Missing radiator bolts (1 Viewer)

[vapilotda]

I was doing a transmission flush this morning and noticed my radiator was floppy as I removed the skid plates. Upon further investigation, I notice both lower bolts are missing. I can't imagine it came like that from the factory. Just checking to see that it's not supposed to be that way.

 

[bloc]

What is supposed to go in there is a medium length M8x1.25 (12mm head) bolt from the front, and in the middle of your circle is a round washer as large as the rubber bushing with a square threaded bung welded to the back of it. Also if I remember correctly there should be a metal sleeve inside the bushing that keeps the tightened assembly from just squishing the rubber bushing out.

If the radiator was removed/replaced and they either didn’t include the sleeves or just relied on the washer gripping the rubber bushing (and not holding backup with a wrench) I could see the bolts working loose and the back side hardware getting lost.

I’ll try and look up the part numbers when I’m not on my phone.

 

[bloc]

Turns out the lower sleeves have a flange on the front face... so they will need to be inserted from the front. Not sure if there's room to push the radiator backward if yours are missing.

Double check all these numbers.. I've made mistakes in the past
lower sleeves: 16445-31570
The bolts are harder to determine which number.. I see both of these listed: 91621-60840 and 91671-80840
And of course my parts program doesn't show the flat washer with the threaded nut.. the part you are clearly missing. You might need to go to a parts counter. Just using a washer and nut could be difficult and likely to lose parts when/if you ever remove the assembly.

 

[mcgaskins]

I suppose it's possible vibration caused them to back out on your long drive out west and wheeling? Very odd, but nice work catching it! That's why it's so important to crawl under the truck from to time and check on stuff. Both @Markuson and I had a strange occurrence on the same trail where (we can only assume) a single rock gave our diff drain plug a love tap just enough to cause a slow leak. I crawled underneath to check it out and sure enough it was loosened to just finger tight. Could have been bad news if it just stayed loose like that until it puked all the diff fluid!

 

[Markuson]

I suppose it's possible vibration caused them to back out on your long drive out west and wheeling? Very odd, but nice work catching it! That's why it's so important to crawl under the truck from to time and check on stuff. Both @Markuson and I had a strange occurrence on the same trail where (we can only assume) a single rock gave our diff drain plug a love tap just enough to cause a slow leak. I crawled underneath to check it out and sure enough it was loosened to just finger tight. Could have been bad news if it just stayed loose like that until it puked all the diff fluid!

I was wondering if yours happened on Red Cone as well. What are the odds??

Thinking it was the one huge rock after the right turn around the tree...

After replacement:

But Ya...it would have been a serious bummer to dump all diff oil on the trail.

 

[mcgaskins]

I was wondering if yours happened on Red Cone as well. What are the odds??

Thinking it was the one huge rock after the right turn around the tree...

After replacement:
View attachment 1770315

But Ya...it would have been a serious bummer to dump all diff oil on the trail.

Unbelievable coincidence! Funny enough I ended up with the same new diff drain plug too. The local Toyota dealer who supports Rising Sun has a parts guy who is a wheeler, and when I told him what part I was looking for he said "Nah you want the hex head replacement that way the next rock you hit with it won't spin it open"!! Awesome to be able to chat with someone working at a dealership on that level.

 

[Markuson]

Unbelievable coincidence! Funny enough I ended up with the same new diff drain plug too. The local Toyota dealer who supports Rising Sun has a parts guy who is a wheeler, and when I told him what part I was looking for he said "Nah you want the hex head replacement that way the next rock you hit with it won't spin it open"!! Awesome to be able to chat with someone working at a dealership on that level.

Wow! I agree. That’s pretty unheard of at any Toyota dealership!! And ya...crazy coincidence! We must have followed an identical line...which makes sense on that crazy corner/rock...but still... weirdness.

 

[bloc]

If it was installed correctly both nuts wouldn’t be missing. Toyota is pretty well versed in avoiding random bolts vibrating loose under normal use.. one missing? Super low odds but two?

