How do you guys dent headers? What's your preferred method?
Aug 23, 2009 | 09:16 PM
#1
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TECH Junkie
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From: Minneapolis, MN
How do you guys dent headers? What's your preferred method?
I am changing some things around on my '70 chevy pickup and it has mild tube steel headers on it. I need to dent in one of the primaries about 1/4" to get my new clutch assembly to bolt in. I took a ballpeen hammer to it tonight (yes it's in tight quarters) and was unsuccessful in even putting a ding in it. WHen you guys need to dent your headers in, what do you do? Use heat? Get the area cherry hot, then hit it? Can a guy use an air chisel with a blunt attachment of some sort? Please give me any ideas you may have. TIA!
Aug 23, 2009 | 09:18 PM
#2
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: In a van DOWN BY THE RIVER
What I would do is if it was in place while trying to so it, is get a tourch, heat it till it gets good and red in and around the area you want the dent in... Heat does wonders and it will look more uniform then a typical cold dent... 
Aug 23, 2009 | 09:22 PM
#3
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TECH Junkie
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From: Minneapolis, MN
So getting it cherry red with a torch will soften it enough that I can dent it in with only about 3 inches to swing a hammer? Does it matter if the headers are ceramic coated? By the way, this is in an area that no on would ever see, I don't give a **** what it looks like
Aug 23, 2009 | 09:23 PM
#4
The way i have done it in the past is: get a round pipe, preferrably pretty thick and about 1.5 -2in diameter. Then put the pipe longways, where you want the dent then smack the pipe with a hammer, honestly I hit it pretty hard, remember this is steel your hitting... If coated, wrap the pipe with a towel...
Aug 23, 2009 | 09:27 PM
#6
Wow John wouldnt expect you to use a torch. Im sure if you had to do it a long burnout would get those headers cherry red then take the hammer to it...
Aug 23, 2009 | 09:28 PM
#7
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TECH Junkie
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Yeah, unfortunatly I can't hit the header primary very hard as I don't have a lot of room to swing. Maybe I should bite the bullet and remove the header entirely from the drivers side. It's #7 primary and there's only about 5 inches between where I want to hit and the firewall. Quite frankly I don't care what the header looks like so using heat (if it works) would be a realistic option. I don't have a torch here at home, would a bernz-o-matic torch in a can (blue can) be just fine for getting the primary hot enough?
