Hi Guys , Looking installed A/C in my 56 F100. What purpose of the 2 support rods that that look like X in front of the Radiator? Need remove them to hang AC condenser . Can I remove them for good? thanks Kennyh

 

They are not in the way of the condenser, those support rods are in both my 56's

 

Ford must have engineered them for some reason.... For support. The 1953 models did not have them but the 54, 55, 56 models do. They had to modify the air defectors in 54 to accommodate the support rods..

 

Hi Abe, when you say air defectors, was that after market thing? or what.

 

The X rods give the radiator mount (aka horseshoe) more strength. 53's would twist and pull the radiator mounting brackets off of the radiators. As you can imagine not good for your radiator or cooling system.

The air deflectors are the pieces that bolt to your radiator mount that your entire front clip attach to. 54 and up had humps added to clear the X rods.



Horseshoe with air deflectors.

 

Thanks for the info Abe, I guess have wait for some car shows to see how mount the AC condenser and keep the supports too.

 

Here is how a buddy mounted his...I can't recall but it looks like he is missing the angle mounts on his radiator horseshoe. That would account for the tight spacing between the radiator and the condenser

 

I removed mine and replaced them with a 1/2 x 1/2 square tube at the top with triangle gussets that bolt to the horseshoe. Jf removing, be sure to measure horseshoe side to side first, mine was under some tension to spread apart.