Radiator in the bed

[CyberSniper]

Anyone move their radiator out back? Got any pictures? Any cooling problems?

I've found a bunch of posts of people moving their core support and/or radiator closer to the motor but nothing on anybody running the radiator in the bed.

I was thinking... if you move the radiator behind the driver mounted along the framerail you could run any radiator you want. You'd be able to run whatever electric fans you want. You could have it so it blew the hot air out the passenger side. You could put louvers on it so at highway speeds the air would be inclined to go through the radiator... kind of like what they used to do on the liquid cooled two-stroke ATVs like the 250R, LT250, Tecate, and Banshee.

Just an idea. I've been disassembling the K5 today and figured why even keep the stock core support since I already have to tinker with the hood and fenders for narrowing the front. If the radiator wasn't there you could set a winch right on the frame and it wouldn't hang over the end...

 

[84gmcjimmy]

I was going to run my radiator for the k5 in the rear, but someone brought to my attention that the fan to cool the fadiator would be to loud /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif So I am just going to leave up front /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[rjfguitar]

I think it is a great idea, the main advantage that I see is you can then run almost any radiator you want. A nice big radiator out of a diesel meant for commercial use for say a 3126 cat or cummins 5.9 along with the extra capacity from the piping would enable someone to be able to keep just about anything cool. As far as the fan goes...they might be a little loud behind the seats of a blazer but you would never hear them with a truck cab besides with an angry motor under the hood ripping through the mud you would probably never hear them anyway.

 

[84gmcjimmy]

Yeah you have a point with the engine roaring through the mud. But I don't have a truck cab so it will still be loud, idling or not. I am still thinking /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[sled_dog]

there was a post on pirate a week or so ago asking peoples opinions of their bed radiators. All loved them and none complained about noise. Many stating they didn't have back windows or were in SUVs(I use the term due to lack of a better one for us).

 

[rjfguitar]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah you have a point with the engine roaring through the mud. But I don't have a truck cab so it will still be loud, idling or not. I am still thinking /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh pffffffffffff, 2 or one large electric fan isn't going to make much noise. Go sit next to a little house fan( you know, the one that swivels back and forth with the three speeds) and put it on high and listen to it. if you had 2 fans on the rad about that size it would be roughly twice as loud as your house fan, maybe a little louder. If you are concerned about a little fan noise while wheeling than your a weenie. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif Just kidding. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif Remember the rig probably already has no top if it's a blazer, the motor will be screaming through the mud with probably loud mufflers anyway, and not to mention the tires of choice would probably be a little louder than a Michelin Pilot. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

 

[84gmcjimmy]

/forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
[ QUOTE ]
a little house fan( you know, the one that swivels back and forth with the three speeds

[/ QUOTE ]

I no what a house fan is... i'm not that slow /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

So they are maybe just twice as loud or a little more? Hmmm I like that /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif Maybe I will put it in the back now. woohoo. It will be a k5 with no hard top, or roof /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif Thanks for posting that rjf, that pumped me up to find a nice radiator and fans /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif

 

[rjfguitar]

Well don't quote me on it but think about it, they can't be all that loud. I had 2 fans out of a Camry and they werent very noisy at all. Compared to how loud everything else is in the vehicle especially the tires and motor.

It's not like there would be a turbofan from a Boing 747 in the backseat. /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[84gmcjimmy]

/forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif Yeah /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

Well I will probaly just say "screw it" and go ahead when I buy them, and put them back there, if they get to noisy, I'll just put in ear plugs or something /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[ugly_blazer]

Are you talking about putting it in the back of a blazer? I would be afraid of a hose blowing up and burning me /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif

 

[CyberSniper]

Blazer frame... with a truck cab sitting on it. I probably wouldn't do this if I had a K5 because the heat would be atrocious.

 

[CyberSniper]

[ QUOTE ]
I was going to run my radiator for the k5 in the rear, but someone brought to my attention that the fan to cool the fadiator would be to loud /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif So I am just going to leave up front /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Like everyone said, noise isn't that much of a concern. I have two electric fans in my truck right now. One is out of a Cutlass Ciera and the other is out of a Lumina. Even with both of them on they aren't any louder than typical engine noise (belts, internal engine noise, headers). They do add to the amount of noise under the hood but they aren't loud. In fact, when I tested all the fans for current draw (I have 6-8 out of different vehicles from different manufacturers) I noticed that these fans were the quietest and were about as noisey as a heater blower on high.

When compared to all my house fans the fans I use are more quiet. The only one that is probably quieter is my "whole house" fan which is a squirrel cage fan out of a furnace.

Since the fan would be in the open with only a radiator to suck through it'd flow plenty of air. Right now I'm sucking air through a large ATF cooler, an AC condensor, and the radiator. I suspect for 99% of my driving I could use just one fan and then have a second one for hard use.

My biggest concern is how am I going to plumb it?

 

[84gmcjimmy]

What do you mean the heat would be atrocious?
I am still thinking about moving it back... theres ups and downs /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif I will decide one day /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

 

[big83chevy4x4]

the heat from the radiator, the fan pull the heat away and brings cool air in to keep the coolant in the radiator cool.

the heat would only be bad depending on where you put it and it you have the top on or not.

 

[BadDog]

To me, moving it to the back has too many real issues and potential issues. High volume pumps, lots of tubing, clearances and complexity, bleading, fan noise right behind your head, hot water right behind your back, potentially more difficult access to storage, and the list goes on. Me, I would first look into a very high efficiency radiator (aluminum) in the smallest size possible, put it in the front, and tilt it back a bit. I don't think the weight or the visibility issue (especially with a small aluminum radiator) make it worth the trouble. Plus my kids often sit in the rear and would get hosed down if something blew. I’ve had tanks blow a seam or hoses rupture and shoot high pressure streams of extremely hot water. Not something I want to consider. Rear radiator is not even on the possible list if I do a new buggy. JMO.

 

[84gmcjimmy]

Yeah but the bigger the engine, the bigger radiator you need, then bigger fan(s) to cool it. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[big83chevy4x4]

its not just the size of radiator that matters, aluminum transfers heat much better and faster than steel. most radiators have a copper core (cooling part) and steel tanks or aluminum core and plastic tanks. when you get a all aluminum radiator, the tanks can help cool a bit more than the other radiators, plus the core is thicker so more coolant can be cooled in the same amount of time. thats why most people buy a 3 or 4 core radiator when they have cooling problems, with out spending $300 on a full aluminum radiator.