header tube crack at head mig ,tig,or brase

well, noticed one of the tubes on one of my Hooker supercomps is cracked around the tube flange to the head, what would be the strongest fix here,the crack is more on the tube after the factory weld. braseing would be easy but not sure on the expansion thing happening on that tube,,, I will have to pull the header to really weld around it good. then try to find GOOD gaskets , anybody fix one for good? and have a lins on GOOD gaskets?

 

Tig

 

Tig would indeed be the most controlled, but anyone proficient with a wire feed could also fit it. I would not braze it. Once you braze anything, it is just about impossible to go back and weld it.

 

Steve,
I've got 3 sets of gaskets laying around here, two different types. Come by and pick one. No charge.

 

mike ,are you going to Clarks grade next weekend? and those gaskets are for aftermarket headers.? I won't pull /fix them till after next weekend.
my step-sons work on the latest trophy truck.wish I could weld like him,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Doubtful, but maybe.

Beats me. Just some stuff I acquired from a previous Jeep purchase. I'll post some pics.

 

Front and back of each type I have:
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Steve, I'd use the ones with the metal backing....they last longer.....

 

really ryan .the metal ones? I never use those,those are the first thing I toss in a kit, , right now I run a pair of honest george's,I don't think they are around anymore,,,,, quess I could try the funky port metal ones, the ones I run are more like the mr gasket kind ,mike if the offer is still there I'm down for a pair......

 

Take your pick.

 

+1 on the metal style, I had much better luck out of them on my old 360 that was in the flatfender.

 

Wow!!! Nice work, like a roll of dimes. I want a TIG!!!

 

hey steve those headers might be under warranty. i have hedmans on mine and theyve warrantied 1 set already. they have a lifetime warranty. i could be wrong but i think hooker is made by hedman. if so then youre in luck.......worth lookin into anyways

 

I dunno. I'd think TIG would put too much heat into it, making it more brittle. The crack would just reappear further up or down the tube at the end of the heat-affected area. At least, that's been my experience. I'd MIG it with as low a heat as you can to get penetration.

You may also want to add a short flex coupler in there to prevent it from happening again. They're sorta spendy, but so are those headers. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/IMM-329270/

 

my kid said the filler rod from the hooker factory was stainless ,the crack is just after the filler on the tube .it's been sand blasted and is sitting on the welding table waiting for me to figure out what I want to do .the mig won't like blending the tube ,ss and mig wire , I was thinking he could mig it with ss........we shall find out.

dustin those headers are like 20+ years old , they were on the rig when I bought it , I have no paper work for them , dispite their age they are still very solid and not rusty

 

dustin those headers are like 20+ years old , they were on the rig when I bought it , I have no paper work for them , dispite their age they are still very solid and not rusty[/QUOTE]

oh ok. although when i took mine back they didnt ask for any paperwork or nothing. they just handed me another set and i was on my way no questions asked. their warehouse was in la somewhere

 

well ,,,,,,,,,,, bit the bullit and dummy was right ,,,, we sand blasted and went for Tig with stainless steel rod ,it did not go well .you could watch the crack come through the new ss weld ,ground it out, tried again but it still cracked through might have to go grind and try the mig. going to call hooker today .lesson learned ----remember always listen to a Dummy.

just called Hooker and they laughed at me ,90 day war. is all they offer , and they could not replace them anyway those pipes are disscontinued.