Sanderson Headers SBF

[fordsbyjay]

My Sanderson SBF sprint car style headers are cracking on the drivers side and I would like to replace them. I believe the part number is FER100 but after a google search I can't seem to find them. Do any of our sponsors carry or have access to this header? I would really like an uncoated header but I guess I will take what I can get if I have to.

Here is what they look like.




I added a step and exhaust mount last fall so I really hate to switch to a different brand which will require extra work.

 

[409T]

The last time I ordered Sanderson headers I went directly through them. 800-669-2430

 

[fordsbyjay]

The last time I ordered Sanderson headers I went directly through them. 800-669-2430

I see Spirit has them on their site so I am going to call them tomorrow. The prices on Sanderson's website are out of this world. Is that the price you paid?

 

[choppedtop]

Just curious. Did they crack before of after the mount was added? Could it be that with a solid mount at the rear, with rubber engine mounts, they were stressed? Maybe a firm rubber type mount could be used, so some flex would be permitted without a lot of weighted movement.
Lee

 

[409T]

I see Spirit has them on their site so I am going to call them tomorrow. The prices on Sanderson's website are out of this world. Is that the price you paid?

Probably. I needed custom made ones for the 409, I was in a hurry and couldn't find them anywhere else at the time. Maybe I didn't look very hard, I don't remember.

 

[fordsbyjay]

They cracked before I added the mount. That header vibrated a lot more than the other. The way it cracked compared to the passenger side makes me think that it was a material issue but what do I know. I added the mount so the next pair will not crack (planning ahead).

 

[fordsbyjay]

Holy crapper batman. I called Sanderson and they want $539.00 for plain headers. That is a pretty fat increase over Speedways $199.00 that is pretty hard to swallow. Looking at dimensions physically they are quite different. I am going to have to do some measuring to see if I can come up with some other option.

 

[railroad]

Am I having deja vu? The picture and subject seem like a re run. Even the Sanderson brand. I know my recall may be in question here, but it seems this issue was warrantied in my previous life. Have you questioned them on it?

 

[fordsbyjay]

The first couple pics have been used in other posts I believe. I have not called Sanderson before today so the topic is new.

 

[railroad]

Good luck with it all. Until then, you need to let me come get that Falcon Sprint. I have a Futura, unfinished. I have the pinto front suspension kit partially installed.
I am running Speedway headers on my T, and other than a few coating pimples they seem to be holding up well.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Probably 1 tube stressed from Mfg'ing....why is 1 side vibrating more than the other????? They are both attached to the same motor in the same way, correct? Is the rear mounts on each side different? You could always have it welded and recoated.
Let me put a bug in your ballcap....what about lake pipes? I love mine, but I've liked those since I liked T's....and to each their own.
You could have the crack welded, and wrap the pipes....is another option.
Check FleaBay....you might stumble upon some SS ones pretty cheap or you might find the ones you've always wanted for a little of nothing....
Check swap meets and the bulletin board at your local speed/hotrod shop....

 

[fluidfloyd]

If you just want to get it back on the road for now then I 'm with Screaming. Just do a light TIG weld then put a small overlay patch over the weld and fuse the edges. This will take the welded crack out of tension and put all welds in shear. Make the doubler patch out of the same thickness as the original header tube. Do a clean job and no one will even notice. Be sure to put some type of brace or mounting bracket near the end of the collector. Heat and vibration is a main cause of stress cracks. Do Not use a mig welder. This is a thin wall tube and you really need complete heat control. Hope this will help you.

George

 

[choppedtop]

I put the SS Shotguns on my Sedan from Speedway. They have baffles but still a little loud. I wrapped the baffles with glass cloth and that quieted them down some so they are tolerable. I had Thunderheaders on my M/C and they cracked just like your pipes did. I had them SS welded and they held fine. SS will not discolor very much at all if the welder knows what he is doing. BTW, they were not SS pipes.
Lee

 

[fordsbyjay]

I welded it up last fall before Cruising the Coast and they look pretty Frankenstein now. The picture I have above only show one crack. All 4 tubes cracked after that and a big chunk of the inside tube almost blew out. Problem is getting to the inside cracks. It just leaks a bit now but I thought I would replace them.

A lot of the off the shelf stainless and shotgun headers are for sbc only. SBF options are very limited. I would really like a 1 3/4" header but I can't even find that...

 

[Screaming Metal]

Well, you could always get a weldable SS header kit, comes with all the pieces parts, and then weld them up yourself....save some money that way.
That is if you have a TIG. I just usually get the kits like that, as long as the flange is full length there will be no problems.
Too light a flange or substandard tubing will usually have cracked tubes. People using those as steps doesn't help either.....

 

[PotvinGuy]

Jay, how old are your headers? Maybe Sanderson would give you a discount if you sent them pics. That damage shouldn't happen unless the pipes were defective. My SBC Sandersons are 20+ years old and going strong.

 

[roadmonster]

Sandersons are very pricey compared to Speedway. My car had Sandersons from previous owner and were already starting to rust. Within a year, they were very rusty so I went to Speedway and ran them for 6 years without much rust or discoloration. I got a set of plain Speedways which I'm going to let rust so I will never worry about rust or bluing.

In my experience: Sanderson = overrated, Speedway = underrated.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Sandersons are very pricey compared to Speedway. My car had Sandersons from previous owner and were already starting to rust. Within a year, they were very rusty so I went to Speedway and ran them for 6 years without much rust or discoloration. I got a set of plain Speedways which I'm going to let rust so I will never worry about rust or bluing.

In my experience: Sanderson = overrated, Speedway = underrated.

If they weren't several inches shorter requiring changes to my step/hanger design I would just switch. How my mount is now a shorter header won't even make it to my step. lol

I do agree with your comments. The header coating looked like crap in no time and I have plenty of similar responses from other users.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Jay, how old are your headers? Maybe Sanderson would give you a discount if you sent them pics. That damage shouldn't happen unless the pipes were defective. My SBC Sandersons are 20+ years old and going strong.

They must be about 7 years now. I have seen plenty of T's like yours with no mount so I never seen the reason for it. My passenger side is fine.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Well, you could always get a weldable SS header kit, comes with all the pieces parts, and then weld them up yourself....save some money that way.
That is if you have a TIG. I just usually get the kits like that, as long as the flange is full length there will be no problems.
Too light a flange or substandard tubing will usually have cracked tubes. People using those as steps doesn't help either.....

I would love nothing more if I only had the time. lol. I don't have a tig but have used one. I really liked it and I found my welds much nicer than mig. For what ever reason I can't seem to focus well on my puddle when mig welding but tig and gas is no problem. I have tried every shade setting on my Miller helmet as well. I just about bought one last year but I bought a new Miller 212 to replace my old Century 250 mig machine. Maybe this year... I have 3 girls in college so funds I come across usually get spent on my cars instead of tools. lol.