Radiator Mount Question - July 8, 2020
Fab - Design Question:
I've been looking at mounting the AC condenser, transmission cooler and radiator. I'm only to this point - the condenser and transmission cooler planned out and fit in the available space:
I've seen other people weld a structure to the grill to support the radiator. Like this orange grill with a bottom channel and removable top bracket. Typically this is lined with rubber or some other compliant material. Welding a heavy structure to the sheet metal grill seems like poor idea. But many people have done it. The center grill support will provide good strength to the bottom channel.
I'm wondering if I should just mount the radiator to the frame directly. Something like this:
Basically, weld in a cross member to support the radiator. Make a bottom channel and top bracket. The top of it would be supported either by the normal rods back to the firewall and\or tied into the shock tower crossbar like this:
(this is Jack Brinks Jeepster below). Using the crossbar to support the top seems pretty smart.
Problems\issues:
1) do I mount the condenser and transmission cooler to the radiator frame or to the grill. I think it has to be the grill, which is probably okay. I can make slotted holes in the radiator supports, so that I can get the radiator tucked up against the grill in the proper location.
2) I have to make a frame bracket for the center grill support, so I will probably end up adding a new cross member right in the area of the radiator - it will be easy to make it support the radiator too.
3) Clearance between the radiator and headlight bucket will be pretty tight - that's an area of concern if they start twisting and move independently of each other. (the headlight bucket has to be notched, as shown, to fit a larger radiator)
I figure that some of you have dealt with this before - especially Mark. Any thoughts\comments\jokes are welcome and appreciated!