Would like to know how much to tighten the spring on my mounts. The mounts are new stainless steel items. While on a test run (or 10) I noticed the top of the radiator moves from side to side, it looks like about an inch either way but its most likely half that and I don't want to damage my new core. Its in my 26 T, stock re cored 28-9 radiator and Model A frame.
Looks like you've got the spring and nut mounted beneath the cross member...those need to be flipped. Should be, cross member, rubber pad, radiator mounting flange, spring, nut. Bolt comes up through the cross member from below. I'd advise getting rid of the nyloc fastener and use the castellated nut and cotter...tighten until the cotter can be inserted...if that's not an option, I'd tighten until the spring is about halfway collapsed. Best of luck, it's great to see another T RPU on an A-ch***is on the road!
What difference does it make which side the spring is on? Not arguing, just asking, since I plan to use this style mount on my current project. Seems like it should work the same either way and look cleaner with the spring and nut hidden underneath.
Thanks G for your reply and I now see why the spring needs to be on top as if the radiator compresses the spring with movement it wont be moving the bolt through the cross member as well. Hope that also answers your question Stonebird. JW
Yep whole thing upside down. I also agree. Toss the nylock and use the setup with the castle nut and cotter pin. Whole kit is $10? Just tighten enough to put the cotter pin in and your golden.
The radiator moving from side to side is probably the frame flexing, not a loose radiator mount. If your frame is not boxed you will have enough frame flex for the noticeable radiator shimmy. Making the radiator tight to a flexy frame will probably be bad for it. Don't tighten those springs up too tight.
Has to do with loading forces. I don't know a way in the world to explain it but they were that way because it works better. If you are mounting the rad stock they jostle, it is that way by design. You need to run proper radiator support rods and not worry about it. There is a *proper preload but I cannot for the life of me tell you what it is, I have done it exactly as mr @gwhite describes for years (like in over 40) and it has always worked for me. *I did it properly once on a Pebble Beach car
Thanks for all the advise guys, I turned the bolts around with spring on top and put about 3/16 compression on the spring and that worked. gave it a good back road test and all is good. Cheers. JW
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