Anyone ever replace the radiator support on a CRX? Are they difficult because I was planning to do it by myself but want some advise first.....

 

meh its straight foreward i didnt do it on my old rex but i did it on my jeep. pull all the stuff off the front end. Bumper/bumper support/lights/ radiator and fans/prolly fenders to. look at your new piece and then your car then back at the new piece. determine if its a bolt in affair if so unbolt the old one and bolt in the new one if not crack open a beer and begin cutting.

 

Its not that hard just get a drill and some good drill bits to cut though the spot welds, and a sharp chisel and a good hammer, just take your time.

 

I was thinking of replaceing my radiator support too...

So, to install this, does it require any welding? Or does it just connect with bolts?

 

Welding. That entire piece is welded on.

Get some bits, pull up a chair and start drilling. Make some marks to re-align the new one before you pull off the old one. Weld the new one on. I did the same thing. Took an afternoon.

 

I've done one. For starters you need to make sure both upper and lower frame rails are undamaged. If they are your going to have to get a car to measure off of (body shops have listed measurements available to them, DIYers don't). I would definately suggest getting a spot weld drill bit (has a sprung bit in the middle and properly sized outer drill bit) That bit makes it much harder to drill all the way through (you want to leave something to go back and weld the new support to). If you're inexperienced it will take you a little while, but it is a fun experience.
Here's a few picks for ya.

 

^^^^ ^^^^^
Thanks for the pics. I'm still thinking in replacing it during my summer brake... BTW, did you weld it back like what raffaelli mention or is it supported by 5 bolts on each end?

 

weld it back! or it rattles like ****

 

Are you planning to replace the radiator support or the whole core support? The radiator support comes off with 5 10mm bolts no welding is required. There are 2 bolts on each side by the headlights and where the radiator triangle looking brackets are, then there is a single 10mm bolt on the bottom of the bar where it makes a T.

 

You're talking about the T-Bar right? Yeah I do have the replacement T-bar but I think I need to replace the front core since my radiator sets to high and the hood doesn't close all the way because the radiator is hitting the hood...

 

did you check to make sure the bottom of the radiator is sitting in its mounts? there are 2 at the bottom. that may be why your radiator is sitting to high. honestly the i dont think the t-bar has anything to do with how high the radiator sits because all it does is hold it down tight.

 

I had this same issue with the hood not closing due to the radiator support being slightly STILL crunched in after it had an accident, loooong before I owned it.

I got a fix for ya. None of this welding/cutting/bolting/consuming a weekend in frustration stuff.


Drop it off at the body shop.

They'll pull it out, make sure it matches, have your hood sit pretty and BAM!

You're back in business for prolly what it took to buy that support, man. I think I literally dropped $200 to have it done, and had it back in the same day. Well worth it if it isn't THAT messed up.


Of course you didn't specify just how messed up it was in the first place.....

 

I welded that thing back in. Wouldn't be safe without welding. I didn't have a picture from when I had it all welded back in...just the one I posted. It was bolted up to hold it in place.

 

Yes but When I did the swap (everything out the engine bay) and closed the hood, it still had the same gap... So I know the T-bar is bent up a little but I also know that the radiator sets higher than normal because it's hitting the hood.

 

I hate to bump an old thread but thought this might help. Here is a how-to video performed on a 1990 Civic Si.

 

word of advice for anyone trying this or any other welded on part replacement.. Unibody vehicles the entire body is frame .. when you get to vehicles like Camaros the front and hatch windows are actually considered frame parts..

You need to be careful and take good measurements before you remove a part.

Try to remove the part at original welds .. pickup some spot weld drill bits. Try to not destroy the part you are replacing even though it may be damaged.

Frame measurement tolerances are in millimeters .. or about an 1/8th of an inch maximum.

Often you can do an alignment on the vehicle to make up for your bad work but then you aren't really doing it right .. the car can have weird geometry which causes the suspension to react wrong ... .. everything might be fine until that time you need to get the car to a dead stop when you're doing 115.. and thats kinda when you need it to react right

Anyway just a word of advice.. Anything Welded on is pretty much frame.