TR3A Radiator removal

[Coley]

I am currently stripping down my TR3A and I am struggling to remove the radiator! I cannot seem to gain sensible access to the two bolts securing the bottom of the radiator to the chassis.

 

I can get a socket onto the bolt but cannot get a socket handle attached to the socket as well because the depth fouls against the front chassis cross member. I am struggling to get a spanner onto the bolt head and turn it as the spanner movement is VERY limited, although I have just purchased a set of swan neck ratchet spanners that might aid the job, however I cannot believe it can be this difficult....am I missing something very obvious?

 

Any suggestions as to what I am / am not doing that is making what should be a simple job seem to be so complicated?

 

Regards

 

Paul

[james christie]

I am currently stripping down my TR3A and I am struggling to remove the radiator! I cannot seem to gain sensible access to the two bolts securing the bottom of the radiator to the chassis.

 

I can get a socket onto the bolt but cannot get a socket handle attached to the socket as well because the depth fouls against the front chassis cross member. I am struggling to get a spanner onto the bolt head and turn it as the spanner movement is VERY limited, although I have just purchased a set of swan neck ratchet spanners that might aid the job, however I cannot believe it can be this difficult....am I missing something very obvious?

 

Any suggestions as to what I am / am not doing that is making what should be a simple job seem to be so complicated?

 

Regards

 

Paul

 

 

Sorry about that I have just had a senior moment with the keyboard

 

To undo the bolts that project upwards try cutting a slot in the top end with a hack saw and thus convert them into set screws - you should be able to undo them with a hefty screw driver and a mole wrench.

- I presume that you have the whole of the front end removed.

 

james

[Coley]

Sorry about that I have just had a senior moment with the keyboard

 

To undo the bolts that project upwards try cutting a slot in the top end with a hack saw and thus convert them into set screws - you should be able to undo them with a hefty screw driver and a mole wrench.

- I presume that you have the whole of the front end removed.

 

james

 

James,

 

Thanks for the advise, I was heading in the general direction, but this then begs the question, how do I reassemble the car afterwards?

 

I do have the car stripped down (well the front end) and if you are interested you can see it at www.tr3a.blogspot.com.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[Mike Kitchener]

Paul

 

I seem to remember that the rad shield should be bolted on...Is yours welded?

 

Cheers

 

Mike

http://mikek.9online.fr/index.htm

[Coley]

Paul

 

I seem to remember that the rad shield should be bolted on...Is yours welded?

 

Cheers

 

Mike

http://mikek.9online.fr/index.htm

 

Everything has been removed and all that remains in the radiator area is the radiator and the two bolts at the bottom securing it to the chassis.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[Don Elliott]

As to putting it back together again - a little later, I presume, take a hacksaw and cut a cross slot in the far end of the threaded end of the bolt. Get it started by hand from below, then use a screwdriver from above to "pull" it (or screw it backwards up into place. Then a half aturn from below will secure it tightly.

[Neil]

Hopefully for once I can contribute something back!

 

I bought my 3A a year ago and late summer I suffered a broken crankshaft. I replaced it myslef and learned a lot about the car sooner than I anticipated...

 

the rad bolts:

 

I don't think you are missing anything obvious.

 

They are a pain but through perseverence I manged to get them out. I lay underneath the car and wedged an offset ring spanner on the lower bolt and used a ratchet to undo the top ones. With two people it would be easier. Looking at your photo, the axle stands look as though they may inhibit access. I got the front up as high as possible and put the axles stands under the outriggers (I think thats what they called) on the chasis under the doors.

 

HTH

 

N

[Coley]

Hopefully for once I can contribute something back!

 

I bought my 3A a year ago and late summer I suffered a broken crankshaft. I replaced it myslef and learned a lot about the car sooner than I anticipated...

 

the rad bolts:

 

I don't think you are missing anything obvious.

 

They are a pain but through perseverence I manged to get them out. I lay underneath the car and wedged an offset ring spanner on the lower bolt and used a ratchet to undo the top ones. With two people it would be easier. Looking at your photo, the axle stands look as though they may inhibit access. I got the front up as high as possible and put the axles stands under the outriggers (I think thats what they called) on the chasis under the doors.

 

HTH

 

N

 

Thanks.......I have decided to go for the easy option and have cut the bolts out and I will prepare two more bolts for the replacement and screw them in from above (king of screwingthem up I guess), hopefully with this approach I can get a neater finish on the 'cut' ends of the bolts.

 

Thanks for all the help....watch this space for the next problem.

[julian c]

1ve had a few rads off over the years,(the last one on Saturday) and had no trouble getting the bolts off.

I normally use 1/4 inch drive sockets in these situations.

Sometimes the bumper iron securing nuts/bolts come thru and get in the way of fitting a socket on the rad bolts,but you seem to have managed that bit already,so give the 1/4 drive gear a try.

Remember,someone had fitted it,so it should be possible to remove without resorting to butchering.

 

Unless its seized,bent or rounded off of course...........

 

Julian

[unclepete]

Paul

Am I missing something?

The bottom radiator nuts are captive!

I just used a 1/2" drive socket with enough extentions until I could spin the handle without hitting anything!

After I had drained down and removed the hoses it only took about 5 mins to pop it out!

I presume you've got the nose off?

Unc

Edited March 2, 2006 by unclepete

[Mike Kitchener]

Paul

 

I must be missing the same thing as Unc unless the rad shield is still fitted as shown in your first photo.

( what I call the rad shield is the brown steel bit that goes across the chassis below the rad in front of the axle stands)

 

Cheers

 

Mike

http://mikek.9online.fr/index.htm

[Don Elliott]

Here is a photo referring to my suggestion above.

 

Don Elliott

[Coley]

Paul

 

I must be missing the same thing as Unc unless the rad shield is still fitted as shown in your first photo.

( what I call the rad shield is the brown steel bit that goes across the chassis below the rad in front of the axle stands)

 

Cheers

 

Mike

http://mikek.9online.fr/index.htm

 

 

Doooh! The Radshield was still in place, I had thought that this was an item of the chassis and because the car has been heavily waxoyled / coated in layers of gunk it did not look like it could be removed......lesson learnt.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[BrianC]

Paul,

Glad the penny has finally dropped, but don't feel too bad about it. When I had my first TR3A (eons ago) I also thought the rad shield was the front chassis cross member and regularly used it to jack-up the front end. I got away with it for a few years (although it puts a lot of stress on the fixing bolts) until one day a friend had been working on my car and removed the rad shield. Next time I jacked it up, I wondered why the chassis seemed to be a little soggy and the car reluctant to move off the floor, until I realised the jack was a couple of inches into the radiator! So don't forget to replace the radiator shield and, better still, don't use it as a jacking point.

Regards, BrianC

 

P.S. I still have the radiator and when last used in my current car was still OK, although not pretty to behold.

Edited March 4, 2006 by BrianC