Radiator Mounting / Crossmember

[Leverhead]

Wondering how most have mounted their radiator...I've got mine (OEM style 3 core) sitting on top of the mounting crossmember (or whatever its called) on the mounts. PO had pulled it down almost beyond repair. I snapped a couple pics showing a set of mounting pads in the bent portion also...so I'm wondering what they were for (they have the factory rivets).

Update: I realize now the stock mounting posit is on the bent portion...looks like PO had installed a larger radiator (24.5" wide) and it wouldnt fit between the frame rails...so it was mounted on top with new mounts...making it sit higher than normal above the core support.

Asking because I'm wondering if the radiator is to high for the fan (20" diam)...The rad core is about 5-6 inches from the fan and sits about 1.5" above it...not exactly centered... making it more difficult to fab a shroud for it. The fan hangs down there pretty low (its hard to tell in the pic) . I also may be looking for a new x-mbr/mounting brace (or whatever its called) as I dont think I can straighten it without a lot of extra work.

So....looking for the xmbr piece if anyone has one....and the dimension of the stock OEM radiator if anyone knows....

[Captainfab]

The radiator saddles that are on the lower,mangled portion of the crossmember are for a 230/250 I6 radiator. Those were smaller and mounted down there. It looks like the correct saddles are in place under your current radiator along with the top hold down. It looks to me like that is the correct radiator for the V8's and the HD radiator for the 292 I6.. If the side shrouds were there you could likely just bolt in a original style fan shroud. Although since you have changed to a long water pump with the serpentine drive and what sounds like larger fan, the stock shroud may not work. Others that may have the same serpentine drive will be able to answer better. I typically stay with the short water pump on these trucks.

[Leverhead]

Capt,
Thanks for responding. Your post confirms what I saw in another post here on the forum (Sharpes40 radiator upgrade). Funny in the shop manual they only show an exploded view of the I6 mounting....so the V8 was throwing me off. I think what I will do in the absence of another xmbr is remove the mangled one then cut and weld it to move the radiator down and in a bit to get it closer to and centered better with the fan...probably neccessitating notching the frame to get it down. Should help with better cooling and make it easier to fab and fit a shroud. I'll most likely need to make some side shrouds too. Regards.

[padresag]

looks like someone may have attached a chain hook in that hole at one time to pull it. that is why it is pulled down there
ron

[Leverhead]

Originally Posted by padresag

looks like someone may have attached a chain hook in that hole at one time to pull it. that is why it is pulled down there
ron

Exactly what I was thinking when I saw it....so now I won't feel guilty when I cut it up and customize it for the new set up!

[Captainfab]

That's exactly what happened. It seems that everytime someone peeks under the front of one of these trucks, looking for a place to hook a chain, they spot that crossmember and say "Here, lets hook it in the hole in this crossmember"

I don't know how many of those crossmembers I've seen that are all pulled out of whack.

Originally Posted by padresag

looks like someone may have attached a chain hook in that hole at one time to pull it. that is why it is pulled down there
ron

[Leverhead]

Which kinda surprises me that these arent reproduced. Got it out yesterday and started to straighten it...had to cut it in half lengthwise to do it...its thick steel (.135 - 10 g). It was also pulled downward a bit so some slicing and re-welding to get it straight across the top will be necessary also. I'll post updates as it comes along.

[Leverhead]

Well I managed to get the xmbr straightened out...it was pretty mangled. Had to slice in half lengthwise along the seam where it made the 90 , and with a big vise, mallet and big crescent wrenches, I think its about as straight as its gonna get. A couple pics of it welded back together and in the truck. V8 radiator sits right where its supposed to now (with the V8 mounts in the I6 position) and the fan is equa-distant side to side,centered, and closer to the core. Now for the finish work and then the shroud.....Should cool nicely.