Broken Radiator...

[tyron]

Went to Fraser for the weekend, was navigating around the 11,000 bogged backpackers and came down pretty hard on the sand. Not long after I could smell coolant and see my temp gauge was in the red.

Pulled over to take a look, my ironman bash plate has flexed in and hit my radiator, it's not their fault, it's not compatible with bullbar so there was no where to bolt it. I didn't think it would flex that much with the front unbolted. It had pushed it back in and broken 2 tabs off the bottom leaving 2 holes the size of you fingernails.

With the help of some people managed to glue them back on and limp to camp and then back home with no rad cap on.


Can the rad be repaired or is it a new rad job?

 

[NavFitzy]

You can generally get something like that plastic welded back on but I wouldn't be trusting how strong it would be again but. Probably better off in the long run not being caught in the middle of the Bush with the same problems and just getting a new one or even a second handy!!

 

[tyron]

Yeah true, note sure what the lugs are for but seems like a stupid design to me.

 

[4 naving]

theres an old thread on here where most guys have cut the tabs off for this reason. I cut mine off years ago and also shortened the casting where there should be a drain tap on the bottom but isn't...

 

[tyron]

Yeah, seems like the thing you learn too late haha.

$750 for a new one..

Might look at getting a full ally one. Better for bush repairs. Just need to see how it will affect my warranty.

 

[briggo]

I had the same problem mate with a homade bash plate. I had to get a new radiator I just put some rubber under my bash plate with the new one to give it more clearance but I will probably just cut them off just to be sure .

 

[nathand22]

Sounds like it was a god thing you noticed before any engine problems from overheating.
good bit a bush mechanics on the repair as well.

Can you make a crossmember up that goes between the chassis to give the bash plates something to bolt to, like the ARB ones have?
May save you from further damage.

 

[tyron]

Not sure how the arb ones work, sounds like a good idea though.

 

[Saitek]

You should be able to take it to a rad specialist and get the tank replaced should cost a lot less for that then a new one.

 

[nathand22]

Not sure how the arb ones work, sounds like a good idea though.

Here is a old pic i had, i will try and get some better pics for you later, but this should give you an idea.

 

[murwullambah]

Exact same thing happened to me at Lancelin sand dunes, fancy having a radiator that is so suseptable to damage on a4x4, anyway did same as you and managed to limp home with no overheating.After searching high and low i found a place for a new rad for $270 and what did i do next sand trip out, hit a deep hole and pushed rad up and it is now weeping again. Fitted an Ironman bash plate as per instructions and managed to bend it first time out again, luckily no damage this time. So on third rad, and deciding if this Navara is going to cut it for my type of offroading, crap design Nissan other than that good truck. If anyone has a design for a cross member to protect it share it with us. Cheers

 

[nathand22]

Exact same thing happened to me at Lancelin sand dunes, fancy having a radiator that is so suseptable to damage on a4x4, anyway did same as you and managed to limp home with no overheating.After searching high and low i found a place for a new rad for $270 and what did i do next sand trip out, hit a deep hole and pushed rad up and it is now weeping again. Fitted an Ironman bash plate as per instructions and managed to bend it first time out again, luckily no damage this time. So on third rad, and deciding if this Navara is going to cut it for my type of offroading, crap design Nissan other than that good truck. If anyone has a design for a cross member to protect it share it with us. Cheers

Dont take it the wrong way, but both of you guys have "Ironman" plates and you both have had damage, YES Nissan have made a booboo with the low placement of the radiator, BUT i have ARB plates and i have rammed, landed on, bashed into, bounced over, jumped into sand, rocks, river banks logs slowly and at speed and never had an issue with either one of my two D40's.

My cousin bought Ironman plates and they IMO are only slightly better then nothing, they are good value but when you compare them to plates like Brown Davis or even ARB they just dont compare, and with the D40 being so vulnerable i just think its worth spending the extra $$ on quality or you will spend those $$ on repair after repair in the end spending ALLOT more $$ then the original purchase.

