Removing Radiator Support
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 324
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From: Spencer Mountain, NC
Removing Radiator Support
Spent several hours in the local Pull-A-Part trying to remove the cherry radiator Support from a 79 for my 74. Had to give up as the heat got to me. What got me was the two bolts holding the support to the frame. How the h@#ll do you remove these beasts? Am trying to locate someone with a battery powered SawZall to just cut the bolts. Is this the best way?
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 408
Likes: 2
From: South Carolina
Spent several hours in the local Pull-A-Part trying to remove the cherry radiator Support from a 79 for my 74. Had to give up as the heat got to me. What got me was the two bolts holding the support to the frame. How the h@#ll do you remove these beasts? Am trying to locate someone with a battery powered SawZall to just cut the bolts. Is this the best way?
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 708
Likes: 1
Take a Bernzomatic torch and a spray bottle of water with you. Heat the lower nut up real good then spray the flaming rubber bushing with water to put it out. That should let you bust that bolt free with just hand tools. If you're not allergic to burning rubber.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,436
Likes: 19
From: Regina, Saskatchewan
It's VERY SIMPLE to just grab your favourite cheater bar and tighten the hell out of those bolts until they start actually twisting their own metals and snap at the mid point...
I had to work on mine for a bit (tighten a bit, loosen a bit) and eventually just gave up on trying to loosen them... so I tightened the **** out of them until they eventually broke.
Won't take you long once you get the hang of it. Make sure you bring multiple cheater bars... some might be too long because the engine is in the way.
Good luck.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
I've pulled 3 core supports. A huge asset will be a long extension so you can get your breaker bar up above the level of the radiator.
On one, I had a helper, and the truck was relatively rust free, so we were able to break the bolt on that side with a cheater bar. On the other side, the bolt head stripped, so we found I think a metric or 12 point socket, hammered it over the head, and were able to loosen it up enough to remove it. On the other one, an old rusty truck, I was able to break one side, again. the other side, I had to use a small map torch I had to burn the rubber bushing off which gave me enough wiggle room to use a mini angle grinder to get half way through the bolt, a sawzall to finish it off. Now, the third truck was rusted through in every way, and if I remember right both those bolts snapped off quite easily.
When you replace it, use grade 8 hardware because it doesn't corrode as quickly, and use never seize when assembling it. I'm also thinking about squirting grease down on the bolt heads to protect them from corrosion accumulating in the "pockets" the bolt heads sit down into.
On one, I had a helper, and the truck was relatively rust free, so we were able to break the bolt on that side with a cheater bar. On the other side, the bolt head stripped, so we found I think a metric or 12 point socket, hammered it over the head, and were able to loosen it up enough to remove it. On the other one, an old rusty truck, I was able to break one side, again. the other side, I had to use a small map torch I had to burn the rubber bushing off which gave me enough wiggle room to use a mini angle grinder to get half way through the bolt, a sawzall to finish it off. Now, the third truck was rusted through in every way, and if I remember right both those bolts snapped off quite easily.
When you replace it, use grade 8 hardware because it doesn't corrode as quickly, and use never seize when assembling it. I'm also thinking about squirting grease down on the bolt heads to protect them from corrosion accumulating in the "pockets" the bolt heads sit down into.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 324
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From: Spencer Mountain, NC
Got it off!! Used a six point impact socket and many extensions so I could position my pull bar above the radiator support. Applied copious force and both bolt broke loose and unscrewed. Couldn't figure out how to get the rubber bushings out so just left them. Also scored a very good driver's side front fender, power steering pump and box, two good hood hinges and a good pair of rear view mirrors. Chilling out now at home in my recliner with a HUGE glass of iced tea. Will put the radiator support in my electrolysis tank later and remove the minimal rust and will follow with a good coat of primer and satin black paint. Hood hinges will get a trip through the blast box followed also with primer and paint. PS pump and steering box will get a thorough cleaning followed by paint also. Hope to get the engine and tranny changed out soon. Have a .040 over 302 with AOD I built for my son's Fairlane that I think I an going to use and then build another engine and tranny for him.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
I always bring a can of PB blaster with me when I go to the junkyard, as soon as I see something I want, I give it a thorough blasting, then get my tools out, then usually give it another squirt before I start wrenching on it. I've seen tests that suggest you can make your own penetrating oil with ATF and acetone for a fraction of the cost, but for me the PB comes in an aerosol can with a straw ready to go and that makes it easy to squirt into hard to reach places. You are lucky to have got the bolts out. I'm not sure how to get the rubber mounts off either. I've left mine in, or on a few, the metal has been so deteriorated they just fall apart. I have some of the energy suspension replacement poly bushings I'm going to be putting in here soon as soon as they send me a bushing that was missing from my kit.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,436
Likes: 19
From: Regina, Saskatchewan
I always bring a can of PB blaster with me when I go to the junkyard, as soon as I see something I want, I give it a thorough blasting, then get my tools out, then usually give it another squirt before I start wrenching on it. I've seen tests that suggest you can make your own penetrating oil with ATF and acetone for a fraction of the cost, but for me the PB comes in an aerosol can with a straw ready to go and that makes it easy to squirt into hard to reach places. You are lucky to have got the bolts out. I'm not sure how to get the rubber mounts off either. I've left mine in, or on a few, the metal has been so deteriorated they just fall apart. I have some of the energy suspension replacement poly bushings I'm going to be putting in here soon as soon as they send me a bushing that was missing from my kit.
You have to keep the collar that is attached to the original bushings (the inside collar) for the new bushings according to the instruction kit.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
I have the energy ones, but haven't installed them yet. I don't have the stock flange pieces anymore so I'll be attempting to use a short piece of tube, big *** washers, and a bolt/nut.
If your stock ones break or more likely, if the bolts break off inside them (like all of mine did) then you can't reuse them.
They recommend you loosen the bolt, then when its only threaded into the nut, you use a long punch and a big hammer and drive the old flanges apart. I just don't think you'll find success attempting their techniques on the average dent truck driven in the snow belt.
If your stock ones break or more likely, if the bolts break off inside them (like all of mine did) then you can't reuse them.
They recommend you loosen the bolt, then when its only threaded into the nut, you use a long punch and a big hammer and drive the old flanges apart. I just don't think you'll find success attempting their techniques on the average dent truck driven in the snow belt.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
jbg sells replacement stock ones, they aren't cheap if you need to replace very many of them, though... and its just such a simple thing, idk. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, but I think a nut, washer, and a short pipe/spacer will be more reliable in the long term, and easier to remove if I ever need to again.