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TR2/3/3A Hayden electric fan kit - - TR3A

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tmc

tmc

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On the advice of my professional Brit Car friend, I bought a 12" Hayden electric fan kit from Moss for my 1959 TR3A. I haven't installed the "nose" yet, so it's a good time to put on a helper fan. The fan is barely wide enough to sit on the radiator frame and the attachment kit looks kinda "cheesy" to me. I replaced the original radiator with an alumninum one, without the crank hole, but it's the same width as the original. Has anyone else added a pusher electric fan like this to a TR3A? If so, where posiitioned on the front of the radiator? Better way to attach the fan than the plastic clamp doo-dahs that came with the kit?
 
tmc said:
On the advice of my professional Brit Car friend, I bought a 12" Hayden electric fan kit from Moss for my 1959 TR3A. I haven't installed the "nose" yet, so it's a good time to put on a helper fan. The fan is barely wide enough to sit on the radiator frame and the attachment kit looks kinda "cheesy" to me. I replaced the original radiator with an alumninum one, without the crank hole, but it's the same width as the original. Has anyone else added a pusher electric fan like this to a TR3A? If so, where posiitioned on the front of the radiator? Better way to attach the fan than the plastic clamp doo-dahs that came with the kit?
Click to expand...

Search "Don Elliott electric fan"

T
 
I have a 12" Hayden (not from Moss) mounted as a puller. Ran for many, many miles with those cheesy plastic strings and had no trouble at all. My radiator guy suggested positioning them between the tubes (so they can't rub on the tube).

However, this time around, while the radiator was being serviced, I had them add mounting brackets for the fan. The added cost was less than $20, and it saved me from having to buy new plastic strips (fan had to be removed to service the radiator).

DSCF0013-1.jpg
 
Another alternative - I made 4 mounts out of decapitated bolts bent into an 'L'.

fan2.JPG


Had to slightly oval the holes in the mount tabs for the bolts to clear the sides of the radiator.

fan8.JPG


Has held fine for many years on both TRs.

As for position -- I mounted as high as I could as I still have the stock (Tropical) fan which is lower. I also use a simple air dam to hopefully throw more air at the lower third of the radiator. But then I live on the Sun.
 
Geo Hahn said:
Another alternative - I made 4 mounts out of decapitated bolts bent into an 'L'.

fan2.JPG


Had to slightly oval the holes in the mount tabs for the bolts to clear the sides of the radiator.

fan8.JPG


Has held fine for many years on both TRs.

As for position -- I mounted as high as I could as I still have the stock (Tropical) fan which is lower. I also use a simple air dam to hopefully throw more air at the lower third of the radiator. But then I live on the Sun.
Click to expand...

Nice, simple answer to mounting the fan! I was thinking along the same lines - - some kind of "L" or "J" hook! My radiator frame is lighter weight than stock, since it's made of aluminum, but the padded L shaped bolts should hold the fan just fine AND be easy enough to get off. I'm leaving the stock fan in place, too. Climbing the hills in Colorado in the summer time puts a load on cooling systems!

Does the stock "cardboard" air deflector get in the way of installation?
 
I mounted my Spal as a puller and used their mounting kit. The only modification to the radiator was to drill some holes down by where the radiator mounts to the chassis. The top brackets are mounted with the top radiator rod stays.
 

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tmc said:
...Does the stock "cardboard" air deflector get in the way of installation?
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Yes, slightly. As I recall I had to trim a curvy bit from each of the three edges of the duct -- perhaps to a depth of 3/4" -- to clear each side of the fan housing.

You don't have a crank hole but, FWIW, I was still able to use the hand crank with this set-up by removing a rib from the fan housing.
 
Geo Hahn said:
Another alternative - I made 4 mounts out of decapitated bolts bent into an 'L'.

fan2.JPG


Had to slightly oval the holes in the mount tabs for the bolts to clear the sides of the radiator.

fan8.JPG


Has held fine for many years on both TRs.

As for position -- I mounted as high as I could as I still have the stock (Tropical) fan which is lower. I also use a simple air dam to hopefully throw more air at the lower third of the radiator. But then I live on the Sun.
Click to expand...

Your fan must be larger than 12" - - the mounting brackets for the one I have don't extend past the radiator frame, so the "j bolt" approach hasn't worked. I sent it back; now I'm looking for a "14" fan".
 
Mine is a 12" fan but not a Hayden. It has more than one set of slots for those mounting tabs, including a set that place the tabs at the far edges of the fan.
 
A repost of how I mounted mine. A small piece of bent steel on either side, welded with 3 tacks to the side radiator supports.

electric_fan.jpg
 
Mine was mounted with some simple bent metal straps and then bolted to the front inner fenders. Eventually it will go back on that way. It doesn't interfere with the crank handle.
 

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All good ideas! Thanks for the help. I sent the Hayden fan back to Moss. Before I put the nose on, I'll look for something else.
 
If you haven't already done so, you might want to consider changing the generator out for an alternator. When you start adding electrical components, that generator will be hard pressed to keep up.
 
TR3TR6 said:
If you haven't already done so, you might want to consider changing the generator out for an alternator. When you start adding electrical components, that generator will be hard pressed to keep up.
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While it is certainly a problem; depending on your usage it may not be too bad of a problem. The fan should only run for short intervals when idling or in stop-n-go traffic; and mine at least draws less power when running than the headlights do. So the only time you really have problems is stop-n-go traffic at night.
 
tmc said:
...I'll look for something else.
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FWIW -- I found one at my local FLAPS:

fan.JPG


Perhaps not as effective as the Hayden but as I am using it as a 'helper' seems adequate. Does not come with a temp control, I use it manually only.

Has lasted many years and anyway has a lifetime guarantee.
 
I added fog lights and electronic ignition and removed the original fan to pickup a few extra horses, and put the electric fan in as a pusher. On the highway, the fan doesn't usually come on, but driving in town it is kicking on and off pretty often. In parades, its running continually. My generator was in a severe discharge since the speed was a little more than an idle. With the alternator, it never discharges no matter what I have on.
 
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