 

[sparra04]

Yeah, seems like the thing you learn too late haha.

$750 for a new one..

Might look at getting a full ally one. Better for bush repairs. Just need to see how it will affect my warranty.

this one is a bit cheaper
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Nissan-N..._Parts_Accessories&hash=item27beb307ea&_uhb=1

 

[tyron]

Dont take it the wrong way, but both of you guys have "Ironman" plates and you both have had damage, YES Nissan have made a booboo with the low placement of the radiator, BUT i have ARB plates and i have rammed, landed on, bashed into, bounced over, jumped into sand, rocks, river banks logs slowly and at speed and never had an issue with either one of my two D40's.

My cousin bought Ironman plates and they IMO are only slightly better then nothing, they are good value but when you compare them to plates like Brown Davis or even ARB they just dont compare, and with the D40 being so vulnerable i just think its worth spending the extra $$ on quality or you will spend those $$ on repair after repair in the end spending ALLOT more $$ then the original purchase.

I do agree you get what you pay for. But, I am pretty confident if I had this one installed properly (bolted to bullbar) It would have been OK.

 

[tyron]

this one is a bit cheaper
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Nissan-N..._Parts_Accessories&hash=item27beb307ea&_uhb=1

Yeah, I saw that one, I am only concerned about how it would affect my warranty with Nissan (its only 15,000k old)

 

[murwullambah]

Dont take it the wrong way, but both of you guys have "Ironman" plates and you both have had damage, YES Nissan have made a booboo with the low placement of the radiator, BUT i have ARB plates and i have rammed, landed on, bashed into, bounced over, jumped into sand, rocks, river banks logs slowly and at speed and never had an issue with either one of my two D40's.

My cousin bought Ironman plates and they IMO are only slightly better then nothing, they are good value but when you compare them to plates like Brown Davis or even ARB they just dont compare, and with the D40 being so vulnerable i just think its worth spending the extra $$ on quality or you will spend those $$ on repair after repair in the end spending ALLOT more $$ then the original purchase.

Hey Nathan how do the bash plates mentioned differ from the ironman one, i didnt buy ironman just for cheapness it looked as if it would do the job, Been in ARB and they never have any on display to see the quality or how well designed they are. Do you have any pics of yours or how a decent bash plate looks, cheers

 

[nathand22]

Hey Nathan how do the bash plates mentioned differ from the ironman one, i didnt buy ironman just for cheapness it looked as if it would do the job, Been in ARB and they never have any on display to see the quality or how well designed they are. Do you have any pics of yours or how a decent bash plate looks, cheers

I will put more pics up But i have posted pics up on a few other bash plate threads.

You can see at the front they are bolted at the sides to the chassis and at the front under the radiator, with the spain built model i know have i added some 6mm flat bar to the crossmember as it didnt sit the same as the thai model, just to make sure it didnt have any chance of moving or bending up to the radiator.
also if you look at all the pressed detail it all adds to the strength, every time a crease is add to a flat sheet of steel it adds strength.
ARB plates are also 3mm and Brown Davis plates are 4mm, not 2mm like Ironman.
You will also notice the box section under the gear box, that just doesnt move and is one of the strongest parts, i have landed on those plates so many times, i have know doubt they have saved me allot of $$, from the canning on Fraser and Stocton to rock climbs at Lithgow and trails down at Yalwal like "monkey gum" and "Dusty's"
they havnt budged on either model and i have never suffered any damage so for the $750 (same cost as a radiator apparently) they cost they have paid for them selfs i would say.

 

[nathand22]

This one is from my old Thai D40 when it was brand new

 

[sparra04]

shame they don't make em for the d22

 

[murwullambah]

Cheers Nathan exellent pics i can see the quality and strength now and as you say they are well tested by you and the proof of the pudding is in the eating, will have to invest soon as so i can do some more serious bashing. By the way how does the Navara fair up generally against the Patrols etc. has it got you everywhere you wanted to go.