Silly confusion over rad install

[CtrMint]

Hey all,

This one is probably really daft but I'm struggling to install my rad and oil cooler on my 420R.  Derek @ CC is being supportive but I'm not quite able to get clarity on whether I've done the install correct.  Rather than pester Derek I thought I might post here.

I have an S3 with the R300 style rad and oil cooler in the same unit.  The documentation in both the 2015 and new style manual doesn't cover it the rad style.

Here is what I've finished with, but I'm sure the bobbin setup is wrong.  Surely I shouldn't have the exposed thread.

My bobbin has a fixed male threaded rod on one side, and a female thread on the other used screw onto the rad.  I don't feel you can remove the male thread and if you could I'm sure the bolt on the rad which is used to screw into/through the bobbin would be too short.

Thanks for the support  

[aerobod - near CYYC]

I would use a mounting bolt on the radiator side that has enough thread exposed through the bracket that is about 2mm less than the depth of the female thread in the bobbin, either by using a shorter bolt or cutting the existing bolt.

[AdamQ]

To me, it looks like there should perhaps be a nut (and maybe a washer) on the bolt on the radiator side of the bobbin to clamp the bolt to the mounting bracket/plate on the radiator, i.e. on the exposed thread to right of the rubber part of the bobbin.  Otherwise the bolt head is surely going to (or is at least likely to) chafe against the radiator itself ...

FWIW ...  Adam

[SM25T]

Saw this arrangement in a recent thread. Odd design !

[CtrMint]

I can see how an extra bolt and washer between the radiator and the bobbin could secure the bolt in the radiator bracket.  I suppose remaining gap might be for that.

[Petethediesel]

I had the same issue with mounting the combined rad/oil cooler in my 360 kit a month ago. You have it right but need to shorten the bolt length to suit the thread available within the female isolastic mount. Not certain but I recall it was about a 7mm reduction required.

   The combined radiator/oil cooler was introduced a few months ago in place of the separate rad/cooler, so the drawings in the build manual don't match.

PS: When I spoke to Derek on this he indicated that sometimes the rads cam in with over length bolts that needed shortening. As you will have observed, the bolts cannot be removed to do this so its an angle grinder with a decent cutting disc fitted for this job. 

              Pete

   

[Paul McKenzie]

Lock another nut against the existing one then turn the inner nut and surely that will get the stub out

[CtrMint]

Derek @ CC confirmed I need to cut the bolt installed behind the plate on the rad down.

[Petethediesel]

Forgot to mention, once you have measured the thread length required, put a plain nut on the bolt to be cut and tighten to hold the bolt firmly in place on the bracket. This makes it rigid and therefore easy to mark the point of cut and safe to do so. 

[CtrMint]

thanks,

1 bolt down 3 to go!

[SM25T]

Surely CC need to address this.

[SLR No.77]

Just add it to the list!

[Wrightpayne]

Ian,

I thought that too - seems a bit rubbish that you have to take a saw / angle grinder to your brand new radiator!

Ian

[Colin Cooper]

As SM25, how hard would it be for CC to fit the correct size bolt?

[CtrMint]

I thought this, but being new to Caterham, i figured accept it as kit car life etc.  Guess not.  

I too feel its pretty rubbish.  3 hack saw blades later and still going.... sigh

[Bricol]

If there was enough clearance between rad and nose cone . . .

Two nuts loosely on the screw.  Wind screw into bobbin.  Lock one nut against bobbin.  Lock the other against rad. Done.

Or should there be a simple spacer in there?

[Bricol]

You need better hacksaw blades . . . or more practise :-)

 

[CtrMint]

Yeah swapped saws and went through it much better.

More practice would help too.  Anyway its all done and on.

End result not too bad.

 

Thanks for all the help and support

[John Vine]

Bizarre design!  CC need to fix that.  (I like Bricol's suggestion in post #16.)

A related question to the OP...

Are you using CopaSlip or similar in your build at all?  It's a good idea on any bolt that's likely to suffer from weather-induced corrosion.

JV 

[CtrMint]

i am using coppaslip, but didnt in that case.

thanks for the reminder.

[elie boone]

The fact that the rad mounting plate is not in the same plane as the chassis/rubber bobbin is of far greater concern, it puts unnecessary stress on the rad with a possible coolant leak as a result.

[CtrMint]

Are you saying my install is still wrong? Or the design is bad?

thanks

[SM25T]

The design for sure

[John Vine]

...the rad mounting plate is not in the same plane as the chassis/rubber bobbin...

Or does it just look that way from the camera angle (parallax etc)? 

JV

 

[Jim 123]

CtrMint he install looks fine. 

The design of mountings on the 620/420R rads. with the pre installed mounting bolts sandwiched between the bracket and radiator body is probably an acceptable design to enable the large capacity rad to fit the standard chassis mounts.  I don't think there are spring washers under the pre fitted bolt heads, and keeping an eye on any of the bolts loosening off over time might be wise. No doubt Derek will feed back that standard bolts are too long to fit the bobbins.