How hard to replace TO20 radiator?

db4570

Member
My radiator is leaking, and sometime this winter I need to pull it and see if I can get it repaired.

The tractor is tucked tightly in my shed, so I am hoping for a decent day when I can roll it out and quickly pull the radiator.

It this pretty simple? I imagine it's just held in with a few bolts. I am trying to avoid surprises while I'm freezing my @ss working on the thing.

Thanks,

Dave
 
been a few years but here goes...

I always took the hood off

drain liquid

remove top and bottom radiator hoses

fan shroud probably needs to come off

two bolts at bottom of radiator

cannot remember if fan blade needs to be removed

if I forgot something some one will fix it
 
There is also a stabilizer rod that needs removed at the top of the radiator. I always removed the radiator with the shroud still attached and I never had to remove the fan.

Dan
 
The toughest part will probably be the two carriage bolts at the bottom. If the bolts are rusty, and/or the square shanks are rounded off, they'll be a booger to remove. (Mine were.)

The axle support is slotted on the right side (looking from the front - see photo), so you can swing that side of the radiator out.

mvphoto49930.jpg
 
Save yourself some aggravation and start by grinding off the bolts that hold the radiator at the bottom. They very seldom will come off without that anyway and you'll be saving time by starting that way. Buy new bolts to reassemble.
 
I know what you mean about working on stuff in cold. The older I get, the more warmth I want. Winter doesn't have that much longer, wait for a warm day. :)
 
I'm glad to see you want to have yours repaired.

The replacement aftermarket radiators are cheaper, but not the same quality and often don't fit properly.

There are few radiator shops left. You will probably have to go to a heavy equipment/truck radiator shop, and they will probably be reluctant to take in such a small job. But if you let them know you are serious about repairing it, and are not looking for a bargain patch, they will usually take the job. A new core will most likely be the fix.
 
It sounds like I might want to wait until I can spend some quality time working on it, rather than laying in the snow. Thanks for the advice.

I talked to a radiator shop, and they said they would take a look at it and see if they could re-core it.

David
 
I needed a new radiator after a front end collision. The aftermarket ones are slightly taller and seem to
hold the hood slightly up. Otherwise they go in easy. I shopped about 6 different places on line to get the
best price. Prices varied by $100. No kidding.
cvphoto7370.jpg
 
Well, I finally got it replaced. There wasn't a lot to removing it, except for the hood hinge nuts that are held in a bracket to make them captive and not spin. Naturally the bracket was worn and bent and would keep them from spinning, but after fooling around with it I was able to reach with a pair of vice grips and clamp them down enough to hold while I removed the nuts. The rest of the project was pretty straightforward.

I had the original radiator re-cored, which wasn't cheap- over $300. But it's a really nice job, and I like keeping it original.

David
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top