Hey guys I've just picked up a set of used headers for my truck and was wondering what I ned to install them. Do I reuse the stock gasket and bolts or do I need to get new ones. This is going on an 03 5.3

Thanks Rick

 

you can use the stock bolts and gaskets yes, depending on what ;length of headers they are you might need to replace your Y pipe etc though

 

They are shorties so no need to worry about them fitting with the y. What would ou guys recommend to help get the bolts out without breaking them. A guy I work with put a set on his C3 a couple weks ago and he broke one of the bolts taking them off.

 

You could try spraying the bolts down with some rust penetrant first, and when you go to remove them, if you feel too much resistance while wrenching them out, wrench them back in a tad, then out again. Keep repeating this (working them in and out), and basically hope for the best. You can re-spray them with rust penetrant as you work them out.

When you put the new bolts in, I'd highly recommend coating the threads with some anti-sieze. I did this when I installed my Gibson shorties, and 5 or 6ish years later, when I removed them in lieu of some StainlessWorks LT's, all of the bolts came right out like they were brand new.

 

i reused my old bolds and havent had any issues with them backing out and didnt have any issues taking them out in the first place either. they were stuck in there for 6 years and 84000 miles before hand too....guess i was lucky