I'm new to the site but not new to cars. I have a 68 firebird that for the life of me I can't figure out how the radiator is mounted to the radiator support using the stock rubber mounts. I have it mounted at the moment with 3 screws but I purchased the mounting kit that comes with two rubber mushroom parts with female threads. I have no idea where the second one inserts into. I believe the upper left (sitting in the car) is where one inserts but I cant find a large enough hold for the second one.
I love working on cars when they are mine. I've had muscle cars all my life. 72 Lemans, 67 Chevelle SS 396, 76 Trans Am, and now 68 Firebird
The two rubber mounts are inserted into corresponding holes in the radiator support on the driver's side of the radiator. One near the top; one near the bottom. The two bolts go through the driver's side radiator flange and into the rubber mounts. Tighten them just snug or the rubber mounts will pull back through.
I have one of the last of the NOS radiator supports and had to enlargen a pre-punched hole to get both rubber mounts installed. An aftermarket support might be even worse.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
I asked this same question about this time last year post #259083, sorry I don't know how to get that link up. Dr. Drivability told me they are called well nuts, and I could buy some at The Home Depot. Sure enough my wife brought some home the next day with the matching bolts. Worked great just don't tighten too much. Buy a few extra in case you do.
I asked this same question about this time last year post #259083, sorry I don't know how to get that link up. Dr. Drivability told me they are called well nuts, and I could buy some at The Home Depot. Sure enough my wife brought some home the next day with the matching bolts. Worked great just don't tighten too much. Buy a few extra in case you do.
Did you find the rubber dealies at Home Depot too? Mine are wasted after 30 plus years.
I asked this same question about this time last year post #259083, sorry I don't know how to get that link up. Dr. Drivability told me they are called well nuts, and I could buy some at The Home Depot. Sure enough my wife brought some home the next day with the matching bolts. Worked great just don't tighten too much. Buy a few extra in case you do.
Do you happen to remember what size those well nuts are? I have never heard of these before, but it sure looks like a good idea and I want to put those on my radiator.
The two rubber mounts are inserted into corresponding holes in the radiator support on the driver's side of the radiator. One near the top; one near the bottom. The two bolts go through the driver's side radiator flange and into the rubber mounts. Tighten them just snug or the rubber mounts will pull back through.
I have one of the last of the NOS radiator supports and had to enlargen a pre-punched hole to get both rubber mounts installed. An aftermarket support might be even worse.
What does the pass side of the radiator use to mount it on the Rad support?
Not shown in the Pontiac parts illustrations. Best I could do for EXACTness would be to look tonight in my Camaro Assembly Manual.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
Any one know why one side was rubber well nuts and the other was not? This post got me wondering what the reason might have been. I know sometimes they use well nuts to put a rubber bushing between the metal but to only have them on one side makes me wonder what the reason was.
Any one know why one side was rubber well nuts and the other was not? This post got me wondering what the reason might have been. I know sometimes they use well nuts to put a rubber bushing between the metal but to only have them on one side makes me wonder what the reason was.
To prevent the expansion of the brass/copper radiator (which is a lot) from breaking either the bolts or the radiator flanges. Early Mustangs, for instance, clamp the radiator at top and bottom in rubber coated "u" shaped brackets that allow the radiator to expand and contract freely.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
Cool, that is interesting. Never took that in consideration. So one side using rubber was enough to handle the expansion? wonder why not both sides.
Originally Posted By salmon38
Originally Posted By HaroldB
Any one know why one side was rubber well nuts and the other was not? This post got me wondering what the reason might have been. I know sometimes they use well nuts to put a rubber bushing between the metal but to only have them on one side makes me wonder what the reason was.
To prevent the expansion of the brass/copper radiator (which is a lot) from breaking either the bolts or the radiator flanges. Early Mustangs, for instance, clamp the radiator at top and bottom in rubber coated "u" shaped brackets that allow the radiator to expand and contract freely.
That's the side where the battery is and the auto trany lines connect and most likely they preferred that side to be fixed.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
Any one know why one side was rubber well nuts and the other was not? This post got me wondering what the reason might have been. I know sometimes they use well nuts to put a rubber bushing between the metal but to only have them on one side makes me wonder what the reason was.
Harold, You took the question right out of my fingers, I was going to ask the same thing. Does seem strange that only one side used it, even if it had something to do with auto tranny cooling lines. That surely wouldnt explain ii if you had a standard tranny, unless it was for keeping cost down for a couple of pennies and keeping an all around standard set up.
Harold, You took the question right out of my fingers, I was going to ask the same thing. Does seem strange that only one side used it, even if it had something to do with auto tranny cooling lines. That surely wouldnt explain ii if you had a standard tranny, unless it was for keeping cost down for a couple of pennies and keeping an all around standard set up.
Bingo! Remember this setup was also for Camaro's (and maybe 2nd Gen Nova's?). Same radiator support.
More reinforcement to support the fixed passenger side for the tranny lines:
If that side was rubber based, it would transfer vibration to the radiator and possible crack the tranny line connection points. At first I was just thinking about trying to avoid expansion movements.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
The big hose connections on the were prone to crack due to vibration. The long hose from the top of the rad to the top of the engine is supported by that top rad connection. I had to get that connection resoldered a number of times. I built my own rubber supports to fix the problem.
I have a Rodney Red aluminum radiator and heck ya I put those in.
Aluminum will crack even easier due to expansion or vibration issues than the OEM brass/copper one. Aluminum is also prone to "work hardening" which means it may get brittle after it's been bent (or moved) over time.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
Just as important, shock waves travel though the car when it hits bumps. If the radiator were hard-bolted in the core, it would become a solid mass with a core, just like a brace provides more rigidity to an open part. As a result, the shock waves would be just like constantly beating each solder joint with a hammer every time the car hits a bump. If the radiator is hard-mounted only on one side, it allows the radiator to float independent from shock waves. As for which side they selected to hard-bolt, the slush-box lines makes [censored] good sense.
Just a sec I'll check. Found some. 1/4" The one from home depot is # D1420 Maybe that means 1/4-20 nut I don't know. First pic. I don't have the bolt I got with them. The nut is bonded into the rubber. I also have a couple of other ones that came off the car somewhere but I can't remember where. The three other pics. The bolt is 1/4" thread and the shoulder is 9/32"
Just a sec I'll check. Found some. 1/4" The one from home depot is # D1420 Maybe that means 1/4-20 nut I don't know. First pic. I don't have the bolt I got with them. The nut is bonded into the rubber. I also have a couple of other ones that came off the car somewhere but I can't remember where. The three other pics. The bolt is 1/4" thread and the shoulder is 9/32"
Those mounts/bolts on my car do not look like that. The rubber boots are long and collapse when the bolt is tightened. The radiator was replaced in 1982 so I have no idea whether they are factor or not?