Doug Thorley Headers Fitment. Show me your ball Flanges.

No, it’s a ball style flange.

I’m not even going to attempt to run them by using a bandaid method. That would be a mistake if it does not work.

 

Looking at this photo I saw the threads here are different. Just guessing that they would have to be tightened in sync . Maybe tighten the right side up first ?
newb advice

 

I tried this many times. Because of the angle that it want to mate up it does not seem possible to get them even. It’s hard to demonstrate through pictures but I can assure you I tried.

 

here’s one of the original issues I had. This is one of the pictures I sent to thorley and the next email response was to send them in.

It’s worth mentioning that I did not hulk these bolts down. I used a 7” wrench and got it hand tight. I do not want to make it so tight it stretches the female flange possibly making matters worse.

But it also important to note that the flanges do not mate up straight on the truck no matter what I do. So I’m afraid that if I did end up hulking it down that it would end up creating a warped female side flange because of the way the male side is shaped.








This may be sort an exaggerated example of what I’m getting but it’s a good example. Notice the bolt on the right side. Yeah, no matter what, because it always wants to rub the y pipe it’s a complete bitch to tighten. My ONLY option is an open ended wrench through the wheel well flipping it over after each turn due to limited space. If you used open ended wrenches in tight space you know what I mean by flipping it over.



Here’s a good picture of the bevel you want that female side to mate up to. I’m not a flange engineer but I would assume you want that male side to slip right into that female side real nice and straight. If you have to really shove it in there like you just don’t care you might hurt something and that flange will never forgive you. You’d hear a constant noise every time you turn the truck on.

 

Posts like these is exactly the reason my exhaust is still stock. I can’t see the advantage to all the aggravation. If they fit perfectly every time, I’d have a set. The test fit on an engine out of the truck on an engine stand, like you said you were going to do, will be the determining factor. If it fits the same as your engine, I’d take photos of every angle that I could, and send in. I hate to say it, but it’s the truth….you’re being too nice. I have this same problem most of the time. You’re going to have to squeal louder to get some grease….

 

I don’t necessarily think I’m too nice. I’m just trying to get some help without a dumpster fire. People don’t want to help as much if they feel like you’re being unreasonable and/or attacked.

The way things have played out I do feel like they are trying to avoid me. If the only way I can get attention is by being loud on the internet, which is something that sort of makes me cringe, I want it to at least be reasonable without too much speculation or claims I can’t necessarily back up.

I could probably clean up my post, make it easier to read, and add detail but damnit this is a lot of work.

Bottom line I used PayPal to purchase these and PayPal normally sides with the buyer. So if it comes to it that’s what I’m going to do and let the vendor deal with the manufacturer.

 

Here’s a pic of mine. The flange sits a little out and flush with bracket.

 

I tried to fit these up in 6-7 sessions now. I guess I’ll try again after work tomorrow.

I swear to god if I can get these things to fit up I really hope the ADMIN will delete this thread out of existence. My worst nightmare and a perfect example of why I hate doing this.

 

Do what you gotta do. Totally agree re: being polite. Many companies are allowed to terminate contact once you become rude, curse, etc. I’ve never found it to be useful.

Most companies there is a way to get their attention. Keep making noise but maybe with a different strategy IE Twitter, google review, FB, BBB complaint, etc.

At a company I used to work for nothing made a situation hotter than if a customer somehow found a direct phone number for the CEO which was not public information. Some hate bad Twitter pub, etc.

 

I’m not saying to be unreasonable, but two different engines with the same problem “and better photos” should speak volumes! Rule out any error on your part, this could be done easily with the engine on a stand, and another persons perspective all at the same time.

Sometimes things just don’t work out in real life as it does in my head, lol. That’s the story of my life.

I installed a magnaflow cat back on my truck. I did everything that the instructions said, watched several videos and it was very frustrating. If it got clearance on one end, it would be off on the other, or crooked. I had it in my mind that the muffler was either supposed to be vertical or horizontal, as that’s the way that every photo and video I saw it was. I ended up trying the muffler at a 45 deg angle, very different than the instructions, and videos that I saw, and it kinda looks goofy from underneath the truck. I ended up with the kit fitting perfectly in every way, except the muffler is canted on a 45deg angle. I got over it quickly because you can’t see the muffler, and it’s angle doesn’t matter one bit. I wanted it to look and fit a certain way, just wasn’t going to happen with my truck.

 

Yeah I’m sort of limited in that scope because I generally do not participate on social media. I did leave a google review but it seems like they may not check or care about that because they don’t respond to any reviews.

Are you saying that folks getting the CEOs contact info was a bad way to go for the situation. In my experience that’s a pretty solid way to go.

I wouldn’t hesitate to send a detailed email to higher ups if I had that information.

 

Yeah I can understand that. And it may be possible I could force it to work in a way that isn’t exactly how it was intended to work but with how much of a pain headers are on this truck I want it to work as designed. No way do I want to deal with leaks or rattles because something is out of spec.

 

I understand exactly where you’re coming from. If you wanted eBay fitment you would have opted for a cheaper kit. I think they should stand behind it. I definitely would not force anything together. I didn’t force my cat back to fit. I simply twisted the muffler, it’s offset one pipe in the center, and the other off to the side. Everything fell into place, and lined up perfectly at that point.

I know sometimes during treatment or welding, a pipe could warp out of or close to the tolerance. I have put long tubes on a mustang before that had a similar fitment issue. I had to use a tie down to pull the headers together to connect correctly to the h-pipe. After everything was tight it stayed that way, and after a few heat cycles it corrected itself. I had to pull the transmission out of the same car, and had no trouble aligning the exhaust the next time around. I still agree that you shouldn’t have to do that!

 

bump

I installed a set of DT long tubes on my 2009 and loved them, another member on here has them now though. I have come close to ordering them for this 3.4 im in now but I don't want to have a headache with my daily driver being down.

 

Yes! This.


Back when all the Xterra guys were getting these things, more than half were turd and had issues with fit up. How frustrating.

 

oh no great way. Hot as in it received highest priority.

 

Good. I can’t seem to find any information on google on who the CEO may be but luckily I have access to a few tools that might be able to get me that information.

 

The list of Bull Shit grows. I have an email that states the headers were “sent off to ceramic”

Not only did I receive the same exact y/crossover and passenger side headers, which I’m kicking myself for not taking pictures of, the driver side header they replaced with the version I didn’t not order (EGR) was spray painted.

I believe They spray painted the header.
They’re already starting to rust where it’s more dull and I can wipe my finger across get metallic silver on it. Is is from sitting in a completely covered shed for a few days.

Acetone seems to make it gummy.

 

First image is the very night I got them back. You can see the tape lines

If you look close to the second picture you can see my fingerprint.

 

Dude. You got hosed. Get ahold of that CEO like you planned