Radiator Replacement - Fan Nuts Stuck? Please help... (1 Viewer)

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Jun 28, 2020
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Hello friends,

I am trying to replace my radiator (cracked on the top), but I'm stuck and can't remove the 4 nuts to remove the fan (see picture below). When I try to open them (counter clockwise), the force from my hand turns the fan instead of the nuts. Is there a trick to this or do I need a special tool???

I really appreciate your help in advance. I was hoping I could finish the job in 1 day, but these nuts are making me go nuts!

P.S. I did a quick search on the forum and the internet. Found a video on youtube with a guy easily opening the nuts on his Tundra, but I'm not sure if I'm missing anything in the video or not.

Screen Shot 2021-04-10 at 8.39.39 PM.png
 
I haven't replaced on the 200, but on other cars, I would use another wrench to grab one of the other bolts. for example, one wrench on the top nut in the picture applying tightening force and then break loose the lower nut...
 
I have a large flat blade screwdriver/pry bar that I use to wedge between one of the other nuts and the center hub shaft, to hold back while I loosen each nut.

If you do this, don’t anchor against a nut that has been backed off much, or it’ll bend the stud it is attached to. Needs to be just barely loose, like less than one turn.
 
Thanks, radman, I thought about doing the trick you mentioned. I need to get a second wrench that would match. Will try tomorrow, I hope when I get to the last bolt it comes off easily so I don't have to make another bolt tight to open the last one.
 
Looks like this video covers the fan.

 
thanks for the suggestion, bloc. I donno why it did not cross my mind while I was working on it. I guess I was so frustrated my brain stopped working. especially after I opened the refrigerant line by mistake.:rofl::skull:
 
I have always just used the screwdriver technique @bloc mentioned to remove those nuts without an issue.
 
If you're only replacing the radiator you don't need to remove the fan clutch, just loosen the shroud and push it around as needed to get the radiator out. You'd leave the passenger side radiator bracket on the truck, and the driver side bracket on the radiator but removed from truck, this way you can slide it enough away from the passenger bracket to "slide" it out.

Disregard all of this if you're replacing fan clutch/bearing/fuel pump, etc...
 

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