Either way.. I hope OP finds the parts for his radiator. Not sure how diff drain plugs getting loosened by contact with rocks is relevant.

 

[mcgaskins]

If it was installed correctly both nuts wouldn’t be missing. Toyota is pretty well versed in avoiding random bolts vibrating loose under normal use.. one missing? Super low odds but two?

Either way.. I hope OP finds the parts for his radiator. Not sure how diff drain plugs getting loosened by contact with rocks is relevant.

Perhaps you missed the part where we discussed why it’s important to spend time under your truck making sure everything is ok and bolts aren’t missing

 

[bloc]

That hardly warrants more posts than were actually on topic and a totally unrelated picture.

There is a lot of good tech in this section that can be difficult to find because it gets drowned out by off-topic conversation. OP clearly understands the importance of getting under the truck.. after all that is what prompted his post asking for help.

And now, -I- am way off topic. @vapilotda if you need any more specifics on this reply to one of my posts so I get notified.

 

[Markuson]

That hardly warrants more posts than were actually on topic and a totally unrelated picture.

There is a lot of good tech in this section that can be difficult to find because it gets drowned out by off-topic conversation. OP clearly understands the importance of getting under the truck.. after all that is what prompted his post asking for help.

And now, -I- am way off topic. @vapilotda if you need any more specifics on this reply to one of my posts so I get notified.

Conversations happen, mate.

That hardly warrants getting annoyed just a few posts later.

 

[mcgaskins]

That hardly warrants more posts than were actually on topic and a totally unrelated picture.

There is a lot of good tech in this section that can be difficult to find because it gets drowned out by off-topic conversation. OP clearly understands the importance of getting under the truck.. after all that is what prompted his post asking for help.

And now, -I- am way off topic. @vapilotda if you need any more specifics on this reply to one of my posts so I get notified.

This or any forum would be boring as hell (and die) if the only discussion was 100% technical. No idea why people are getting so sensitive about friendly banter that is related to tech and trail rides!

 

[vapilotda]

If it was installed correctly both nuts wouldn’t be missing. Toyota is pretty well versed in avoiding random bolts vibrating loose under normal use.. one missing? Super low odds but two?

Either way.. I hope OP finds the parts for his radiator. Not sure how diff drain plugs getting loosened by contact with rocks is relevant.

I agree, I haven't notice the radiator loose in the past and it's hard for me to fathom how the two bolts could of become loose and wiggled out. I have order the bolts and the driver lower bushing (hoping that the washer and nut are a part of the bushing.)
The parts diagram is hard to decipher and it doesn't show a part for just the washer/nut. It appears the bolts go through from the front and it looks like I'll have to pull the radiator to get to them. The radiator has never been out. I've had the truck since 12k miles. Nevertheless, I'll be tackling that this week when the parts come in.

About the diff drain, I've had that happen a bit on my 80. Just had to weld 3/8 plate across the bottom of the axles to create a new protector for the drain plug. I scraped the protector ring off a few time and had to get a little more aggressive. The rocks will take the drain plug right out of the bottom of the diff if your aren't careful.

 

[vapilotda]

 

[bloc]

Nothing should have to come out to install the bolts.. there are 2x ~1" holes in a core support crossmember to the sides of the AC condenser.. When I replaced my radiator (top tank crack) I just used a telescoping magnetic grabber on the bolt head through the lower grille to get it inserted into the hole, then long extensions and a short socket to get it tightened up.

If the metal sleeves are gone I do think you'll need to push the bottom of the radiator backward slightly to insert them from the front. Thing is, the radiator hanging in place should prevent them falling out. Either way I believe the top mount bushings easily flex enough that you won't have to loosen those bolts to swing the radiator and make room.

One other detail I just remembered.. the reason the top and bottom flanged sleeves have different part numbers is the top have little bent tabs on the face that let the radiator hang in position on the core support before everything is bolted up. There are small holes in the core support above the upper radiator mount bolt holes for these tabs.