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Thorley header?

tnxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Knoxville, TN
I recently discovered a crack in my exhaust manifold. I've been doing some searching and have discovered that most of you prefer the borla or banks headers, unfortunately they are out of my price range. Since funds are tight I was considering the ebay manifold but have dug up some stories of warping and subsequent leakage, so unless someone convinces me otherwise that's out. I like the look of the Doug Thorley header (near the upper limits of my price range). What are everyone's experiences with this header? How well does the chrome finish hold up? Does it fit well? (2" lift with 31's, street and mild trails only, bump stops extended) Any rubbing? Thanks in advance. Also, I am open to other suggestions in the $300 range.
 
I know this is an old thread, but I am also looking to replace my cracked header, but money is tight and this doug thorley header seems to be the best priced header I have found. I am not sure what I am going to do, maybe banks with the downtube also? Anybodys input would be appreciated
 
I had thorleys on my 80 Cj-7 with 304 for what it's worth.

Loved em.

repeated dunkings in various bodies of water didn't crack em.

after proper torquing, they didn't leak.

dunno if it helps, but the finish held up for the two years of wheeling they saw on that jeep.
 
I put Thorley's on my Jeep over Christmas. There is a little more engine noise coming from the exhaust than with stock(before the crack developed that is). I have no complaints, great header in my opinion. They are stainless steel and blue from the heat, that doesn't bother me but if you want to retain the color have it plated.
 
anybody else have any experience with these? 400+ for banks or borla is kinda high for me but if these are junk i dont want to do it twice.
 
i got the thorleys....
ive had em for a lil over 3 years now....
good power and yea.. a little more engine noise... (very little)
BUT i did crack a set...
ALTHOUGH i am not exactly nice on them.... ive landed on my exhaust and caught my exhaust on rocks more times than i care to think of
so they did have some pulling stress on em....
they cracked right where the 2 pipes come and meet to join as 1....
BUT (again) these headers come with a lifetime warranty.... and their customer service is very kick ass.... i worked out a deal with them (since im a poor college student)
since my jeep is my DD they let me take the headers home (without returning the old ones immediately) they also said that they would honor their warranty if i went and had them welded back up...
so needless to say.. they were very generous
(and yes i did return my old set to them)

the new set is workin flawlessly....
so i only have good things to say about Thorley....
slight inconvenience more than made up for in generocity and good customer service....

-Eric
 
good to hear, thanks
 
I have a set on my 99xj 4.0 and have had them for about 30,000 miles or about a year and a half. I've done so much crap to those headers its amazing that they're still in as good of shape as they are. I do a whole lot of highway driving at speeds of 70+ and for hours at a time, go mudding with them, coat them in mud, splash water on them while flying down trails, everything you can think of, and I've only recently cracked them where they go from 2 to 1 on the weld. The only bad thing I have to say about them is that they wouldn't honor their warrenty unless I could find my recepit. So I couldn't find it, but called RRO (somehow I got help there) and they sent me another recepit. $30 bucks later and a few minutes on the phone with Sean from Doug Thorley and I'm having my header shipped out tomorrow. Since I'm in the military and on the opposite side of the US, they are giving me like a month to return the cracked header, so that's good. Also, they said that if I couldn't find my recepit, they'd give me special pricing or something because I was a repeat customer. yada yada yada, they're good headers.
 
O and about the discoloration. . .
i was told by the guys @ thorleys. . . rub them down with rubbing alcohol before you install them.... this will minimalize the discoloration of the headers.....
(i dont know if it works or not) but its worth a try in my opinion.... i never got around to doing it.... i could care less...
 
Gil BullyKatz said:
Whose got good prices on the Thorley's?
RRO seems pretty cheap
 
I have both the Borla header on my 87 and a Thorley on my 99. I prefer the Borla because it has the downpipe included and it works great. My thorley works great but the puny sotck downpipe was so restrictive that most power gains were negligible until I made my own 2.25" downpipe.
 
Kolak over at JU does group pricing. I was searching Thorley Headers here on NAXJA and found his name, checked him out and price seems good.
 
yeah, the thorley doesn't include a down pipe, but oh well, bend your own. If you take that stock collector out, you can stay at 2.25 the entire way and have plenty of power and torque for a stock to slightly modded 4.0. RRO sells them for $359.62 shipped to Jacksonville, NC. At least that's what my invoice said about a year and a half ago.

741399_102_full.jpg


741399_78_full.jpg
 
or you can go to JC Whitney order one 45 degree and two 90 degree 2.25" mandrel bent pieces and make your own downpipe for $38
 
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