M Radiator Removal

[Tom in OR]

Does anyone have any advise on removing a 1950 M radiator? The joints at the bottom end of the side rails where they are soldered to the bottom tank have failed. Actually, it looks like the original soldering job was not that great. It appears that if the fan shroud is loosened and moved back over the fan to get it out of the way, the radiator could be lifted up and out. One manual I have says that the front bolster along with the radiator must be removed from the tractor. This is something that I would like to avoid at all cost. If anyone has had experience with getting a radiator out in a straight forward manner I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. Thank you, Tom

 

[fastfarmall]

Have you removed the two bolts[or nuts] from the bottom,and the shroud stays there after you remove the bolt in each corner, of the radiator, you can removed it after the radiator, but the radiator got to come straight up after you remove the sterring shaft, that turns out the front!!

 

[Tom in OR]

Thank you, fastfarmall, that is just about exactly what it looked like to me! Appreciate your response!
Tom

 

[caterpillar guy]

Yup just like Fast said. If you don't like that then you could pull the bolts to the front bolster and slide the whole thing out of the frame rails. Seems like a lot of extra work unless you needed to work on the steering too.

 

[John M]

You dont have to remove the bolster. If you cant get the studs out of the bottom, then the shroud will have to be taken off, youre going to have to do it anyways. Of all the ones Ive pulled, I cant think of but only a couple the studs came out when pulling the radiator.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

If the nuts don't come off the studs, the studs end up coming out of the radiator.