header material...

[dmax711]

ok guys im gonna be building a set of headers in a few weeks and was wondering if i should build the first set out of mild steel. How do you think it would hold up? Or should i just not even mess around and go stainless? thanks for your input.:thumb:

 

[emiller3]

If you already plan on building a set out of stainless,why not just build them first.

 

[dmax711]

I have alot of mild steel bends already. and i am curious to see how they hold up

 

[Smokindiesel]

Stainless

 

[PlayGun]

It would totally depend on wall thickness and material type, I would recommend schedule 60 or better. From what I have seen diesels make allot of heat and slim wall schedule 10-30 will probably make allot of hot spots and possible warp-age. Stainless on the other hand dissipates heat better and therefore you don't have to go as thick.

 

[paint94979]

Inconel

 

[dmax711]

Inconel

haha i wish

 

[GeneralTJI]

If you build them out of mild steel, they will need to be coated with something decent. If they are supported well enough they should hold up.

I have built some stuff along these lines out of mild steel and had it work. But I had to make things thick and coat them.

These days, I feel like if I am going to go to that much work, I'd rather do what I can to prevent having to do it again, or fix cracks, or have it rust away etc.

Might be better in the long run to go stainless and be done with it... though I understand where you are coming from!

 

[Turbo Performance]

Anyone in this thread actually built a set of headers/up-pipes for a Dmax from mild steel and had an issue? Thick or thin wall? Obviously more likely to have an issue on a high drive pressure engine. Just curious if anyone has any real world experience with mild steel header/pipe failure.

 

[dmax711]

Anyone in this thread actually built a set of headers/up-pipes for a Dmax from mild steel and had an issue? Thick or thin wall? Obviously more likely to have an issue on a high drive pressure engine. Just curious if anyone has any real world experience with mild steel header/pipe failure.

thats what i was looking for and so far nobody has actually done it.

 

[Turbo Performance]

I take no issue with someone recommending a material type based on experience/knowledge. I just wonder who actually has that experience and isn't just recommending it because it's a more expensive/exotic material. Not saying that's the case in this thread or that stainless/inconel/ti aren't better for a particular job but if you can build a set from mild steel and never have an issue, what do you actually gain for the added cost of stepping up to a higher priced alloy? Other than saying I have "X" part made from (insert expensive/exotic material here).

I honestly don't know enough about metallurgy to slide a quality suggestion in. All I know is if I had mild steel bends laying around and had the time, I would be building a set from that. Worst case you destroy a set and end up back where you were minus some time but you gained some knowledge on what worked or didn't. Or you never have an issue, save the extra money and spend it on other stuff to make your truck fast. Just my $.02

 

[dmax711]

I take no issue with someone recommending a material type based on experience/knowledge. I just wonder who actually has that experience and isn't just recommending it because it's a more expensive/exotic material. Not saying that's the case in this thread or that stainless/inconel/ti aren't better for a particular job but if you can build a set from mild steel and never have an issue, what do you actually gain for the added cost of stepping up to a higher priced alloy? Other than saying I have "X" part made from (insert expensive/exotic material here).

I honestly don't know enough about metallurgy to slide a quality suggestion in. All I know is if I had mild steel bends laying around and had the time, I would be building a set from that. Worst case you destroy a set and end up back where you were minus some time but you gained some knowledge on what worked or didn't. Or you never have an issue, save the extra money and spend it on other stuff to make your truck fast. Just my $.02

Thats exactly how i feel.. I have the parts laying around so i will make a set and if they fail they fail. I will gain knowlege and make them from stronger material.

 

[White Duramax]

I used sch. 40 mild steel welded to manifolds and for up-pipes. Working so far.