80-86 radiator support?

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

You can swap lower hoops. I peeled mine apart to straighten it. I believe it's just drilling out the spot welds. I know there is a thread somewhere here on doing it that way. Ron maybe? It was a blue truck so that is always my guess.

Yep, that's me.
As said the gasser core supports can be used for the non AC diesel short, wide radiators. The tall narrow radiators require modding the gasser core supports as seen below. It's just a matter of drilling out the spot welds and a little grinding, some cussing because you missed a spot weld and a few beers and they'll separate into two pieces.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/wto/5260712224.html
http://allentown.craigslist.org/pts/5230639709.html

Here is a couple i seen in the area on craigslist. Second one is steep but maybe you can talk him down

That second one is an ex member of here. He will not lower his price. He does this often. Buys southern rust free parts and ships them up to resell

 

[dunk]

Thanks for the links. First is the short wide support you can get from various places. Second guy apparently a dreamer. Has the right supports but I'm not paying $600 for cracked junk, or $800 for him to fix them. $800 will nearly buy me a(nother) welder to do it myself.

Anyhow, I think I'll get the new frame perches and bushings in and just knock the rust off and paint the rad support areas I can for now. Don't feel like pulling it and it's somewhat intact, just getting thin and crumbly in a few spots. This is what I'm working with...

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[ironworker40]

Well if you want to pull it, clean it up get some patches fit and take a ride up I'll weld it up.

 

[dunk]

Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on that. Cracked on pass side where the truck took a hit before I had it, pushed bumper back into fender and rad support. I may end up getting a new one and separating the bottom hoop from the old to cobble one together.

For now I'm fighting a rivet in the frame. Drilled center of two and they popped out with a bit of heat, PB and a blast from the air chisel. The third I broke a bit and called it a night. Got the bit out and drilled most of it out in the past hour or so, stuck real good. Just gotta chisel the rest out. What a PITA, I hate rust.

 

[ironworker40]

Yup rivets can be stubborn. I have knocked out thousand on bridges and building anywhere from 3/4" to 1 1/8" through multiple plies of iron up to 4'' thick, and they have been in there since the early 1900's. I would keep drilling it in steps or use a torch and cut it out if it is in a place you can do it safely. Replace the 2 you got out with bolts and tighten first. I'm around if you want to weld it.

 

[dunk]

Ok so rivet popped right out when I went back to it. Guess taking a breather is good sometimes.

Anyhow, stupid question. Rivets are 7/16". 7/16" bolts are a PITA to find locally. Of course I prefer shouldered that fit snug and need to be tapped in. Found a snug fit shouldered bolt for loose rivets on another truck. Since no stores are open I do a quick search and see a TSB (http://www.thedieselstop.com/faq/9497faq/tsb/tsb/files/970407.pdf) that says replace 7/16" rivets with 1/2 bolts (PN NLA) after drilling and reaming holes to size. Not sure if these short bolts have a shoulder to fit snug hence are different than most 1/2" short bolts. Seems overkill if I can find a 7/16" bolt will fit snug but I ask because the rad support brackets go through the front spring hanger as well as the frame. What say you guys? What do you replace rivets with?

 

[dunk]

Looking at about .65" frame+bracket thickness. Common washers seem to be about .083" thick so need a 7/16" bolt with a shoulder approximately .816" Fastenal lists some short shouldered bolts but does not spec the length of shoulder. Or I go up to 1/2" and looking for same shoulder. Guess I can adjust with a thinner/thicker washer, but a pain either way since local hardware store has very little in the way of 7/16" bolts to see and measure.

 

[laserjock]

I went with the metric size I believe which fit a little tighter than 7/16". 12 mm I think. Easier than drilling and reaming.

 

[ironworker40]

If you have a industrial supply try there ask for a325 (grade 5) or a490 (grade8) structural bolts. They have longer shoulders than average bolts. Fastenal has them. I would go with 1/2". Ill see what I have on the job today. Gotta go to work now.

 

[ironworker40]

Sorry I got nothing smaller than 3/4 on the job. One section of ford manual that I read said to replace rivets with next size larger bolt grade 8. I would go 1/2'' grade 5 or 8 what ever you prefer or can get. There is a lot of discussion about this on other sites but really rivets are not as as hard as a grade 8 bolt and a 1/2 grade 5 has more shear strength than a grade 8 7/16 bolt so if you go to 1/2 it overkill anyway. If you get A325 or A490 bolt you only use a washer under the nut , not under the head unless you have a slotted hole or you are turning the head to tighten do to clearance issues, this is due to then having a larger hex head size that acts as it its own washer. Also A325 bolts are available in galvanized if you want. They will have a 7/8 hex head so make sure you have the clearance for them