The passenger side of the rad support at the top got bent back about 3-4 inches, it is hitting my battey, and I am wondering if I can just bend it back without having to replace the entire rad support?

Is the rad support welded in or what? How would I replace it if I needed too?

 

any pics?

 

Yes you can, ive straightend out acouple with my bare hands before. If it seems hard to bent out, go and buy a slide hammer. I think you can get a cheap one at advance auto or autozone.

Im not 100% shure if our cars have spot welded or bolt in ones but im pretty shure the rad support is spot welded to the chassis.To remove the rad support, You have to drill the spot welds out with a spot weld drill bit and try not to cut through both layers of metal just the layer you need to remove. Doing so will help you later on with welding it back on so you have a guide line to place your spot/ plug welds to the factory locations.

When spot welding you should use a clamp style spot welder but as long as you use alot of vise grips and know how to plug weld with mig then you could probbaly manage to get it done with similar results.

Good luck and if you have any questions pm me.

eric

 

why not buy a new one or take one from a JY?

the metal has been compromised and will not be as strong as it should be

 

dude, i told you in your other thread that it was welded in and would have to be replaced. trust me there is no way you're going to be able to get it back into place if it is smashed all the way back to your battery. even if you try, your fender will not line up right, which means the hood won't either, and your headlight won't mount correctly. you said you could weld, so why not do it? otherwise you are going to be pretty pissed off when you try to slap it together and drive down the road and your hood flies up and smashes your windshield. i got a new radiator support for like $100, they aren't that expensive. also, since your battery is smashed i'm assuming you need a new coolant overflow tank if you havent already bought one.

 

Where can you find a rad support fot $100? Nowhere.

Why would my hood fly up and hit my windshield? The latch holds it down.

I dont care about putting a new fender on, I am just going to put a new hood, and a new battery, not going to worry about a headlight or anything.

I have a new coolant overflow tank already too, the one I have now is fine, I got it back to the shape, but I just got a new one anyways.

 

don't tell me i can't get one for $100, we live on opposite sides of the country buddy, you just arent looking hard enough. As far as the hood goes, if its not lined up properly due to a messed up front end, then the latch is not going to work properly, regardless if its in working order or not. Also, how are you not going to do anything about a headlight? i don't know about arizona, but in ny its illegal to drive without one. i'm not trying to be an *******, but you keep asking the same question hoping for different answers. if you don't take anybody's advice Dave will lock this thread too.

 

The only way I am going to get one for $100 is if I got a junkyard and cut it out myself, which I cant do with a broken leg, so its not an option.

EDIT - Found one for $150 in Tucson (2 hours south). Not worth it.

I am taking advice, I could care less about dave thought.

I dont see waht the radiator support has to do with my hood being lined up correctly? It's not like its in the way or anything.

I am not going to worry about the headlight for a few weeks til I can get a new fender, then I will get a new headlight too probably, I doubt I would get pulled over for only having one headlight, ill just tell the cop I was in a accident the day before, and that I ordered a headlight, he wont give me a ticket.

Members have said I can just bend it back into place, and that is what I am doing, its barley bent back, how hard can it be?!

I dont care if the car is back to looking how it used too, I just want it to be running again, and that means I need to get the rad support out of the way in the cheapest way possible.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by m1ndless &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I dont see what the radiator support has to do with my hood being lined up correctly? It's not like its in the way or anything.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

The radiator support does not directly affect the hood closure. BUT, since the radiator does affect the fitment of the fender, it does indirectly affect the hood. If the radiator support is off, everything it affects will be off, thus causing everything else to be off. Just buy a new one and save the headache of making sure its lined up and straight. Also once metal is bent, its never the same again.

 

Guys chill out..

Ive worked at a body shop for almost 4 years and i know your not going to find a rad support for 100 bucks brand new. there 170 from keystone (aftermarket not oem).

And If you were to go to a junk yard and try to pull one your self, it isnt going to be as simple as drilling out the spot welds. You have to chisel the seams off because you NEVER drill out every single weld completly. And doing so would deform and almost ruin the panel.

You best bet is to remove yours and replace it with a aftermarket one with a clamp spot welder. The necessity of teh clamp style spot welder is not only does it just weld it also clamps and squeezes the panels together thus increasing the structural integrity of the seam. You could use ALOT of vise grips but if you dont use enough pressure your rad support may rattle and could also be VERY flimsy and be a safety hazard in a front end collision. . .

But if you just take your time when you pull it out with a slide hammer, finish it with a hammer and dolley and paint it up youd never know it was hit unless you open your hood.

You just have to remebr when doing this, you dont have to whail on the panel. its made out of HSS (high strength steel) and it bends VERY easily. So taking your time and pulling out little by little you greatly reduce metal fatigue and pulling out the spot welds.

M1ndless... PM me if you have any questions and or problems. I have Lots of automotive collision experience and can answer al lof your questions.

-Eric

 

just for the record for everybody, the price i paid for mine (brand new) was actually less than $100, it was 90 and change. i got it through continental auto parts at wholesale cost because we are a liscened retailer for their parts. i probably should have specified that to begin with, but even without the discount, the retail price on it is $110 brand new. not a far stretch from $100. once you are able to locate one, take alpinestar's advice and take your time swapping them out. you said you knew how to weld so you should be aware of the characteristcs of the metal. once you get it one, you should honestly be able to reassemble the front end of your car in about 2 hours, even quicker if you have a friend help. nobody is trying to be a dick, just trying to save you time. why try to put the car together half-assed, when you're just going to have to take it apart and redo it. it you are able to find all the parts, this is a job you can get done over the weekend.