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TR2/3/3A Rad fan hook-up comment &how do I orient TR3 ducts

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W

wifegonnakillme

Jedi Hopeful
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First to follow up on a previous post re rad pusher fan hook up. I had asked how folks attached their rad fans thinking I had to go through some elaborate process of welding on braces or bolting it to the body some how - In fact, when I got the fan (Hayden), it came with what look like long plastic thumb-tacks you simply push through the fan and then slide thought the rad between the fins - simply attach another do-hicky at the back and the fan is mounted.

I slipped the 12" fan in through the front grill and had it mounted and wired to an under dash switch in well under an hour - would have been shorter if my wife hadn't been pestering about doing the gardening...

Anyway, such an easy job to do I would highly recommend for the peace of mind...

Now - the question I have is how does one orient thouse TR3 rad ducts in front of the radiator? I have a 3A and after spending some time with it, I can't figure out which side is up on the two cardboard Moss rad ducts... I know mine had them at one point since I can see three screws in the deck of the apron in front of the rad... anyone do this? Easiest way to describe is probably to tell me where the long straight side goes - I think down, but I would have had to bend the crap out of it to get it to go...

Cheers and thanks -
Kerry
 
I just took a look at the moss site and they have the long edge of the ducts up agains the radiator - I swear I tried this and it wouldn't fit...will try again tonight - at least they are easy to cut down to size if needed,
K
 
Aloha Kerry,

The kit should contain three pieces, two similar left and right sides and a rectangular top piece. The two side pieces each have two holes punched in them and a diagonal crease. The holes are for the turn lamp/side lamp wiring harness to go through and the other is for the bumper over rider support tube stud to go through. The diagonal creases should be folded inward toward the center line of the car. The rectangular pieces is fastened to the top rear of the side pieces. Installed it will cover the top tank of the radiator. All pieces will have creases on the one or two edges that are folded over 90 degrees toward the car's centerline and act as stiffeners. It is all assembled and then the sides are folded over each other and passed through the grille opening. With the back sides vertical and against radiator's edges, fold the sides out against the inner fenders. The over rider mounting holes should line up when in position.

I hope this is helpful.
 
Hmmmm,
I don't have over-rider support tubes in there...

I also don't have the retectangular piece - although I don't think that one is critical...

I'll try and get it in there again in the next few days - now that I know I have the general orientation right, I am more comfortable using some persuasion...

Thanks Dave,
Kerry
 
Aloha Kerry,

Many cars do not have support tubes, I suspect many were lost after removing the bumper or cowl a few times.

The top piece helps to hold the side pieces together against the air pressure being ducted into the radiator. You can easily make one out heavy stock railroad board or poster board.

You may want to "paint" the radiator duct with something like Thompson's Water Seal to give it some weather resistance.
 
I bought my shroud from VB, and it came in one flat piece. With encouragement from this forum, I painted it black, and fitted it in easily. there were some scoring marks on the cardboard where you put a little bend in along the three sides of the radiator. It was a natural fit, and the holes lined up for the bumper braces. I added a couple of self tapping sheet metal screws to keep it in place.
 
I believe the correct color for the shroud is body color.

I had to trim just a small amount at the top (sort of a long thin bite) to clear the fan... had to bend the vertical edges along the sides of the fan.
 
The reason I welded brackets to the radiator (and not an elaborate undertaking, just 3 tack welds per side) is because the plastic push through mountings can come loose and also cause damage to the radiator over time. A solid mount keeps the fan in place better. Imagine all the vibration from bumps transmitted directly to the radiator fins by the plastic mounts.

The welded angle solid mount also serve as a mounting post for my custom bent (by me) aluminum radiator shroud. It can get wet and never fall apart. It just fits over the posts and is secured by a 4 nyloc nuts.

These improvements are well worth my efforts.

YMMV, this is just my approach to mounting my fan.
 
An alternative that is simpler than welding but not as invasive as those thru-ties is shown in these links (didn't want to use the bandwidth to post all the pics here):

https://www.cybertrails.com/~ahwahnee/fan.JPG
https://www.cybertrails.com/~ahwahnee/fan0.JPG
https://www.cybertrails.com/~ahwahnee/fan1.JPG
https://www.cybertrails.com/~ahwahnee/fan2.JPG
https://www.cybertrails.com/~ahwahnee/fan3.JPG
https://www.cybertrails.com/~ahwahnee/fan4.JPG
https://www.cybertrails.com/~ahwahnee/fan7.JPG
https://www.cybertrails.com/~ahwahnee/fan8.JPG

Pics show how the mouting holes were slightly ovalled to fit the width of the TR3/4 rad. Pics also show how a switch was modified to allow a one-wire installation by switching the ground side of the fan rather than the hot side.
 
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