F-150 Long Tube Headers: What Actually Fits Your 5.0L, by Generation

Long tube headers replace the factory exhaust manifolds, the metal tubes that carry exhaust gas away from each cylinder. Stock manifolds are built for cost and space, not flow. A long tube header opens that path up, and on a 5.0L Coyote V8 it's usually the single biggest power move you can bolt on before you start talking about a supercharger.

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This is not a first-mod purchase. Headers are an involved install, most of the kits below list a difficulty rating of 4 out of 5 and several hours to a full day of labor, and on the newer trucks the engine bay is tight enough that most owners hand this one to a shop. If you already run an intake, a tune, and a cat-back and you're looking for the next real step, this is where that step usually lives.

Fourteen active header kits are listed for the F-150 right now, and they split cleanly by generation because almost none of them cross-fit. Here's what's actually available for each one.

2011-2014 (Gen 1, 5.0L Coyote)

This is the only generation with headers that publish an actual claimed dyno number.

{{part:HDR-ARH-LTCAT-1114}} is a 1-7/8in long tube kit with a catted Y-pipe, and American Racing Headers claims up to 40 rear-wheel horsepower and 40 rear-wheel torque.

{{part:HDR-BBK-1947-1114}} is a 1-3/4in titanium ceramic kit, with BBK claiming a more modest 20 hp. Worth knowing: BBK doesn't currently sell a version for any F-150 newer than 2014, even though they build one for the Mustang.

{{part:HDR-AFE-4843001-1114}} is a shorty header, not full long tube, and aFe claims 10 hp and 20 tq with the accompanying Y-pipe.

{{part:HDR-JBA-1688S-1114}} is also a shorty design, and it's the one header on this whole list with an actual CARB Executive Order exemption, meaning it's built to be legal to run in California. JBA does not publish a horsepower number for it.

2015-2020 (Gen 2-3, 5.0L Coyote)

Three kits, and none of them publish a tested number.

{{part:HDR-KOOKS-13612400}} sells the headers bare with no Y-pipe included, so you pick your own catted or off-road pipe separately.

{{part:HDR-KOOKS-1361H420}} bundles a catted Y-pipe in. Kooks does not publish a dyno figure for this specific header. The "estimated" gain type in our data traces back to a general article on how header design affects Coyote output, not a test of this exact part, so treat it as background reading, not a claim.

{{part:HDR-SW-LTCAT-1520}} is Stainless Works' "Factory Connect" kit, built to bolt to the stock exhaust connection with EPA-compliant high-flow cats. Stainless Works markets it with a "Dyno-Proven Power" banner but does not put a number on the page.

2021-2026 (Gen 4, 5.0L Coyote)

Four kits here.

{{part:HDR-KOOKS-1371H230}} and {{part:HDR-KOOKS-1371H430}} are Kooks' 1-3/4in and 1-7/8in versions, both with green-coated catted Y-pipes. Neither publishes a tested gain figure. Kooks' own product page for the 1-3/4in kit carries a CARB warning that aftermarket exhaust parts modifying factory catalysts are illegal in California without an Executive Order number, and no EO number is listed for this one.

{{part:HDR-SW-LTCAT-2125}} is the Gen 4 version of Stainless Works' Factory Connect kit, the same EPA-compliant cat setup as their older kit, with no published number.

{{part:HDR-LTH-FDLH00051T}} is labeled by the manufacturer itself as track and competition only, not for street use. It exists because the Kooks kits above only cover 2015-2020 trucks, so for the newest generation it's currently the only long tube option listed.

2023-2026 Raptor R (Predator V8)

The supercharged Raptor R gets its own headers, built for the 5.2L Predator engine, not the base Coyote.

{{part:HDR-KOOKS-13722400-RAPR}} ships uncatted. Kooks states outright that these do not connect directly to the factory exhaust, so you need separate connection pipes, and running a truck uncatted on the street is not emissions legal in most states.

{{part:HDR-KOOKS-1372H640-RAPR}} is the complete version, headers plus catted connection pipes, sold as a full street-legal system. Kooks recommends adding O2 sensor spacers to avoid triggering a check engine light.

{{part:HDR-SW-FTR25HCAT-RAPR}} is Stainless Works' high-flow catted version, a direct bolt-on that's compatible with either the factory cat-back or their own.

What "catted" actually means, and why it matters

A catted header keeps the catalytic converter in the exhaust path. An uncatted header removes it. That is not a small detail. Whether removing a catalytic converter is legal on your specific truck depends on your state's emissions rules and, in some cases, whether the part carries a CARB Executive Order number. This is not legal advice, and RideBuildList is not the authority on it. If you are not sure whether a specific header is street legal where you live, that is a question for your state's emissions program or an attorney, not a parts catalog.

The honest read on the numbers

Look at how few of these actually publish a tested gain. Three kits, all from the oldest generation, give you a manufacturer-claimed horsepower figure. Everything built for 2015 and newer is sold on flow, material, and fitment, not a dyno sheet. That is not automatically a red flag. A lot of legitimate header makers simply do not publish numbers for truck applications the way they do for cars. But it does mean you are buying on engineering reputation and build quality, not a verified performance claim, for eleven of these fourteen parts.

What to check before you buy

Every one of these is generation-specific, and for the Raptor R kits, engine-specific too. A Gen 2-3 header will not bolt to a Gen 4 truck. Confirm your build year and engine before ordering, check whether the kit includes a Y-pipe or connection pipes or whether you are buying those separately, and if emissions compliance matters where you live, look for an actual CARB EO number rather than language like "EPA compliant" or "dyno-proven," which are marketing terms, not certifications.

Also budget for more than the header itself. Several of these kits explicitly call out extra parts most first-timers do not expect, things like O2 sensor spacers to keep a check engine light off, or a separate connection pipe purchase because the header ships bare. Read the "why this one" notes on each part before you buy, they flag exactly that kind of gotcha.

Last thing: install difficulty and labor time vary a lot across this list, from roughly 3 to 4 hours up to a full day or more depending on the kit and the shop. If you are not doing this one yourself, get a quote before you order the part, not after.