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Short vs. Mid vs. Long

1K views 30 replies 15 participants last post by  03DodgeHO 
#1 ·
i have an 05 hemi QC 4x4 w\ elec. fan, 3815(currently), CAI, exhaust dumped right past cats. i wanting to get some headers and just wondering what your thought were between the three. the mid tube are much cheaper everywhere, but if im going to spend the money i want to spend it right.
i also have the superchips 3815 and thinking about getting something different b\c a cam swap is getting near, and havent really decided between the 6.1 cam, w\ springs, and valves. or the 260. the 260 has to have tuning, but thats not really anything to hold me back, b\c i like to mess the the prog. quite abit.
just would like to see you guys would think to be the best combo. thanks in advance...
 
#2 ·
It depends on where you want the power. Down low, in the middle, or at the top end. Shorties are supposed to give you some help on the low end, but they don't seem to do much on the 5.7 HEMI. Mids are best across the middle to upper RPM's. Long-tube header generally boost power at high revs. BUT, it really depends on the design of the headers. Primary tube length and diameter, as well as collector size and shape, have a lot to do with performance. Ceramic coating will give you a little extra oomph by containing heat to maintain exhaust gas velocity.

For your 4WD QC, I would recommend silver ceramic coated Thorley Tri-Y's. Summit Racing has them for around $650.

The Comp 260 does not require tuning. However, it does throw misfire codes, so the PCM is pulling timing and keeping me from getting full benefit, so tuning with a PSC-001 would help, but it isn't absolutely necessary. I'm running it with just the Superchips 91 octane program.
 
#3 ·
Long tubes are way better than either mid.or shorties.
If you have a superchip,the 260 will probably work.
Im running the 260 with a 87 tune on my superchip.
The 2 best mods i did on my truck,was 260 cam,2400 Edge tq converter.
The 6.1 cam is not a good cam for heavy 4x4s,so forget it.
I had no problems running stock springs with my 260.
But it would be really cheap to put some 6.1 springs in,without pulling the head,and be on the safe side.
 
#7 ·
Thorley also makes a full-length tri-y. They supposedly put up great #'s on a 1500 Megacab, but I haven't seen the dyno sheet posted anywhere.
 
#8 ·
john brungard said:
Long tube headers (Equal length) will out perform shorties or mid lengths throughout an engines rpm range.
Not necessarily. Only if, like you said, the headers are equal length and tuned for the specific engine. If the ID of the primaries is too large, exhaust gas velocity will drop and you'll lose torque at low rpm. There aren't many equal length long-tube headers out there that are actually tuned for the HEMI. You'll see some that have 1 5/8" primaries and others with 1 3/4" primaries.
 
#9 ·
Freeze215 said:
Thorley also makes a full-length tri-y. They supposedly put up great #'s on a 1500 Megacab, but I haven't seen the dyno sheet posted anywhere.

The Thorley Tri-Y's look like a mid about the same length as the edelbrock's. They do however look like they might be a good design. I would like to know if there is any one running them, dynos, info?

As far as power long tubes will make the most, at any RPM for the most part. The long tubes with the smaller collectors are torque monsters from what I hear and the Dynos that I have seen. My dilemma is that with long tubes you have to move the cats... this makes it a pain. Smog tests are no problem for me... but what if one day it was or for some reason I sell the truck... It is a lot of work to move the cats back and it requires butchering the stock exhaust or completely removing it... then going back would be a PITA. Maybe that is just my opinion but with mids like the edelbrocks or maybe the tri-ys(Don't know if you move the cats) you still can have a decent improvement in power with less modification, more legality, and less worries?? I am still debating this, and while I've been debating it seems like there have been more great options added to choose from. :D
 
#10 ·
catsltd said:
Long tubes are way better than either mid.or shorties.
If you have a superchip,the 260 will work.
Im running the 260 with a 87 tune on my superchip.
The 2 best mods i did on my truck,was 260 cam,2400 Edge tq converter.
The 6.1 cam is not a good cam for heavy 4x4s,so forget it.
I had no problems running stock springs with my 260.
But it would be really cheap to put some 6.1 springs in,without pulling the head,and be on the safe side.
X2...I for 1 have NEVER received ANY codes whatsoever. Have your cam installed by a quality shop, or, ask some of the people on these boards who have done them several times and you will be fine.

