Exhaust hangs lower than frame? Lowering?

[69RustyBucket]

So I am going to lower my car with 17 inch rims , Porter built system, c- notch and 2 drop spindles. When I looked under the cab I noticed my header pipes connected to the exhaust are like hang like 5 inches below the frame. I also see the oil pan hangs below the frame too. I thought with the air bag kit it would drop frame on the ground??????

[reaper71]

First, Welcome to the site!!

Ok, a couple options...1. Lift motor to raise oil pan etc. up (will create a ton of work with rest of drive train,fan and shroud, trans hump and tunnel) or option 2. Just remove headers and change out the exhaust. (I know it does not help with the Pan issue but should give a bit more clearance )

I hope this helps.

Mark...

[WarMonger]

Get a set of Ram horns. They will let you bring the exhaust up a lot.

[smoked68]

we dropped my c10 and I had same issue. Got some ceramic coated hedman mid lengths and had new 3 inch pipe ran. went thru the brace on either side where the drive shaft runs thru. They make supports to strengthen back up the cross member.

[leftybass209]

It is common to run the exhaust parallel with the frame rails on the inside. The porterbuilt crossmember will have cutouts specifically for exhaust to run through it. Stock crossmembers can also be modified for exhaust to run though it.

A dropmember takes care of engine oil pan clearance, and midlength headers, or exhaust manifolds takes care of the angle the pipes need to exit, keeping them above the bottom of the framerail.

[69RustyBucket]

Is a midlength header a Shorty header

[Mike C]

Like it's name says, it's not a full length header and it's not a shorty. It's a mid-length.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by 69RustyBucket

So I am going to lower my car with 17 inch rims , Porter built system, c- notch and 2 drop spindles. When I looked under the cab I noticed my header pipes connected to the exhaust are like hang like 5 inches below the frame. I also see the oil pan hangs below the frame too. I thought with the air bag kit it would drop frame on the ground??????

Sure the air bag kit it will drop frame on the ground. But if there is anything hanging down below the frame, plan on crushing it with the weight of your truck unless you are moving. Then you'll just grind it off with pavement.

A set of Sanderson long tube headers will tuck up between the frame rails quite nicely. What you do with the pan is another breed of cat.

[special-K]

You must have the wrong headers on your truck. There is no reason for headers to drop below frame. Here are my Headman Torque steps:

[Mike C]

2 wheel drive headers typically are significantly lower hanging than 4x4 headers for whatever reason. Which is why so many big block guys run Chevelle headers either mid-length or full length. Usually 4x4 headers won't fit on a 2x truck because the motor is in the forward position and they hit the crossmember.

[special-K]

I don't have a picture, but we put full length headers on the most recent '68 C/10 SWB we built and they hang the same as these on my truck. That was a 4spd truck, too, and full-lengths cleared the clutch linkage. The right headers are out there. There is no reason for headers to be hanging 7" lower than mine. Notice, the oil pan is pretty much on level with the headers. Only the flange is below the pan, but still 1-1.5" above the bottom of the frame.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by Mike C

2 wheel drive headers typically are significantly lower hanging than 4x4 headers for whatever reason. Which is why so many big block guys run Chevelle headers either mid-length or full length. Usually 4x4 headers won't fit on a 2x truck because the motor is in the forward position and they hit the crossmember.

No sir, all 2wd headers are not lower. It merely depends on the manufacturer of the header.

[special-K]

Yeah, I'm sure Mike knows they vary by maker and design. He was being general saying the 4wd headers "typically" ride higher. I think with the SBC headers some companies just sell you 73-up headers or try to do one size fits all. I've always bought the better headers and never had a low-hung issue. If I put a header on that hung below the frame it would go back in the box and money refunded. There's more to a header fitting than at the head. I have always had a thing about exhaust tucked up inside the frame. Nothing else flies with me and I have never had a truck that didn't have it all up and clear. My '72 has bugged me since '01 because the guy put the Flowmasters sideways and you can see some muffler below the frame. I drive it in using mufflers on 5' of fresh pipe I have bent to go over the cross member and weld the bell flanges on. He just went off the end of those when the intention was for him to cut or bent my pipe as needed. The result is the pipe runs straight to long and at a slight downward angle (same as headers). This time I'll be running it in on the existing system and I'll be sure to make it clear exactly what I want.