LT header install. Help!

Im installing the Hooker Supercomp LT's on my thirdgen LT1 and am having some problems. The header was first making contact on the knock sensor, so I moved the knock sensor to the driver side, that took care of that, but now, Im making hard contact on the A-arm mount. Has anyone else ran into this problem? Hooker said these headers are made for my car, but I dont know. Please help.

motor mounts worn?

a buddy of mine put long tubes on his '88 Iroc and had to use a starter off an LT1

These are big headers and some contact is almost inevitable. My 84 has solid motor mounts so I've had fewer problems then most but they still made contact on the Lakewood Bell Housing. A little bending, beating and grinding usually takes care of this. You'll definately need a mini-starter.

I used new poly mounts first off.

Hooker LT's I have contacted the brake lines on both sides of the engine when they run along the top of the K member. Bending them fixed that but they're still close.

Uncomfortable close to the A-Arm on the driver side and big contact on the pass side. A Sawzall and carbide bits were used to take off the excess meat that isn't needed on the a-arms.

Also had to carbide grind the weld on the backside of the K member because they touched there a little also. PITA but probably very worth it over shorty headers. Mufflex Y-pipe also touches Spohn cross member...Sawzall again.. Goodluck!

Denny, you don't by chance have any photos of your modifications do you? I just ordered a set of the Hooker SuperComps. This car... ugh... killin the bank account.

So, you just cut the A-arm knuckle? did you weld anything back in place? that looks like it is somewhat structural to me. The rounded edges gives it strength I believe. I could be wrong as I often am.

Smack them with a Ford tool,aka hammer.

I had beat the F outta my hooker supercomps :eek:

I'm experiencing the same contact as Denny did and I've got some poly motor mounts that should take care of a lot of the problem. Thanks for the tips Denny I will tune up the sawzall while I am in there. BTW, Andris Skulte now has a Hooker LT specific crossmember available on his website, www.skulte.com

It's for T56 retrofits.

No pics of the mayhem but it's in a location that's hard to see unless the engine is out of the car.

Cutting some excess steel off of the A-Arm area looks safe to me. It's not load bearing or stressed or functional in any way.

Bolt disk
Removed 1" or so of steel here--> ==O======]=} <--Wheel

(A-Arm frontal view above):D

Hey guys, I put an LT4 in and am running into the same challenges. I have called Hedman and found out that "the IROCs have larger A-arms and the frames are different too"...Hedman's office in GA (racing division) said they have a car in the yard they want to use to build up a set for this application, but he had 10 cars in front of that to do first. Their CA office just told me they didn't know if anything would get past the larger A-arms, they weren't built for that application.

I didn't know that there was such a difference between the cars. Maybe this is why some people have no problem putting headers in while other people are cursing the whole time. Dropping headers into an RS may be easier than an IROC.

Anybody with more experience, please add to this thread. I would really like to find out which headers work with our frames!

One solution may be to get the Global West or BMR A-arms.

I've never heard of a difference in A-Arms... ???

I've never heard of a difference in A-Arms... ???
I have never heard of IROCs having different frames either.......the IROC package was just suspension/appearance.....no need to alter the frame that I know of.............but I suppose anything is possible. :shrug:

I have never heard of IROCs having different frames either.......the IROC package was just suspension/appearance.....no need to alter the frame that I know of.............but I suppose anything is possible. :shrug:


The a-arms were the absolute same iroc to iron duke 4 cyl. Iroc's had a wonder bar that's about it for frame modifications.

The a-arms were the absolute same iroc to iron duke 4 cyl. Iroc's had a wonder bar that's about it for frame modifications.
That's kinda what I thought........but far be it from me to say someone has bad info. ;)

Oh yeah, what is a wonder bar?

That's kinda what I thought........but far be it from me to say someone has bad info. ;)

Oh yeah, what is a wonder bar?

it's basically a bar with 2 tabs that mount to the sway bar chassis mounts to reinforce the steering box. It's a weak area in thirdgens and prone to cracking.

-Jim

it's basically a bar with 2 tabs that mount to the sway bar chassis mounts to reinforce the steering box. It's a weak area in thirdgens and prone to cracking.

-Jim
Gotcha, thanks for the info. :)

Anytime! now back to the original post...


What shape are the motor mounts your using in?

I put new motor mounts in...That was an education in itself, getting to the two top bolts on them.

As far as the difference in the A-arms and frame, I had never heard of that either. Just quoting Hedman on that, and that's why I asked here. I figured someone here would either confirm it as a little known fact or say no way. Thanks for the info guys, I will be ordering HED-66469.

I will follow up when I get them in, but it may be a while. Looks like I may move from NY to NC in a few weeks...

I installed new mounts from O'rielly's, but I finally got the header to fit. I got the trusty cutting torch out and went to work. I cut the knuckle off the A-arm all the way back to the bolt. and relocated brake lines and dented the header where it made contact with the K-member. Even after cutting the A-arm I still had to dent the header. The dents are minimal though, so I dont think it will hurt anything. But the fit, and the install isnt really that bad. It just takes time. Thanks for the help.