I have a 12/73 with a F motor and the old school metal radiator fan. Is there a plastic alternative? I'm not having cooling issues, it's just a bit beat up.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Metal fan alternative for the F engine (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter badsamaritan
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Why the metal one on my LV is 53 years old with zero issues.
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
When you have a metal fan catastrophically fail it’s not fun to replace a fan shroud as well as a radiator
However I had a plastic do the same... but... not as bad
lol
However I had a plastic do the same... but... not as bad
lol
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
Btw call Mark he can hook you up with exactly what u need
@65swb45
Maybe even Kurt ... @cruiseroutfit
Support the Mud collective !!
@65swb45
Maybe even Kurt ... @cruiseroutfit
Support the Mud collective !!
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It’s not a question of if, just when.
I too poo poohed the stories until it happened to me. Lost blade on my ‘68 at freeway speed back in about ‘94.
I was one of the fortunate few. Blade took out the bottom of my fan shroud on the way out, rather than thru the radiator or hood like most folks.
Now all my rigs, including the resto 45 have plastic fans.
I stock both new and used ones. You are welcome to call me there to follow up.
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
When I bought my 68 in 1974 there was a cut in the hood and the fan shroud was MIA. My 45 has a earlier 2F that had metal fan. When the water pump started to weep I replaced with a later pump with plastic fan and fan clutch. Unless your looking to stay 100% stock would consider that upgrade. Would go the plastic fan at the very least.
tahoe40/45
SILVER Star
I had one break on my 64 SWB, scared the cr#p out of me. I still have metal on a couple Cruisers, but my LV has plastic and it works well.
On my 74 F.5 I dumped my metal fan years ago going on the advice of others here. I went with the 6-blade plastic and found there to be a significant increase in air movement. Especially at low rpm which represents most of my wheeling. So, for me the air flow increase was a good enough reason to change it out let alone the safety issue.
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middlecalf
SILVER Star
I haven’t seen any pics of a failed metal fan. And this is the first description of a possible cause of future failure that I’ve seen (“a bit beat up”). It seems that if this is a fatigue failure issue the fan blades would have to have been bent (and bent back) a fair number of times. It’s possible there is an aerodynamic caused vibration in the fan blades, but that would be very short deflections at high frequency, maybe that would lead to formation of a hairline crack and then catastrophic failure, but that is questionable. These fan blades are pretty thick. And if it was a rust issue the rust would be visible long before a failure. And if this was a bolt failure, only possibility I can think of is several bolts working loose and the whole fan actually coming off. Are these failures a result of damage (impingement, water crossings, etc.) and then disregard (rust)? I’m open for schooling.
Living in the Past
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Believe I've seen pictures of cracks that developed from the rivets posted on mud. Too many have failed to be caused by a ridgid blade bending back and forth.
middlecalf
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What rivets? Mine doesn't have any rivets.
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Spot welds.
My 64 metal fan had nearly cracked all the way through at the bottom of the blade. You could not tell. It was not bent or twisted. I was lucky to spot it when i had the water pump off.
My old man had one fail on a truck in the 70s and he said you could fit a 4 liter oil bottle through the hole in the bonnet. It definately does happen.
They are definitely prone to cracking near the center. Check them thoroughly before using.
middlecalf
SILVER Star
That's what mine has.
Not rejecting the claims of failures at all, I acknowledge those completely. Just trying to understand the failure mode. And of course, should I bag mine (actually it's a metal replacement for a non-existent one on the '63 FJ45) or go with a plastic one. It appears to be solid, only rust was slight amount on a couple of edges, but it is from Hawaii. No surfing in Idaho. It might have a grudge. Or not like cows. (I digress - why not, eh? - the largest cattle ranch in the US at one point was on Maui). The replacment (?) plastic ones are another area of unfamiliarity for me, and I guess the necessary spacer as well. Sorry for the hijack OP, but thanks for the thread.
- Thread starter
- #19
The first I heard of it was here on mud and it was just recently. The gentleman launched a blade downward and it took out his radiator and part of the fan shroud. For me, going to the still available plastic ones seems like the way to go.
- Thread starter
- #20
