OEM radiator doesn’t fit

[Flotsam]

I bought what the Toyota parts website said was the OEM replacement radiator from Toyota (16400-66040, the brass one) for my 1996 FZJ80. Now, searching here, it looks like it should have been 16400-66081 (the aluminum one), which the Toyota parts website says doesn’t fit the 1996…
But either way, the 66040 is here now and according to my research should still fit, but turns out it is 30.5 inches wide at the bottom where the 66081 is only 30 inches wide and it won’t slide down between the brackets. Anyone encountered this before? Are there different brackets for each radiator? I’m not really trusting the Toyota parts website anymore…

 

[ERG80]

I have a 1996 and purchased a new 16400-66040 radiator for it in 2017. It’s tight but fits. You have to reuse the brackets from your old radiator. There are some install threads with much more info and install tips on here but I don’t have have them handy.

 

[Flotsam]

I have a 1996 and purchased a new 16400-66040 radiator for it in 2017. It’s tight but fits. You have to reuse the brackets from your old radiator. There are some install threads with much more info and install tips on here but I don’t have have them handy.

I appreciate the reply, good to hear it should be possible.
I wonder if something was bent/damaged at some point on mine to make the clearance tighter. The lower brackets (and old radiator, which looks like the 66081) are exactly 30 inches wide, and the new radiator is 30.5 inches wide at the bottom (the sides of the new radiator have a distinct flare at the bottom). All the parts diagrams I can find show the same part numbers for the brackets for both radiators, so it doesn’t seem like the brackets are the issue.

 

[jonheld]

I bought what the Toyota parts website said was the OEM replacement radiator from Toyota (16400-66040, the brass one) for my 1996 FZJ80. Now, searching here, it looks like it should have been 16400-66081 (the aluminum one), which the Toyota parts website says doesn’t fit the 1996…
But either way, the 66040 is here now and according to my research should still fit, but turns out it is 30.5 inches wide at the bottom where the 66081 is only 30 inches wide and it won’t slide down between the brackets. Anyone encountered this before? Are there different brackets for each radiator? I’m not really trusting the Toyota parts website anymore…

Both of those part numbers should fit. They are the same size with a different number of cores (IIRC) but are spec'd to fit. I have the 66040 in my 97 LX450 right now. It fit without issue. Reuse the existing brackets and replace the old hardware with new.

 

[jonheld]

I removed the complete assembly with brackets while they were attached to the radiator. I transferred the brackets to the new unit and installed with all new hardware/cushions/etc.