Hedman, JBA, or Pacesetter Headers?

[flyboy89]

Hedman has headers for the Ranger, and so does JBA and Pacesetter. My gut is telling me Hedmans are better, but I want to hear it from some of you guys who have installed these things. Is one really better than the other, and am I going to have to replace them every 4 years because of rust?

 

[offroadranger]

Pacesetters work, but IMO are put together cheaply and use very thin wall tubing. They do use 3/8" flanges though. JBA's are VERY nice. No experience with hedman.

My opinion is you need to have the headers coated no matter which brand you go with for 2 reasons: heat and corrosion. Its only a matter of time before they rust away if thier not coated. Heat wrap does'nt last, its messy and traps water for short periods of time.

 

[Psychopete]

Someone was telling me once that wrap would void the warantee on headers, but I don't know that for a fact.

The pace setters that I have for my 2.9L are jet coated. They're a little over 4 years old and still look pretty decent. I did have to tape one section that's right on top of where my oil filter threads into, the L-shaped metal piece. The coating under that seems to getting ruined because of the header tape.

JBAs are far superior over Pacesetters. I had hedmans on my 327, there were just black, and obviously looked like crap later on. They worked though. JBAs are very nice though. I'd go with those if I had to do it over again.

Pete

 

[flyboy89]

thanks for the input guys. JBA does sound like a likely candidate, plus they have the ceramic coating or whatever. ($733!!!!) I like the special section the website had for Rangers, and even sound clips too! Yes, JBA headers through a flowmaster 40 series muffler will sound nice...

 

[Robin Hood]

JBA is the best, from what i've heard.