Aluminum radiator feedback

[76zimmer]

Any pros or cons to the following manufacturers that you know of?

Summit 380482: seems like a real close to my stock 77K5 radiator, so it should be direct replacement. 1" tubes, Price 289+

BeCool 10013 slightly different dimensions but says it fits. Also no trans cooler (not a big deal for me), 1" tubes, 299+

Why is their 60013 series so much more?

Champion model 716ec....lifetime replacement warranty, not sure how wide the tubes are. 139+

Champion 3 row, again not sure how wide the tubes are. 219+

 

[4X4HIGH]

Aluminum radiators definately cool better than a copper/brass but they are much harder to repair and they don't take kindly to vibration. I would leave them to the race car fans that they were originally designed for in the first place.

 

[tRustyK5]

You mean like the aluminum and plastic rad's GM used in the 88 up CK's?

Rene

 

[76zimmer]

I'm definitely staying away from them, I've had about 3-4 of those crap out in cars/trucks.

 

[blazerbones]

I've had good luck with my Summit Aluminum for several years now... knock on wood. Daily driving, hauling, as well as offroad use. Definitely cools way beetter than the stock rad.

 

[tRustyK5]

I wouldn't solid mount an aluminum rad, or even a copper/brass rad...I don't see much of an issue if properly mounted with rubber though.

Rene

 

[ryoken]

I've had good luck with my Summit Aluminum for several years now... knock on wood. Daily driving, hauling, as well as offroad use. Definitely cools way beetter than the stock rad.

me too....

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

i wouldn't solid mount an aluminum rad, or even a copper/brass rad...i don't see much of an issue if properly mounted with rubber though.

Rene

x 2

 

[jms]

There's an aluminum radiator in my truck since 2003. Two-row, with the evil plastic tanks. I was told that it will spontaneously combust/explode/disintegrate/leak/crumble/endanger the safety of my family/ jeopardize a busload of nuns at the very moment I installed it back then .

In the meantime, I've driven across the Rocky Mountains many times when I lived in Nebraska and needed to get out west, got more than a dozen Moab trips under my belt, and I can't remember the number of trails we've hit in Arizona during this entire time. It performed better that the old copper/brass unit that was in the truck. If that radiator gives up its ghost on the next trip, it won't owe me anything - I'll just get another aluminum radiator, and call it good .

Disclaimer - your results may vary. There are many parts on my truck that - according to CK5 lore - are supposed to spontaneously combust/explode/disintegrate/leak/crumble/endanger the safety of my family/ jeopardize a busload of nuns.

 

[blazinzuk]

Mounting is critical to an aluminum rad. you need to isolate it from vibration as much as possible. I have put a summit one in an early bronco with the stock mounting system and it works fine so far

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

As mentioned, I really don't think material is so much of a durability concern. If the mounting is bad anything will fail quickly. OEM mounting is generally very good and aluminum radiators IME are great.

Plastic cores are somewhat more failure prone than metal ones but really they usually last a really long time IME, at least 100K.

 

[76zimmer]

OK, going for the Summit unit then, thanks for the input once again guys....stay tuned here:

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=261694&page=18