88BlueGT

I have a 88 Mustang 5.0 and the front radiator support is completly shot. I baught a replacement support a few years back and tried to put it on today but just doesnt seem to look right. My question is, how the heck are you supposed to get the old one off and the new one on? Theres like 40 spot welds and I dont think Im going to be able to break through them all... spot weld remover? How did you guys do it? Also, on the stock radiator support it seems to be in 2 pieces and the piece that I got is in one. On the original one there is an inner wall but on the replacement there is not. It looks like I need to cut out sections of the original and piece in the replacement. Here is a picture to try to explain. Any help on how to install this please let me know. Any help is appreciated.

http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...erWallPic2.jpg

http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...nerWallPic.jpg[/align]

Blckstng93

You need a special bit to drill out the welds.

You shouldve got the rad support thats fully assembled, not in sections. That way you can just weld it all on at once and be done with it.

Either way youll have to measure everything, cant just weld it on. I needed a new support a few years ago. They have to be dang near perfect for everything to mount properly. A frame shop can measure other stuff to to make sure its all square since a busted rad support can effect the entire engine bay. They should be able to give you a printout of the measurements if you want to tackle it yourself, but id let them do it.

Mine was a complete assembly.

88BlueGT

hmmmmmmmmmm I never knew that they came in either partial or complete like that. I get my parts from a vendor that I know and I just told him that I needed a front radiator support because mine was all busted up and thats what he sent me. For the first time today I put it up to the original and realized that it will not fit. Where did you get your support from?

88BlueGT

TTT

Blckstng93

I had the shop that put it on order it, not sure who thier supplier was but i know it wasnt from a Ford dealer.

Btw, why wont yours fit? Wrong year? You will need an 83-89 rad support and by the pic you posted, yours looks correct.

88BlueGT

Its correct BUT it doesnt have the inner wall (where the insides of the radiator would sit). If you remove the OEM piece the inner wall would come out with it, I would have nothing to replace it with. I baught a spot weld remover today from summit, hope that helps with the removal. BTW, where are you located and how much did a shop charge you to do it. I already asked a Mustang specific shop to do the shop and they did not want to get involved. The entire front clip is already off.... I really dont want to have to take it to a shop though because its 300 ft in my backyard under a tent [&:]

Blckstng93

Im near Hershey. All said and done mine was maybe $1000 or so but just for the rad support i couldnt tell you. That $1000 was for a frame pull on both sides, the rad support, and an inner fender apron. Just the pull i think was $700 so that leaves like $300ish for the rad support?

Ill look for my paperwork to be sure, i may still have it somewhere.

As for your rad support see if the shop that got it can get you a complete assembly and 'maybe' take the 1/2 piece back or something.

88BlueGT

I got it from a vendor that I knew a while back, I baught it a few years ago...

Also, Hershey park? Im in Hamilton, NJ. Not too far...

Blckstng93

No luck on the paperwork, its lost. What really sucks is i had a printout of the measurements with it.[:@]

Yep, that Hershey. Like 5-10 minutes away.