Houston...We have a problem (core support rust - pt.2) - Page 2

jpn · 06-13-2008, 12:30 PM

can you repost pics please i just got my mr2 and now i can take my time to work on the max

maximus_pr · 09-25-2008, 07:58 PM

part number?

*CRiME* · 09-25-2008, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maximus_pr

part number?

The part number of the lower rad support?

The actual part number is not listed on this site, but the part is, and the price is great. It's $129, and it is an OEM nissan part. It's #5 in the illustration.

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...=5&catalogid=2

I'd recommend ordering from them - They got my heater core to me in like a week.

Also on topic, I actually looked under my car yesterday, and the "weld in" fix that I paid $200 for in January has broken already

. The crossmember looks like it's barely hanging on - the metal that they welded in has ripped off from the support. So, I'll probably be ordering a new support sometime in the near future and going to a different shop for installation. I've just about had it with this place that rebuilt my car!

maximus_pr · 09-25-2008, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRiME

Also on topic, I actually looked under my car yesterday, and the "weld in" fix that I paid $200 for in January has broken already

. The crossmember looks like it's barely hanging on - the metal that they welded in has ripped off from the support.

my crossmember is hanging completly of the support been running like this for over 1 month(have no choice) so need to do this asap so far the only thing i notice is whenever i take a hard corner it makes a noise other than that nothing else but i'm afraid one day the engine may fell off the car(not really)

loud3 · 09-25-2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99BlackMaxMS

Too bad most of us arent spoiled enough to live in Florida, where you have no snow/salt/rust and smooth roads.

Never taken saltwater in the atmosphere into effect? Beaches take their toll, too.

Nopike · 09-25-2008, 09:09 PM

I had my core support replaced a year ago. I'm thinking these may be rusting from the inside out, water/salt gets into the hollow core and cannot get out. So rustproofing the outside may not help much. That would mean that the problem is a Nissan design issue and not just weather related.

Bassbreaker · 03-19-2009, 11:32 AM

1/2" steel flat bar, motor mount bolts, self tapping screws and Gravel guard FTW.

$5.99

1chewabacha1 · 03-19-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassbreaker

1/2" steel flat bar, motor mount bolts, self tapping screws and Gravel guard FTW.

$5.99

That's not gonna hold long

I wonder if this thread has been linked in the stickies... it def'n should be.

Bassbreaker · 03-19-2009, 11:41 AM

it has held for the winter so far...i'm hoping to get the life of the car out of it. I don't think it has been linked, but it is a very usful thread

SpooledVQ35 · 03-19-2009, 11:43 AM

You did the smart thing and replaced all of it with OEM parts. Now you never have to worry about it again.

matrix11229 · 06-13-2009, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRiME

The part number of the lower rad support?

The actual part number is not listed on this site, but the part is, and the price is great. It's $129, and it is an OEM nissan part. It's #5 in the illustration.

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...=5&catalogid=2

I'd recommend ordering from them - They got my heater core to me in like a week.

Also on topic, I actually looked under my car yesterday, and the "weld in" fix that I paid $200 for in January has broken already

. The crossmember looks like it's barely hanging on - the metal that they welded in has ripped off from the support. So, I'll probably be ordering a new support sometime in the near future and going to a different shop for installation. I've just about had it with this place that rebuilt my car!

I looked at trademotion.com and courtecyparts, but I can't find the bolts that go in the middle of radiator support to the cross member

Royalscrew · 11-01-2009, 04:36 PM

I'm in the process of replacing the radiator support in a 97 Altima, and it looks very similar to this write-up. I have the piece off of the car (used Blair spot weld cutters) and will hire a welder to weld it back in. How do you guys recommend welding this, is there something I should look for to make sure it is done right? The original was spot welded, and I read somewhere that plug welds would be the best way to go, however I did not drill all the way through the backing piece (since I used the spot weld cutters) so there is no way that I can see to make a plug weld. Should I go ahead and drill through the backing metal so that the welder can make plug welds, or can the piece be welded along the sides, or some other way?

shavedmax · 11-01-2009, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royalscrew

I'm in the process of replacing the radiator support in a 97 Altima, and it looks very similar to this write-up. I have the piece off of the car (used Blair spot weld cutters) and will hire a welder to weld it back in. How do you guys recommend welding this, is there something I should look for to make sure it is done right? The original was spot welded, and I read somewhere that plug welds would be the best way to go, however I did not drill all the way through the backing piece (since I used the spot weld cutters) so there is no way that I can see to make a plug weld. Should I go ahead and drill through the backing metal so that the welder can make plug welds, or can the piece be welded along the sides, or some other way?

drill holes in the same location as the spot welds on the replacement piece. you can weld along the sides, but it's a better repair as plug welds

Royalscrew · 11-01-2009, 05:08 PM

Great! Thanks for the reply, I'll do that. In retrospect, I probably should have used a heavier touch with the spot weld cutter.

