ATTN Strup Header owners/ potential buyers.
#1
Senior Member
SL Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: between DC and Baltimore
Posts: 1,489
ATTN Strup Header owners/ potential buyers.
Disclaimer: This is not to bash Strup. This is to show my findings from opening up my brand new Strup header.
So I purchased a Strup header for my xB on Sunday and it has arrived a few hours ago from UPS. After unpacking it and checking it out, I have to say "Where is the wonderful construction people have been raving about?"
First, the inside of the collector looks like garbage. The welds arent smooth at all and it appears they just pile slag up in the middle to seal it. If thats the way you have to build it, fine but you should go in there and smooth it out a bit before shipping it to a customer.
The second more disturbing thing is that as soon as I glanced at the mounting flange, I could tell with my naked eye that it wasnt straight.
I took a straight edge from my brothers tool box (He is a machinist, his straightedge is straighter than any ruler or square you buy from Sears) and sure enough, the flange is out, quite a bit. I measured 1/8th of a inch from end to end being out of line. You can start at one of the header and "rock" the straight edge across mounting flange. Luckily, my brother is a machinist and can correct the problem with the flange and I can clean up the welds but if this is supposed to be the best header, Id hate to see what others look like.
Here are some pics of the header.
It was tough to hold everything straight and get the right angle to show the gap but I hope the dark backround helps.
Anyone else find a problem with their Strup header?
So I purchased a Strup header for my xB on Sunday and it has arrived a few hours ago from UPS. After unpacking it and checking it out, I have to say "Where is the wonderful construction people have been raving about?"
First, the inside of the collector looks like garbage. The welds arent smooth at all and it appears they just pile slag up in the middle to seal it. If thats the way you have to build it, fine but you should go in there and smooth it out a bit before shipping it to a customer.
The second more disturbing thing is that as soon as I glanced at the mounting flange, I could tell with my naked eye that it wasnt straight.
I took a straight edge from my brothers tool box (He is a machinist, his straightedge is straighter than any ruler or square you buy from Sears) and sure enough, the flange is out, quite a bit. I measured 1/8th of a inch from end to end being out of line. You can start at one of the header and "rock" the straight edge across mounting flange. Luckily, my brother is a machinist and can correct the problem with the flange and I can clean up the welds but if this is supposed to be the best header, Id hate to see what others look like.
Here are some pics of the header.
It was tough to hold everything straight and get the right angle to show the gap but I hope the dark backround helps.
Anyone else find a problem with their Strup header?
#3
Senior Member
SL Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: between DC and Baltimore
Posts: 1,489
Originally Posted by aalbertson3
Did you try contacting them about your problem? They have A+ customer service and I am sure your problem will be taken care of.
#5
Senior Member
SL Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: between DC and Baltimore
Posts: 1,489
Originally Posted by hotbox05
my megan header is the bomb!
i've always doubted strup products and when i've installed their headers they were fine but nothing to rave about.
i've always doubted strup products and when i've installed their headers they were fine but nothing to rave about.
#6
I have the DC Sports the welds are awesome too bad to hear about you strup. It seems even if they have good customer service and get you a new one it's still inconvenient for you. Good luck.
#8
Senior Member
SL Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: between DC and Baltimore
Posts: 1,489
DC sports owners- Did you guys bother to check the straightness of the mounting flange? I picked up two DC headers that I had laying around in my garage for other cars and they were not straight either. They werent quite as bad as this Strup, but still out.
#9
I am sorry to hear about your Strup header not being top quality, that sucks. I checked my strup header before I installed it and it was just slightly off but the gap was less than 1/16" and that was acceptable to me.
#10
Originally Posted by BrianxB
Originally Posted by hotbox05
my megan header is the bomb!
i've always doubted strup products and when i've installed their headers they were fine but nothing to rave about.
i've always doubted strup products and when i've installed their headers they were fine but nothing to rave about.
#11
Originally Posted by BrianxB
DC sports owners- Did you guys bother to check the straightness of the mounting flange? I picked up two DC headers that I had laying around in my garage for other cars and they were not straight either. They werent quite as bad as this Strup, but still out.
#12
Sorry about your experience.
I know that this may sound weird, but I judge a lot of companies by their website.
Too often do I see Scion parts manufacturers with half-built sites, broken links, incomplete information, etc. which just leads me to go elsewhere.
I know that sometimes small businesses don't have full-time web-designers, but just pay once to come up with a clean, informative design..........please!
I know that this may sound weird, but I judge a lot of companies by their website.
Too often do I see Scion parts manufacturers with half-built sites, broken links, incomplete information, etc. which just leads me to go elsewhere.
I know that sometimes small businesses don't have full-time web-designers, but just pay once to come up with a clean, informative design..........please!
#14
i think you are overdoing yourself here..... whether the welds on the inside are picture perfect or not, the strup still performs better and sounds better than any other out there..... and if the welds on the outter part dont meet your expectations then i'd like to see some pics of welds that you approve of...... the flange doesnt need to be exactly straight, if it were then when you tightened it down the gasket would not seal correctly... also if you plan on tightening it so loose that it would not suck it down flat then you shouldnt be doing the install in the first place
#15
Senior Member
SL Member
Team N.V.S.
Originally Posted by BrianxB
Originally Posted by hotbox05
my megan header is the bomb!
i've always doubted strup products and when i've installed their headers they were fine but nothing to rave about.
i've always doubted strup products and when i've installed their headers they were fine but nothing to rave about.
#16
Senior Member
SL Member
Team N.V.S.
Originally Posted by superfreestyle
whether the welds on the inside are picture perfect or not, the strup still performs better and sounds better than any other out there.....
and try looking for an xb header shootout, there pretty much isnt one. and if theres one that puts the strup over the top it's probably sponsoered by strup. it's a good piece but it's not worth the extra money it sells for.
#20
Senior Member
SL Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: between DC and Baltimore
Posts: 1,489
Originally Posted by davedavetC
Originally Posted by BrianxB
Originally Posted by hotbox05
my megan header is the bomb!
i've always doubted strup products and when i've installed their headers they were fine but nothing to rave about.
i've always doubted strup products and when i've installed their headers they were fine but nothing to rave about.
Originally Posted by hotbox05
ummm the megan tc header and the megan xa/xb header are completely different.
either way, i wouldnt touch it.
Originally Posted by superfreestyle
i think you are overdoing yourself here..... whether the welds on the inside are picture perfect or not, the strup still performs better and sounds better than any other out there..... and if the welds on the outter part dont meet your expectations then i'd like to see some pics of welds that you approve of...... the flange doesnt need to be exactly straight, if it were then when you tightened it down the gasket would not seal correctly... also if you plan on tightening it so loose that it would not suck it down flat then you shouldnt be doing the install in the first place
Lastly, I wont turn this into a flame war but I wouldn't worry about my installation abilities.