What's your record time on one bolt?

[Monk]

Took the headers off of the '55 yesterday.
I knew the one bolt in back under the last tube
was a bitch.
Off and on........took me four hours to get it removed.
Ended up duct taping a wrench (photos to follow) to a socket extension and lay under neath car to get it out.

Felt like I had been in a fight at end of the day.

[TheSilverBuick]

Not sure I've spent more than 2 hours on a bolt. Usually in that time frame I've customized a tool or cut/broken the bolt, and then found a replacement bolt with a smaller head or such to make it easier on install and future removals.

[Monk]

Needless to say when I dropped the headers off at the shop today..... we discussed
having enough room around the tubes to get a socket head on header bolt.

[Barry Donovan]

at least it moved. That may be the nastiest of bolts. the bi-metal battle of 20000F degrees header bolt to the cyl head. I had a boxer that made iron stalactites out of the header, upside down for 20 something years.

[Ron Ward]

Took the headers off of the '55 yesterday.
I knew the one bolt in back under the last tube
was a bitch.
Off and on........took me four hours to get it removed.
Ended up duct taping a wrench (photos to follow) to a socket extension and lay under neath car to get it out.

Felt like I had been in a fight at end of the day.

I once had a similar issue....

Next time, roll a floor jack under the transmission, kick loose the trans crossmember and let the trans down just a bit. It made life really easy for me, reducing time to just under an hour.

[Monk]

I once had a similar issue....

Next time, roll a floor jack under the transmission, kick loose the trans crossmember and let the trans down just a bit. It made life really easy for me, reducing time to just under an hour.

That thought process also came to mind Ron..........the new headers are going to be almost 12" shorter.
Installation should go much smoother.........might even consider using studs as opposed to bolts.

[BigAL]

Taking it you couldn't get a ratchet on it, how about a gear wrench or do you have to use the open end of the wrench?

I have a 1/4" air ratchet for tight spaces, if you can get a socket on it it makes life easy.

[Monk]

Taking it you couldn't get a ratchet on it, how about a gear wrench or do you have to use the open end of the wrench?

I have a 1/4" air ratchet for tight spaces, if you can get a socket on it it makes life easy.

Believe me ..........I tried everything except a butter knife.

[TheSilverBuick]

In my experience, studs usually make the problem worse. I'd first look for a bolt that has a smaller head on it, like most marketed header bolts. I like the ones with an allen hole in the head too, you can cut down an allen wrench as well. Also look at what the minimum thread length needed is and cut the bolt down as needed. Basically stick the bolt through the header flange, if it sticks out more than the width of the bolt, cut it off to the width of the bolt. Fewer turns, easier to get in and out.

On wrenches, I've grinded the wrench head a bunch narrower. Of course you have to find the balance between bending the crap out of a weaken wrench and it being useful.

[Monk]

In my experience, studs usually make the problem worse. I'd first look for a bolt that has a smaller head on it, like most marketed header bolts. I like the ones with an allen hole in the head too, you can cut down an allen wrench as well. Also look at what the minimum thread length needed is and cut the bolt down as needed. Basically stick the bolt through the header flange, if it sticks out more than the width of the bolt, cut it off to the width of the bolt. Fewer turns, easier to get in and out.

On wrenches, I've grinded the wrench head a bunch narrower. Of course you have to find the balance between bending the crap out of a weaken wrench and it being useful.

Good thought..........will the allen head bolts work as a header bolt?.......guess I don't see why not.

[TheSilverBuick]

I bought a set of header bolts that used a 3/8 wrench AND had an allen hole in the head. Basically use the wrench to tighten or break it loose, then a ball headed allen to spin it on and off if you can.

[Monk]

I bought a set of header bolts that used a 3/8 wrench AND had an allen hole in the head. Basically use the wrench to tighten or break it loose, then a ball headed allen to spin it on and off if you can.

I saw them one time on in a Hot Rod article.........will have to look 'em up.
That could be the ticket.

[Beagle]

I think they are called Stage 8 - got some for the last header install and worth the 40.00 to not have to retighten them. They capture the header with a collar and e clip, no looosie goosie.

[Deaf Bob]

I've used shouldered allen headed bolts.. These were for hydraulic cylinder work.. Wanted one and the machinist gave me enough to do the whole set.. Lines on the outside so you have grip, allen to tighten..
I cut a wrench down to fit between the tubes.. I think I have 2 or 3 laying around..
The older I get, I find bolts just do not want to start for me..
Took some time trying to reinstall a header on one of the derby motors, took forever, sat down then went back to it.. Whaddayaknow? It practically jumped in!
As for gaskets.. Header gaskets will NOT stay tight... Can't stop in a heat and retighten.. The metal/abestos ones for manifolds work great for what we use..
I use header gaskets on my street rigs with headers, but the derby motors get the manifold ones that come in the gasket sets..

[Loren]

Taking it you couldn't get a ratchet on it, how about a gear wrench or do you have to use the open end of the wrench?

Never hit a tough header bolt, I take it.

Allen head with the bolt head rounded off so it clears the tube, Allen wrench that's a half-inch long where it goes in, 3/8 NC bolt w/ a 3/8" hex head like they sell for header bolts then maybe with a box-end wrench that's heated and bent to fit, stud in one or however tough locations but bolts in the rest, slots in the flange and peened-out tubes, having to get the flange just over a couple end studs then either running bolts or nuts over other studs in just a bit then more as the whole thing is brought in...just some examples, crap if you can just use an open-end on the bad ones, you're on easy street.

Four hours, Monk, my hat's off to ya for patience. My record's probably two but after that the car's at risk for getting parked over a railroad track.

Edit: Is this what you get for saying something nice about Stahl?