my ceramic pacesetter LT's are very close to the steering linkage even tho i've removed both the rubber boot and that plastic guard. it isn't quite touching but every time i turn, that bolt in the steering linkage is hitting one of the header pipes and making a little groove in it! i really hate that..and am thinking maybe that will cause the header to rust or something in that spot?? anyway, looking for fast ideas to fix that problem if possible cuz i dont want to make it worse....just took it out on the road today for the first time after my 383 rebuild. should i just dent in the header right there where the bolt is making contact?

thanks!

 

Had the same problem with mine. Fixed it through a combination of a big pry bar on the linkage and a little denting of the header.

 

Just had this problem with my Pace-Setter LT's. Basicly I took the steering linkage out of the car and ground it down until I had no clearance problems. As far as the bolt, I ground that down as well leaving about 1/8" head. Just enough to get my socket on without stripping it. Your other option is to get a M8-1.25 X 40MM Button Head Socket Cap Screw. That should take care of your clearance issues.

It seems to me that the headers could have been bent in more to avoid this issue. I think they are great headers and I am amazed at how close they run to everything without hitting anything, but I think they need to go back to the drawing board on that one tube...

 

TransAm,

Where could I get one of those M8-1.25 X 40MM button heads you are talking about??

am i going to damage my headers if i drive it a couple more days with that bolt hitting the header? it's not terrible when it hits, but it's made a noticable little groove on the header already it looks like.

 

You need new motor mounts. Go with Poly mounts from ES or Prothane.

 

What he said. I'm sure yours are shot.

 

Unfortanatly they are kinda hard to find in stores (ie lowes). If you go to this website http://www.mcmaster.com/ and enter this part number 94722A463. I'm not sure if you can order them individually or not. And you may want to take the bolt in to say lowes and make sure it's an M8 and not an M10. I think the info I gave you is correct though.

If it were me personally I wouldn't go to to much trouble finding one and would just grind the bolt down. And I wouldn't drive it until you fix the problem. I don't think you paid all that money for them nice headers to scratch em all up.

 

This still may not fix his problem. I replaced my motor mounts with E.S. poly mounts and still had clearance problems. Though it wouldn't be a bad idea to go with a stiffer mount so that the motor will not rock the headers into the stearing. And they are faily cheap.

 

I have the same problem, but I am going to live with it for another couple of months until I install my Prothane poly motor mounts and a new tubular k-member.

 

Grrrr.... I can't believe some of things that I am reading!!! Don't dent the header, you don't need new motor mounts, you don't have to do any type of grinding. The best way to correct this problem is to adjust the steering column assembly. Under the dash there are 3 or 4 bolts (I can't recall) that hold the steering column to the floor board. Loosen those bolts (don't take them all of the way out). Have someone use a long prybar (put an old piece of rubber hose on the prybar so that you don't scratch the header) to push the steering shaft away from the header and have have him or her keep pressure on the prybar while you re-tighten those bolts. There you go. The best and easiest way to correct this problem. It'll probably take you all of 5 minutes.

 

BAD,

So there is that much available play once you loosen those bolts in the steering assembly??

 

Yep.

 

did you have this problem with yours at some point?

 

Here is my experience and theory as to why you need new motor mounts.

When I first installed my Hooker LTs they did not touch anything. After a couple of months I noticed the pass side was rubbing the Kmember at times... weird since it didnt do this right away. Well, I replaced the pass side motor mount and the problem went away. A few months after that my headers began to vibrate on the steering linkage sometimes at idle and always when taking a sharp turn. So just like the pass side I got a new motor mount(poly mounts btw, stock parts are more expensive and weaker) and guess what... problem went away. Now my headers dont rub at all. My theory is that the heat from LTs melts or accelerates the deterioration of the stock rubber mounts which is why my headers didnt rub till a few months after theyd been on my car.

 

Turbo,

Makes sense to me. Thanks for the explanation. Since I'm not a mechanic, I just need someone to explain to me how if my stock motor mounts are worn and causing the clearance issues I am seeing under the car now (i.e. y-pipe and collector areas vibrating against floor board, etc.) if i replace the motor mounts with oem or poly, it seems like that would effectively "raise" the motor ever so slighty and cause my clearance problem underneath to get worse. The only thing I can think that I might not be understanding or taking into account is maybe the angle that the worn mounts are causing my motor to sit and therefore contributing to the clearance issues underneath?