matrix1229: Not sure it's still needed, but courtesyparts.com has the crossmember bolts listed under Engine Mechanical->112 Engine & Transmission Mounting

shavedmax · 11-01-2009, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royalscrew

Great! Thanks for the reply, I'll do that. In retrospect, I probably should have used a heavier touch with the spot weld cutter.

matrix1229: Not sure it's still needed, but courtesyparts.com has the crossmember bolts listed under Engine Mechanical->112 Engine & Transmission Mounting

spot weld cutters suck. next time(if there is)grind off the panel you want to replace(with a cut off wheel), so you dont damage the panel underneath. if you cant reach it that way i use a drill bit that i ground down to have less taper, this way the damage to the base panel is minimal. at work we weld replacement panels with a resistance spot welder, doing it that way makes most repairs undetectible.

Royalscrew · 11-01-2009, 09:10 PM

Thanks shavedmax, wish I had known that earlier today. I am thinking of drilling all the way through the underlying panel where the spot welds were (like the pictures earlier in this thread) and then plug welding through from the underlying panel to the new replacement support in front. I'm not sure there is enough room to get in there to weld. The underlying panel is already chewed up a bit from the spot weld cutter, so I thought this might be better structurally. What do you think is best at this point?

Also, is the paint that is on the factory replacement support (Nissan OEM) weldable, or do I need to strip the paint off the areas needing to be welded? If so, should I spray some weld thru on the inside sections of the panel that will be welded so that they won't rust from the inside out?

shavedmax · 11-02-2009, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royalscrew

Thanks shavedmax, wish I had known that earlier today. I am thinking of drilling all the way through the underlying panel where the spot welds were (like the pictures earlier in this thread) and then plug welding through from the underlying panel to the new replacement support in front. I'm not sure there is enough room to get in there to weld. The underlying panel is already chewed up a bit from the spot weld cutter, so I thought this might be better structurally. What do you think is best at this point?

Also, is the paint that is on the factory replacement support (Nissan OEM) weldable, or do I need to strip the paint off the areas needing to be welded? If so, should I spray some weld thru on the inside sections of the panel that will be welded so that they won't rust from the inside out?

if you have access from the back to weld it, then drill through the base metal. but if you're only replacing the lower piece, the inside of the frame rail wont be welded properly. move the weld to another part of the base metal so you can have a good weld.

you have to grind off the oem epoxy coat where it'll be welded, dont take it off everywhere. weld through primers have always inhibited a good weld for me. i just try to coat the seams once i'm done to prevent it from rusting.

good luck

Royalscrew · 11-02-2009, 06:52 PM

Thanks once again. It will save the welder's time (and some of my $'s) if the car is ready to weld prior to him arriving.

You're right about the frame rails being inaccessible from the base metal, that didn't really register until I looked at it again tonight. I'll move the welds in this area like you mention. It might be easier to have all the welds from the front because it looks to be a PITA to weld through the base metal while underneath the car. I'll try to get the welder to look at it first to see what he thinks is best.

shavedmax · 11-03-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royalscrew

Thanks once again. It will save the welder's time (and some of my $'s) if the car is ready to weld prior to him arriving.

You're right about the frame rails being inaccessible from the base metal, that didn't really register until I looked at it again tonight. I'll move the welds in this area like you mention. It might be easier to have all the welds from the front because it looks to be a PITA to weld through the base metal while underneath the car. I'll try to get the welder to look at it first to see what he thinks is best.

sounds good. should be back to new soon enough

*sryth* · 11-21-2009, 09:39 PM

I always wondered why these things had to be welded back on; couldn't you bolt it up once you get the original out of there? Is the part too thin at the ends to take to bolting?

From my understanding, it's not a very critical part as far as the structural stability of the car, and being able to bolt it up would eliminate the need for a welder. Most people don't have welders and would be daunted when facing this task because they lack welding equipment and experience. /shrug

shavedmax · Yesterday, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sryth

I always wondered why these things had to be welded back on; couldn't you bolt it up once you get the original out of there? Is the part too thin at the ends to take to bolting?

From my understanding, it's not a very critical part as far as the structural stability of the car, and being able to bolt it up would eliminate the need for a welder. Most people don't have welders and would be daunted when facing this task because they lack welding equipment and experience. /shrug

1st off this repair isnt a beginner repair, even if you are mechanically inclined it isnt a simple job. can it be rigged up without much knowledge/experience, yes. but to make it as safe as it was before takes more than that.
2nd, how is it not a structural part of the car? the engine crossmember bolts to and supports the weight of the engine and transmission, not to mention the movement it makes through shifting. it ties the frame rails together, this way in the event of an accident the energy of the collision could be transfered from one side to the other.
the metal is 20 gauge on the crossmember side and maybe 16 ga on the frame side. not nearly thick enough to drill into with a screw and hope it would hold and you dont have access to the back side to bolt it together properly. it's not that expensive of a repair that i would jepordize my safety not to do it right.