Need Radiator Support Repair Help

[BobbyJ]

Hey Fellow Xers
Just discovered my Radiator support member is rusted and crusted to hell and back. Found it while painting my grillwork. I live in the central Va area and would like to know if any nearby Xers ( or non Xers for that matter) with the relevant knowledge and experience can assist me with this kind of repair at a reasonable cost. I live, work and am familiar with the Central VA area from around Northern VA to VA beach and points west of there. I haven't had my X long, but i would really like to know how to make this repair on my rig so maybe i can pay it forward with someone else someday.
So, if anyone knows someone or would like to assist or advise, give me a shout.

BobbyJ
2003 4x4 SE

 

[granitex]

If you know how to weld, it can be a quick and pretty painless fix. If it were me, I would just weld in a piece of square tube that has had locating holes for the posts on the bottom of the rad.

The hardest part of it is removing the old support, and getting everything ready for the welding.

Once it is all prepped with the correct holes, and clean it would just be a couple quick welds, and paint.

I just had to weld up a rust hole on the end of mine last week.

 

[TJTJ]

If you know how to weld, it can be a quick and pretty painless fix. If it were me, I would just weld in a piece of square tube that has had locating holes for the posts on the bottom of the rad.

The hardest part of it is removing the old support, and getting everything ready for the welding.

Once it is all prepped with the correct holes, and clean it would just be a couple quick welds, and paint.

I just had to weld up a rust hole on the end of mine last week.

Mine was rusted too, I noticed it when doing the BL on the '04.

Sacrificed an old OEM bumper (The '01 X's OEM rectangular bar behind the plastic...) and used it to make a new support (Welding it in)....did the trick.

 

[Nd4SpdSe]

Indeed, mine's pretty shot and is in need of a diar repair real soon.

A new lower rad support from the dealership is somewhere around c$250, but I can get the whole from assembly from RockAuto for C$90 plus C$90 shipped, which comes out significantly cheaper and I also need to replace the vertical piece that supports to hood latch.

 

[Jbat]

I recently replaced mine as well as my X came out of PA originally. I would advise against buying non-oem pieces. I ordered a OEM lower support off Ebay and removed the old and welded in the new. The biggest PITA is getting the old one off, you have to find all the spot welds and drill them out, pretty basic but time consuming. Once its off you just weld the new one on. It does require removing the radiator for easiest access as well.

 

[Nd4SpdSe]

I would advise against buying non-oem pieces.

How so?

 

[Jbat]

How so?

In my experience they don't fit as well, they are cheaper materials and don't hold up as well. I had a couple projects I bought aftermarket body pieces for and regretted every moment of it so when I did the X I swore only OEM is going back on and that's what I've done and it's made things much easier. Sure it's more money but I don't have to wrestle with the parts to get them to fit and in a couple years down the road they'll probaly still look like they do right now

 

[TJTJ]

How so?

Chinese Steel

 

[BobbyJ]

Hey, i wouldn't mind tackling the repair, but i haven't welded since school shop, some many, many years ago and don't want to muck it up. Ordering the part from Ebay sounds like a winner, but i would rather pay someone local a fair amount to fix it than pay some shop way too much for the same repair.
hell, i may tackle it myself anyway. I am due a timing belt, water pump etc change anyway. I think i saw a thread on making the repair somewhere on here anyway. Thanks Xers!!

 

[TJTJ]

Hey, i wouldn't mind tackling the repair, but i haven't welded since school shop, some many, many years ago and don't want to muck it up. Ordering the part from Ebay sounds like a winner, but i would rather pay someone local a fair amount to fix it than pay some shop way too much for the same repair.
hell, i may tackle it myself anyway. I am due a timing belt, water pump etc change anyway. I think i saw a thread on making the repair somewhere on here anyway. Thanks Xers!!

A local guy would probably take care of it for almost nothing compared to say a dealer, etc. When I loaned my welder to a buddy to let him do mods at his garage, I think I paid a local guy $25 to weld a similar part for me ( A brace for my frame horns to help with the winch bumper rigidity).