Radiator Support Help
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,077
Likes: 0
From: Vallejo, CA
Radiator Support Help
Hi,
While the engine is out of my truck, I want to paint and replace things in the engine bay while access is easy. My next project is to paint the radiator support. If I remove it by taking off the grille, hood latch, and some other pieces, will the fenders and inner apron fenders have enough support with out these parts while I paint the radiator support or should I take them off as well?
While the engine is out of my truck, I want to paint and replace things in the engine bay while access is easy. My next project is to paint the radiator support. If I remove it by taking off the grille, hood latch, and some other pieces, will the fenders and inner apron fenders have enough support with out these parts while I paint the radiator support or should I take them off as well?
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 340
Likes: 8
From: Rock Hill, SC
You have to take the fenders loose and spread them to get the radiator support out. Put a layer of masking tape on the edge of the doors so the fenders don't scratch them. If the inner splash guard rubber is still in tact the fenders will hang ok.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Upstate South Carolina
I second Red69s statement (South Carolinians gotta stick together!). The fenders and inner fenders will hang just fine. Tape the door fronts for sure.
Drop the front bumper if you haven't already. This allows you to get the support out with the lower valance still attached. Dropping the bumper also keeps the bumper from eating the paint on the front of your fenders when you spread them to get the radiator support out.
Additionally, pulling the radiator support with the lower valance still attached is a good idea because you can then flip the support upside down to slowely work the valance to radiator support bolts out without busting the very weak nut towers on the bottom of the valance. I use PB Blaster and lots of patience to get those pesky valance bolts out!
Just remember to separate the fender extensions on the lower valance from the fenders before getting too far along. BTDT and it's somehow harder to pull them when everything else is loose and wiggly!
PS, you will need to unbolt at least the first 3 top fender to inner fender bolts and loosen the 4th bolt (closest to the cab) to spread the fenders.
Drop the front bumper if you haven't already. This allows you to get the support out with the lower valance still attached. Dropping the bumper also keeps the bumper from eating the paint on the front of your fenders when you spread them to get the radiator support out.
Additionally, pulling the radiator support with the lower valance still attached is a good idea because you can then flip the support upside down to slowely work the valance to radiator support bolts out without busting the very weak nut towers on the bottom of the valance. I use PB Blaster and lots of patience to get those pesky valance bolts out!
Just remember to separate the fender extensions on the lower valance from the fenders before getting too far along. BTDT and it's somehow harder to pull them when everything else is loose and wiggly!
PS, you will need to unbolt at least the first 3 top fender to inner fender bolts and loosen the 4th bolt (closest to the cab) to spread the fenders.
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,077
Likes: 0
From: Vallejo, CA
Thanks for the information. Some things have changed in the past few days. On further inspection, my current core support has bad rust at the bottom, so I am going to have replace it. Since I already have two new front fenders, one inner fender (still looking for a passenger side inner fender replacement), a donor core support, a new hood, valences for top and bottom and a great donor '70 grille- I am just going to replace the whole front clip at one time.
Which is better:
Take off each piece and replace it as I go around the front of the truck?
or
Put together the replacement front clip and then take off the old one and put the new one on and then put the hood on?
I think I am going to take the second choice since I can weld in new floor pans and front cab mounts while the whole front clip is off.
This truck is going to be all original body from the bed back, and all replaced body metal (except front bumper) from the cab forward! It will be worth it. You can look at my gallery to see why this will need to be done.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=25431
I am restoring all the front donor parts and repainting them right now.
Thanks,
Karl
Which is better:
Take off each piece and replace it as I go around the front of the truck?
or
Put together the replacement front clip and then take off the old one and put the new one on and then put the hood on?
I think I am going to take the second choice since I can weld in new floor pans and front cab mounts while the whole front clip is off.
This truck is going to be all original body from the bed back, and all replaced body metal (except front bumper) from the cab forward! It will be worth it. You can look at my gallery to see why this will need to be done.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=25431
I am restoring all the front donor parts and repainting them right now.
Thanks,
Karl
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Upstate South Carolina
Hey Karl,
I would do a hybrid of both your ideas on how to replace the front clip.
Drop your old one off the truck completely.
Then do all cab work, frame/engine compartment work and paint it all up.
Then paint each piece of the front clip individualy and put them on the truck one at a time. Starting with;
the inner fenders,
then the radiator support,
then front fenders,
then lower valance and fender extensions,
then headlight buckets,
then grill,
then upper valance,
then hood,
then bumper.
fitting in anything I have forgotten at the appropriat time.
And going back to your very first question in this thread (in case anyone else reading it is curious!) in the junk yard, I even leave the hoods on the inner fenders with no front radiator support and it works just fine. Might be a disaster if the hood hinges were frozen up but on average, you can drop the whole grill/radiator support assembly and leave the fenders and inner fenders on the truck no problem.
I would do a hybrid of both your ideas on how to replace the front clip.
Drop your old one off the truck completely.
Then do all cab work, frame/engine compartment work and paint it all up.
Then paint each piece of the front clip individualy and put them on the truck one at a time. Starting with;
the inner fenders,
then the radiator support,
then front fenders,
then lower valance and fender extensions,
then headlight buckets,
then grill,
then upper valance,
then hood,
then bumper.
fitting in anything I have forgotten at the appropriat time.
And going back to your very first question in this thread (in case anyone else reading it is curious!) in the junk yard, I even leave the hoods on the inner fenders with no front radiator support and it works just fine. Might be a disaster if the hood hinges were frozen up but on average, you can drop the whole grill/radiator support assembly and leave the fenders and inner fenders on the truck no problem.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Wbruiser2
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
4
Aug 16, 2013 09:28 PM
LARIAT 85
1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
1
Dec 26, 2009 05:44 PM
AXracer
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
19
Oct 26, 2005 06:01 PM