Longtubes Dynatechs
 
#11 ·
Dartboy;
Your looking for performance,which is obviuos by your cam,etc.
So long tubes are going to make a huge difference with your cam.
If your going to keep your cats,you should look into Magnaflow high flow cats.
They come with bungs,and are not that expensive.
They work Great.
Why buy headers if your going to keep stock restrictive cats.
Would be a waste of money and performance,
 
#12 ·
the headers i have are exactly like the thorley tri-y's with a thicker flange. i wanted more mid range to help keep the 6.1L cam from falling on its face at 2500-3500 rpms. hands down worth the money for them. i dont live at the top end of the rpm band to much so i figure i better round out the whole power band the best i could with wat i have got
 
#13 ·
I have the same headers as Grim and will stay with them. I started out with Hedman long tubes with collector extensions. The bottom end felt weaker with the long tubes and the top end was about the same as it is now. These trucks need the torque to move, not bragging rights on a dyno. If your looking for more bottom/mid range torque I'd go with the mids. The SSI's a few of us have are pretty cheap and effective. My $.02
 
#14 ·
GrimReaper said:
the headers i have are exactly like the thorley tri-y's with a thicker flange. i wanted more mid range to help keep the 6.1L cam from falling on its face at 2500-3500 rpms. hands down worth the money for them. i dont live at the top end of the rpm band to much so i figure i better round out the whole power band the best i could with wat i have got
with EXACTLY the mods you have, and just a simple 260 cam swap, you would be in love.
 
#16 ·
AtumAnt said:
I have the same headers as Grim and will stay with them. I started out with Hedman long tubes with collector extensions. The bottom end felt weaker with the long tubes and the top end was about the same as it is now. These trucks need the torque to move, not bragging rights on a dyno. If your looking for more bottom/mid range torque I'd go with the mids. The SSI's a few of us have are pretty cheap and effective. My $.02

Not very many people have dyno'ed with just headers, but from my research it seems like the long tubes are making massive midrange witha lot up top depending on the cam. You are right though the dyno isn't going to show anything off idle in the low range... but I know a few people have seen better 60' times with long tubes over mids.
 
#17 ·
I am a QC 4x4 guy with, SC 91 tune, Pacesetter Longtubes, Aeroturbine 3030 dumped, no cats, Shorty wires, e-bay intake, 180-stat, and a 6.1 cam. Being heavier than the RC guys I would say you want more torque. Having had my 6.1 for a while, I've gotten used to it. My top end is crazy sick for a 4x4. My low end was better with the 5.7 stock cam. If I had to do it again I would get a Franks Racing Cam "Sidewinder". I still think the 260 is a good cam, but the Franks Sidewinder from what I have read is a bad mofo for quad cabs.

Get the Long tubes from pacesetter and the y-pipe, and look into a Franks Racing Cam. My 2 cents.
 
#18 ·
AtumAnt said:
I have the same headers as Grim and will stay with them. I started out with Hedman long tubes with collector extensions. The bottom end felt weaker with the long tubes and the top end was about the same as it is now. These trucks need the torque to move, not bragging rights on a dyno. If your looking for more bottom/mid range torque I'd go with the mids. The SSI's a few of us have are pretty cheap and effective. My $.02
That's exactly what scott from the hemi shop said - mid tubes are for torque to make our heavy trucks move . Pacesetter mids all the way - maybe a custom grind hemi shop cam next year.

MR
 
#19 ·
Daytona09808 said:
I am a QC 4x4 guy with, SC 91 tune, Pacesetter Longtubes, Aeroturbine 3030 dumped, no cats, Shorty wires, e-bay intake, 180-stat, and a 6.1 cam. Being heavier than the RC guys I would say you want more torque. Having had my 6.1 for a while, I've gotten used to it. My top end is crazy sick for a 4x4. My low end was better with the 5.7 stock cam. If I had to do it again I would get a Franks Racing Cam "Sidewinder". I still think the 260 is a good cam, but the Franks Sidewinder from what I have read is a bad mofo for quad cabs.

Get the Long tubes from pacesetter and the y-pipe, and look into a Franks Racing Cam. My 2 cents.

This is almost identical on paper to the 260... They say the sidewinder is in the middle of the 260 and a 268. I wish i knew someone that had it in a truck instead of a lx
 
#21 ·
gotcha, thanks
 
#23 ·
I have an Aeroturbine--SC Performance tune --and Pacesetter Mids

A friend of a friend who has an SRT10 took mine for a ride and said it was like a rocket Ship

I guess impressing a SRT10 owner must mean something but I have never been to the track
 
#24 ·
anything is better than stock.. my dougs' mids were dirt cheap off of $$$ on this forum and with my programmer work real well
 
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