Longtubes- Kooks vs. ARH vs. Stainless Works

[Kline12]

Hey guys, so I am currently debating on getting rid of the air ride setup that I have on my car and switching to coilovers (need a stiffer and performance ready suspension setup to handle future power goals), but am worried about my long tubes scraping on everything when I make this change. With bags, if I am driving down the road and scrape on something, I hit a button and raise the front of the car up enough to keep it from happening again. I won't be able to do that with coilovers, but I do want to be able to ride semi low and aggressive still.

I currently have 1 3/4 kooks L/T's with 3" collectors and the matching off road x-pipe. They hang so low that I know for a fact that I won't be able to ride as low as I would like without ruining them.
Also, installation of them was an utter nightmare. The fitment is extremely tight from the manifolds through the k-member and the steering column was a b**** to mangle through.

My questions really are: who has experience with which brand and what was your take on them? How was installation? How low do they hang/tuck up to the body? The reason I am am also throwing in kooks into the equation is to see if anyone has had different luck with theirs.

Also, if you have long tubes and are on coilovers, throw up a pic of how your car sits! And any pics of the exhaust mounted from under the car would be helpful as well.

Thanks guys.

 

[whitedevil95]

Here is a good comparison of two of them by Ctgreddy
https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/real-world-comparison-kooks-lts-vs-arhs.1105595/

 

[TP03]

Your ride height should be completely adjustable with coil overs, that's the biggest advantage of going to them. It just won't be with a flip of the switch.

 

[Kline12]

Your ride height should be completely adjustable with coil overs, that's the biggest advantage of going to them. It just won't be with a flip of the switch.

Correct, but I am still wanting to have them adjusted to where I am riding low. I don't want to be scraping my L/T's on everything while I am driving around.

 

[Kline12]

Here is a good comparison of two of them by Ctgreddy
https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/real-world-comparison-kooks-lts-vs-arhs.1105595/

Well dang. Sounds like the installation of the ARH is worse than the Kooks. I'll be doing the install myself by just dropping the k-member, and if it is any more difficult than the kooks were... it won't be fun.

Anyone have any experience with stainless works?

 

[wowsers]

I just installed ARH headers on my cobra and it wasn't impossible, but it wasn't easy. I did it by myself on jack stands and it took me a full weekend. I installed stage 8 header bolts also. The only advice i have for ARH is make sure you route the dipstick tube through the primary before you bolt the header down. I didn't and I snapped it in half in a fit of rage after messing with it for 30 min. I ended up getting a lokar flexible dipstick instead.

I cant speak for Kooks and Stainless works on the 4.6 but I did install a set of kooks on my old cts v. I had less fitment issues with ARH than I did with the Kooks.

 

[1Kona_Venom]

Well dang. Sounds like the installation of the ARH is worse than the Kooks. I'll be doing the install myself by just dropping the k-member, and if it is any more difficult than the kooks were... it won't be fun.

Anyone have any experience with stainless works?

Here....

Do Headers, MM Kmember, and Coilovers all at the same time.....PITA install solved.

Kooks or ARH gets my vote

 

[whitedevil95]

I just installed my 1 3/4 ARH they fit great. yes the top nuts are major pita to get started and tight on the ARH because a primary tube runs right along the top. But fitment is awesome.

 

[Zemedici]

Kooks sucks because you have to get a universal steering shaft for clearance, or dent your brand new primaries....which I wasnt too fond of.

$350 steering shaft later.....

I'd go with Stainless Works. Its all we use at my shop. Good quality product.

 

[NateDogg]

You don't need a special steering shaft for kooks.... I was used my stock with no problem.

Just make sure you put it through the primaries before mounting it up.

Another thing to consider, if you have or plan on getting a big oil pan it may rub.

I had to dimple the passenger side tube because it was resting against my oil pan.

I wish I would have went with arh soley for that reason .

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[Zemedici]

You don't need a special steering shaft for kooks.... I was used my stock with no problem.

Just make sure you put it through the primaries before mounting it up.

Another thing to consider, if you have or plan on getting a big oil pan it may rub.

