JBA headers

[LEADFOOT]

For all of you guys or girls with JBA headers I have a question. I have the ceramic coated headers and it is a real pain in the ass to change plugs. I also can not get a socket on some of them, I have to use a wrench and guess on the tightness. I was wondering if anyone else has these problems. I am going to call JBA and run it by them and tell them what I think about their design, in a nice way. They could have made the design slightly different to make it easier to tighten the bolts and to change plugs. The rear plug on the drivers side is such a pain in the ass, I have to get it out with a wrench. It pisses me off that the amount of money paid for these things and it makes things more of a pain in the ass to do.

[nomaboy]

yea the wrench is about the only way to do it. i have JBA too. if you are good you can take the rubber boot out of the socket and that will give it a bit of play but don't do it when you put new plugs in cause their is a good chance that you can crack the plug. if you use a 12" rubber hose about 3/8" inside dia. put the new plug in that and use the hose to get the plug started and in most of the way. the rubber will bend and works pretty good.

[damon96706]

I made an ugly tool for the plugs. I cut away a section of the socket and the top as well, and had it welded onto a bar at an angle. It's not pretty, but it works. JBA gave me no response when I inquired about that same problem, but maybe they'll listen to someone else.

Peace

[LEADFOOT]

yea the wrench is about the only way to do it. i have JBA too. if you are good you can take the rubber boot out of the socket and that will give it a bit of play but don't do it when you put new plugs in cause their is a good chance that you can crack the plug. if you use a 12" rubber hose about 3/8" inside dia. put the new plug in that and use the hose to get the plug started and in most of the way. the rubber will bend and works pretty good.
Thats what I came up with for that last plug on the drivers side.

Thanx for the info guys. I am going to call JBA anyway and ***** and just see what they say, see what kinda line of **** they feed me.

When I bought them they told me it was so important to torque them, hahahaha, I can't even get a socket on them.

[extreme gmc]

the question i have with jba headers is how do you get to the back bolt on the drivers side?

[extreme gmc]

to tighten it during install, that is

[nomaboy]

i can't remember how i did it. i either used a wrench or a socket with lots of extentions and a swivel.

[LilYellowZQ8]

A crows foot with an extention will probably be the best thing to get at the last bolt.

[damon96706]

I went through the fender with either a 12" or 15" extension and a universal. I had my son climb in the engine bay and hold the socket on while I cranked it, and guesstimated on the torque.

[bgs]

I still have the inner skirts out. I can get to all the bolts if I jack
up the ride so the front wheels drop down. I used small block
header bolts with a 3/8 6 point head. I haven't had probs with
the bolts, but if I were to do it again I'd go with allen bolts.

Far as the plugs, 3 is a lil hard to do, but with the rubber insert
out of the socket I can sneak in and below the one primary with
a wobbly extension to socket. I too use a plug "hose" installer
to start the plugs along with anti-seize. Makes it a lil easier.

However I agree installing and maintaining the headers as well as
doing tune-ups can put a real crimp on one's day...

[bvr775]

I use 3/4 or 5/8 vacume line for my plug installer