First where is everybody hiding out at? I ordered a Westin Safari Light Bar for our Jeep.
So yesterday afternoon I decided to put it on. So there are 4 bolts on each side of the uni-body frame. The top 2 on each side needed to be removed to except the brackets for the bar. Well all is good got one side out no problem & got the bracket mounted. Then came the start of what made this a tough weekend. I get one bolt out on the other side but the other bolt is not coming out very easy. I shot it with oil & still no good. Well I get it out about 1/4 of the way & the bolts breaks off. Great, this is nice. Well for 4 hours I try everything I can think of to break the nut that is welded to the frame on the inside of a boxed channel. Nothing worked. So I ran out of daylight & thought OK tomorrow I'll break out the torch & cut it out, there is an access hole to get another nut in.
Well this morning I get up & have breakfast & head out to finish this deal. I get the torch out & I blow out all but a small piece. Great I think. My wife is standing there & says something is on fire. So she grabs the hose & waters it down putting out the small fire. I think great this deal is about done. So I get the bracket on & finish mounting the Safari Bar. Get it all done & was looking up at where the fire was to determine what caught fire & there it is I caught the NEW RADIATOR that was put in last month on fire. It isn't leaking YET. But surely has been weakened. I love these plastic parts.
So, I guess another new radiator is next on the list.
The wife told me before I started to take it to Lester's Automotive & have him do it. But NO I'll do it & save some money. I saved a bunch. I cost us about $250 to save from paying $140 to have him do it.
I guess my days of wrenching are coming to an end if the wife has her way.
Maybe I need to go buy a couple of 1960 or 70s vehicles so I can work on them.
Anyway, hope everyone had a great weekend.

Craig

 

Funny (sort of) the path things take sometimes, isn't it? Who would have thought installing a light bar would carry a risk of catching the radiator afire?

 

UPDATE: I don't get my tools back, but I had Lester's look at the radiator & Les said run it. He said, it didn't look bad enough to worry about. Since he has been doing a lot of my repairs including installing the radiator in question I'll go with his advise.
Anyway, the bar looks great.
Good to hear from you Steve. I guess I need to spend more time with you guys in the So Cal Chapter.
Craig