to the frame. Had to bend the trans cooler lines out of the way so they wouldn't rub.
Ended up putting on a set of Kooks after I added an E-force. No clearance issues of any kind and Kooks included a small bracket to push the trans cooler lines out of the way and also included a small bit of insulating wrap for the lines.
My preference is Kooks.
Ended up putting on a set of Kooks after I added an E-force. No clearance issues of any kind and Kooks included a small bracket to push the trans cooler lines out of the way and also included a small bit of insulating wrap for the lines.
My preference is Kooks.