I had to dimple the passenger side tube because it was resting against my oil pan.

I wish I would have went with arh soley for that reason .

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You put it through the primaries and didn't have to clearance a header?

 

[NateDogg]

No sir.

I did make the mistake of putting on the headers first before putting the SS through. I had to take them back off and put it in reverse.

Huge pain in the ass.

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[Kline12]

You put it through the primaries and didn't have to clearance a header?

No sir.

I did make the mistake of putting on the headers first before putting the SS through. I had to take them back off and put it in reverse.

Huge pain in the ass.

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I also used my stock steering shaft. But when I installed the headers, the engine was out of the car. I bolted them on, then dropped the k member and set the car on top of the engine. I actually disconnected the steering shaft from the column and pulled it out of the fire wall, and ran it through the L/T's before I lowered the car back onto the engine and k member. Squeezing the steering shaft through the primaries was a pita, but it did squeeze through. Then just guided it through the firewall as I lowered the car back down. A major pita doing all of this on jackstands by myself in the garage, but I got it done lol.

From the research and reading I did last night, people are saying that the stainless works are the easiest to install, and tuck the closest to the body out of the 3. If anyone can confirm this, that would be great. I guy on facebook sent me pictures of his stainless works from under the car and they don't even hang below the oil pan. They are tucked WAY up there. He has clearance for days, however they were on the car when he bought it, so he couldn't give any feedback on the install.

 

[03 Indy Cobra]

I also used my stock steering shaft. But when I installed the headers, the engine was out of the car. I bolted them on, then dropped the k member and set the car on top of the engine. I actually disconnected the steering shaft from the column and pulled it out of the fire wall, and ran it through the L/T's before I lowered the car back onto the engine and k member. Squeezing the steering shaft through the primaries was a pita, but it did squeeze through. Then just guided it through the firewall as I lowered the car back down. A major pita doing all of this on jackstands by myself in the garage, but I got it done lol.

From the research and reading I did last night, people are saying that the stainless works are the easiest to install, and tuck the closest to the body out of the 3. If anyone can confirm this, that would be great. I guy on facebook sent me pictures of his stainless works from under the car and they don't even hang below the oil pan. They are tucked WAY up there. He has clearance for days, however they were on the car when he bought it, so he couldn't give any feedback on the install.

Could you post some pics of those Stainless Work headers installed?

 

[Kline12]

Could you post some pics of those Stainless Work headers installed?

Here you go. You can see how nicely they tuck. He does have a tubular k member, but I think these would still clear a stock k member with lots of room left.

 

[ninety5fiveoh]

Wow, those Stainless Works headers tuck really nice.

I feel your pain man, my Kooks headers are in "self-clearance" mode right now. The flanges are nice and flat on the bottom, and I don't plan on changing them.

FWIW, my car is extremely low as you know, and the headers aren't normally what scrapes first. Maybe leave them in the car and see how it behaves at the ride height you want before you spend all that time and cash to mess around with swapping them. Just my .02, good luck!

 

[03 Indy Cobra]

Here you go. You can see how nicely they tuck. He does have a tubular k member, but I think these would still clear a stock k member with lots of room left.

View attachment 95617 View attachment 95618 View attachment 95619

Thanks for the pics.

 

[01yellercobra]

Here you go. You can see how nicely they tuck. He does have a tubular k member, but I think these would still clear a stock k member with lots of room left.

That's a stock K member with a 4 point brace.


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[Bdubbs]

The shop that I've taken my car to recommended the arh headers over any other ones. He said the fit and quality are the best. That's what I went with. He works on mostly fords, Shelby's, cobras,ect.

 

[roy_1031]

My ARH's fit and finish is really good. I took a set of MACs off and replaced them with a set of 1-7/8ths ARH's and it was a night and day difference in clearance and fit and finish and over all quality. I just wish I would've had them coated before installing them. I recommend anyone coat their headers prior to installing. The ARH's were definitely a PITA to install. Really tight clearance around the primaries. Also cleared my steering shaft really really well. My friends car has a set or Krooks on them and the ARH's win.


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