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Radiators

bucks77ford

We will Rise Again
I'm needing a little more cooling power for my Highboy and the current radiator I have is an aftermarket aluminum smaller radiator ( I think it's only a 1 row) and I just doesn't cool the way I want to especially when it's hot, running A/C and cruising around. I'm thinking about getting a 3 row copper/brass radiator instead of aluminum just for durability. Seems like the aluminum ones don't last as long as the copper/brass. I can't get too thick on a radiator (like a 4 row) because I'm afraid my dual electric fan setup wouldn't clear the water pump pulley. IF aluminum would work better, I'd just go with that, but looking for the input.
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
I put a supercooling radiator on my truck. It is a brass three-row, but the tanks are 4" wide. The core itself is only 2 " if memory serves correct. The dimensions are a little bigger also(24 X 26" vs 19 X 26") The bottom of the radiator still sits slightly above the front cross member. I think the number of the radiator was a 433545(Readyrad)
 
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fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
That would be what I'd be looking at, the 24 x 26 one.

Buck, if you can find the one with the proper mounting, it is a plug and play with no additional holes to drill. I did have to "flex" the tranny cooler lines a little bit to get them to fit.
 

bucks77ford

We will Rise Again
I may have to drill holes anyway, I'm not sure. The core support I have now originally needed the rear flange mount radiator, but the PO had cut the core flanges in order to use a front mount flange radiator, so I have to go with a front flange mount radiator. The other thing would be, is there a big difference between the 19x26 or the 24x26 3 row radiator. Would the larger cool that much better? Ideally, I'd rather just get the smaller one and bolt er up and go. The only difference between the 1 row I have now vs the 3 row 19x26 is the overall thickness, so mounting would be easy. On the other hand, I want something that will cool on a hot day with the A/C on and at slow speeds. That's where the idea of maybe getting the smaller 19x26 3 row aluminum radiators.
 

LEB Ben

Arrogant A-hole At-Large
34,919
1,124
outside your house
I have no real input other than the standard cooling size has always been good for me with a shroud, and the super cooling size works without a shroud. Seeing as you have e-fans, I don't see why either wouldn't work for you. If you want any dimenisions have a standard in Red and loose standard (in classifieds)...one has rear mount flanges and one has front flanges (can't remember which is which though)...and I have a super cooler in the Bronco. The super cooler dropped in the Bronco perfectly...as Doug said, the cooler lines needed some persuasion, and I picked a different upper hose (again can't remember the PN differences).
 

bucks77ford

We will Rise Again
My tranny lines me be an issue with the taller radiator as I have them set up for the smaller one right now. I leaning toward just getting a 19x26 3 row aluminum which is claimed to out perform a 3 and 4 row copper/brass and cool 850HP from champion.
 

primetime

sawmill slave
Copper brass transfers heat better, but aluminum has higher tensile strength. What that boils down to is that while a copper brass radiator has 1/2" wide tubes, aluminum radiators will generally have one inch tubes, which creates more cooling surface, which makes them work better. Aluminum is also lighter.

When Ford went to aluminum radiators alot of them actually only had one row. 351s and 460s with super cooling even only had two row radiators.
 

bucks77ford

We will Rise Again
Copper brass transfers heat better, but aluminum has higher tensile strength. What that boils down to is that while a copper brass radiator has 1/2" wide tubes, aluminum radiators will generally have one inch tubes, which creates more cooling surface, which makes them work better. Aluminum is also lighter.

When Ford went to aluminum radiators alot of them actually only had one row. 351s and 460s with super cooling even only had two row radiators.

That's what is leaning me toward aluminum which I think I will go with and see what happens. I have read alot of guys on 460ford like em.
 

bucks77ford

We will Rise Again
Well I did end up going with a 3 row Champion Aluminum radiator. I can't say how it would cool with a stock mechanical fan and shroud but with my Derale Dual Electric fan setup, I have no problem with cooling so far. The last few days the outside temps have been up around 90 with heat index around 95 and higher so it was a good test. Driving down the highway Temp is around 195 with only 1 fan on and with 2 fans going, temp is around 185. Temp hovers around 195 with both fans on and the A/C. I don't think that's too bad. A mechanical fan and shroud may cool a bit better on the highway, but what I like about the electric fans is that I can cruise around at slower speeds or even idling and temp actually goes down a little with the electric fans even with A/C. But, for just over $200 for a 3 row aluminum radiator, I can't complain.
 
I saw one of those 3 row aluminum radiators at P-N-P. It was almost new, should have bought it. Those electric fans sound great for bumper traffic situations. I've run highway speeds with no fan at all but as soon as you slow down the temp jumps.
 

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