Passenger side header rubbing on frame rail

[Adjusted]

It is going to be gorgeous outside the next few days and I have a free weekend so I'm going to get a few things done to the Sierra that have been building up. One of my issues is that, starting around the time I put on the 243 heads, the passenger side header rubs on the frame rail right as it bends down from the head. I don't notice it much when its warm out, but when its cold I can always hear it at idle. These are almost 3 year-old Cal-Speed headers, and theyve been rubbing for over a year.

I plan on trying to just unbolt them from the y-pipe and head and reposition them and see how that goes, but what other options do I have? My main concern is damaging them since they are a bit old and have been weakened due to rubbing. Can I massage them with a mallet safely? Is there anything I can wrap the header with that will at least alleviate the noise while holding up to the heat and rubbing? Any other options?

Let me know what yall think, thanks.

 

[Cheeny23]

You can massage them carefully. That's what guys did with 4wd. Then a small bit of header wrap? Idk

How's your motor mount btw, that could be causing it to favor that side if it's worn or busted, just a thought I had

Sent from pasta.

 

[Big Tex]

nope, you're fucked. bring me truck plz

 

[Adjusted]

You can massage them carefully. That's what guys did with 4wd. Then a small bit of header wrap? Idk

How's your motor mount btw, that could be causing it to favor that side if it's worn or busted, just a thought I had

Sent from pasta.

My only worry with massaging it is that I may put a pinhole in the header since they a few years old. I think imma give it a try and be extremely carful, after researching I dont want to use header wrap - looks like when its rubbing something AND its hot as hell it wont last long at all.

Had not thought about my motor mounts, could definitely be the culprit if the passenger side has work more than the driver. Either way at this point I wont be swapping those out since I wont had the truck too much longer.

 

[2005_Silverado]

I tried loosening the motor mounts and trans mount and shifting it a lil...gave me lil more room. Once we did that, we got a torch and a LONG ass flat head screwdriver. Heated up the tube, wedged the driver in there and did work on it...no more frame rubbing.

 

[Ginger]

I was gonna say try a big pry bar and try to pry it away from the frame

 

[Adjusted]

Well ended up taking the header off. I massaged it a bit, just enough to flatten out the bend a bit where it was contacting the frame.

Will re-assemble after work today and pry on it a bit as well, before I tighten down the bolts I'll shift it around until I find a spot that for sure doesnt rub. Should be enough I think, will be so much nicer to idle in the cold without this fucker making the wrong kind of noise.

 

[2005_Silverado]

looks about right...I had to do the same to my pacesetters too

 

[Adjusted]

looks about right...I had to do the same to my pacesetters too

Yeah, i was able to get the entire section that had been rubbing flattened down significantly without affecting the pipe too much. Header held up well too, was just some surface rust that came off, likely from the frame. Zero damage to the header so far, these Cal-Speeds are legit.

 

[Cuban.]

James had this issue with his cc before he sold it and I really forgot how he fixed it. I don't have the texts anymore but you can send him messages and he'll lead the way

 

[Jared]

try using a small piece of wood as a wedge before you tighten everything down, then knock it out of the way once you tighten it

 

[Jared]

 

[Adjusted]

Got it done, no more rubbing! I took the header off and beat on it gently with a mallet, and when I put them back on i wedged a skinny piece of particle board between the frame and header. Bingo. So much better.

 

[AlwaysSomethin]

Mine quit when I did new mounts. It only did it every so often though.