# Kooks Headers



## biffman (Jul 1, 2009)

Can any one tell me if i need to drop the steering:cheers:cheers rack down to install long tubes by Kooks or is there other ways to consider, any help would be appreciated. It would be nice to know what i will be up against be fore i start.


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## dustyminpin (Jun 19, 2006)

Putting my Kooks signature series LTs and Kooks high flow catted connecting pipes on was by far the biggest bitch of a project I've ever had the displeasure of being a part of. Yes, the steering rack had to be dropped. Be DAMN sure that you don't turn the steering wheel AT ALL once you disconnect the steering column or you will unknowingly rip all the wires and connections inside the steering wheel out. I did this and had to have the shop replace the clock screw, a wiring harness, and a bottle that has to do with the air bag so I could get my horn and radio controls working again, as well as get the air bag light off on the dash. 

You also have to disconnect the power steering lines and again use CAUTION, because we cracked the inside of the fitting on one of the lines trying to get it back on (they are easy to get off but need the touch of GOD himself to get them back on) so I had to order another set of power steering lines. Kooks says you have to unbolt the motor mounts and jack the motor up from the bottom as well but we didn't have to do that part. It took my buddy and I two full days to do the job. I'm not more then an oil changer/tire changer kind of guy myself, but he's built complete motors before and does all the work on his supercharged Lingenfelter vette so there wasn't a person I wouldn't have trusted more to help me with the job. If I had to do it all over again I would pay the local speed shop the 400 bucks they wanted to charge me for the job.

P.S. You also need a garage's worth of tools, specialty tools like a crow's foot with about a 3 foot extension to name just one. Don't want to scare you off the project, but I damn sure wouldn't do it again.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

It is a solid days work for the average person. And yes the rack must be dropped for any long tube install on this car. I hope you can tune yourserlf or have someone lined up to do it one you do the install as your going to be running super rich.


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## 04torridm6 (Oct 25, 2008)

The rack has to be dropped no way around it. It will take some time but this job is what you make it. Jump in and just start taking stuff apart and you will run into trouble. If you really plan on doing it yourself or even a buddy that has mechanical experiance joins in make sure to do the research on the install. There are lots of little tricks to make it go smoother. High performance pontiac magazine has one of the best install articals on long tube installs, from turning the steering wheel a certain way prior to diconnecting the rack to allow access to steering shaft nuts to cutting down wrenches to connect steering rack lines it is all there. hope this helps you make your choice on what you want to do


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## docta J (Sep 7, 2008)

i just installed Pacesetter LT's on my 05 and it really is as bad as you make it. two of my friends helped me (one who built up his camaro from bone stock to a 9 sec car by himself) and we got it done in one day. it took us almost 8 hours but it wasnt so bad. we did have to drop the steering but we didnt get screwed over like dustyminpin stated above. we disconected the steering rod, then the lines (had to drain fluid, and refill when done), then dropped the rack. it was a little bit of a bitch getting the two lines back on but we got it in about 20 min of playing with it. i didnt see any wires or connections unless one of my friends got to it before i saw it, but there is no air bag light or ses light flashing. my ses light just came on today (4 days later) but thats because of the rear O2 sensors.

bottom line: do the long tubes, its definetly worth it. amazing power gains. i have a borla catback with it and the goat sounds like a vette. best mod i've done so far


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## Olgreg55 (Sep 11, 2015)

dustyminpin said:


> Putting my Kooks signature series LTs and Kooks high flow catted connecting pipes on was by far the biggest bitch of a project I've ever had the displeasure of being a part of. Yes, the steering rack had to be dropped. Be DAMN sure that you don't turn the steering wheel AT ALL once you disconnect the steering column or you will unknowingly rip all the wires and connections inside the steering wheel out. I did this and had to have the shop replace the clock screw, a wiring harness, and a bottle that has to do with the air bag so I could get my horn and radio controls working again, as well as get the air bag light off on the dash.
> 
> You also have to disconnect the power steering lines and again use CAUTION, because we cracked the inside of the fitting on one of the lines trying to get it back on (they are easy to get off but need the touch of GOD himself to get them back on) so I had to order another set of power steering lines. Kooks says you have to unbolt the motor mounts and jack the motor up from the bottom as well but we didn't have to do that part. It took my buddy and I two full days to do the job. I'm not more then an oil changer/tire changer kind of guy myself, but he's built complete motors before and does all the work on his supercharged Lingenfelter vette so there wasn't a person I wouldn't have trusted more to help me with the job. If I had to do it all over again I would pay the local speed shop the 400 bucks they wanted to charge me for the job.
> 
> P.S. You also need a garage's worth of tools, specialty tools like a crow's foot with about a 3 foot extension to name just one. Don't want to scare you off the project, but I damn sure wouldn't do it again.


I am in the market for a new exhaust and I was looking at the complete kooks system. Do you have any sounds clips of the kooks long tubes and catted connecting pipes?


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

Olgreg55 said:


> I am in the market for a new exhaust and I was looking at the complete kooks system. Do you have any sounds clips of the kooks long tubes and catted connecting pipes?


5 year old threads aren't usually the best place to get an answer from the OP. That said YouTube is your friend for sound clips.


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