Tools Needed:
- ⅜ Ratchet W/3” & 10”
- 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 9/16” Sockets
- 12mm, 14mm, 9/16” Wrenches
- Hammer
- Floor Jack & Jack Stands
- Torque Wrench
- Chop Saw/Cutoff Wheel
- Tape Measure
Installation Notes:
1. Read all instructions completely and carefully before you begin.
2. Check to make sure the kit is complete and that no parts are missing. If anything is missing, please contact Trail-Gear at (559) 252-4950.
3. Park vehicle on a clean, dry, at, level surface and block the tires so the
vehicle can not roll in either direction.
4. Any variation from these instructions or parts will void the 50 state smog legal certification.
1. Remove the heat shield covering the stock header.
2. If your truck is equipped with an air injection tube, remove the nuts that attach the header to the air injection crossover tube. Remove the two bolts attached to the air injection crossover tube located on the under-side of the front passenger side of the truck. Follow the air injection crossover tube to the bracket that attaches the tube to the header to find these two bolts.
3. Pry the air injection crossover tube off of the studs on the air injection tubes.
4. Disconnect the O2 sensor and remove from intermediate tube (tube between header and catalytic converter).
5. Remove intermediate tube clamp and mounting bracket from the side of the bell housing. Reinstall the two bell housing bolts and tighten.
6. Unbolt intermediate tube (tube between header and catalytic converter).
7. Remove intermediate tube.
8. Unbolt and remove stock exhaust manifold (stock header).Note: Use penetrating oil on all bolts and take extra care not to break the heads off.
9. Remove secondary heat-shield from the frame if necessary.
10. Remove the old gasket and clean gasket surface.
Now that you have removed your stock header, it’s time to install your new Rock Ripper™ Header.
NOTE: We recommend installing new hardware with your header and using anti-seize.
11. Install supplied header gasket. We recommend using a copper coat gasket adhesive on both sides of the gasket.
12. Slide header into place and over the studs.
13. Apply anti-seize lubricant to the studs. Tighten nuts to 45ft/lbs.
14. Install the two supplied air injection tube gaskets, and then reinstall air injection tube, tightening the nuts to 45ft/lbs. If your vehicle is equipped with an air injection tube, this must be reinstalled to be 50 state smog legal. If your vehicle is not equipped with air injection tubes, we have supplied 2 air injection tube block-off plates to be installed. Note: The center hole where the air injection tube would be mounted may need the provided freeze plug in order to seal the hole and prevent vacuum leak.
15. After connecting the flanges, mark the intermediate tube on each side just before the flange tube tapers. Cut the intermediate tube to the marked length.
16. Slide the intermediate tube into place and insert the flange gasket between the intermediate tube and the catalytic converter.
17. Insert and tighten bolts at the front and back of the intermediate tube.
18. Install and tighten clamps onto the front and back of the intermediate tube. If possible you may TIG weld these instead.
19. Install O2 sensor studs into the header tube as shown.
20. Install O2 sensor with new gasket over the studs in the header tube and tighten nuts (88-95 models mount sensor into the intermediate tube provided. Install the provided O2 sensor block-off plate into the O2 sensor flange that is not being used.
21. Installation Due to different manufacturing tolerances for the O2 sensor, the slight tapping of a hammer with a socket may be necessary to install the sensor. Alternatively, some slight dremeling of the outside of the holes may be required.
22. Plug in O2 sensor.
23. Before starting your truck, wipe down all polished surfaces of the header and intermediate tube with alcohol.