The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop need radiator support height info

I've been assembling the front end of my '51 3600 and have discovered that my radiator support is wonky. I am hoping that someone can give me a dimension to compare to my truck so that I can plan my next move.

In the photos that I've attached, I took a measurement from the top of the frame rail to the bottom of the triangle shaped brace at the top end of the radiator support. My radiator support is 1/4" different from one side to the other. Needless to say, that will make getting the hood and fenders installed properly a bit of a problem.

If you can give me a comparable dimension to work with that would be great. If your truck has all of the front sheet metal installed, a dimension taken on the fan side of the radiator would be great, too. I'd appreciate a photo so that I'm clear on where you are taking the measurement.

Any help is much appreciated.

Brian

I’m out of town but when I get back I’ll get a measured pic of my 3600 rad support mounting. Mine has a few shims in there, maybe 3/8”. Good you caught it now- I can’t imagine aligning the front clip with it bent/repaired badly…

Does this help?

Thanks! I look forward to your next reply.

I'm afraid that doesn't help because my radiator support is the type with the single, center support. I am thinking of upgrading it to this type, though, with the two supports. It would be much easier to make adjustments.

What you have would be for a the next series 3800 and above.

The two hole support shown above is what I have in my 3600. I am still out of town for another 2 weeks, but will get a pick to you when I get back!

I agree that it is not the correct radiator support for my 3600. I'm keeping my eyes open for a replacement. Until then I would like to have some reference measurements from a complete truck so that I know where mine needs to be.

Hi Brian,

I’m still on vacation, but promise to get that pic for you when I get back.

Dave

I actually used the radiator support from a 1.5 ton for my 1/2 ton. The support itself was the same dimensions. I did have to convert the bottom from the one to the two supports and weld new triangle supports on. I bolted them on, got the whole front sheet metal lined up then welded the brackets exactly where I needed them. In other words I’m not sure they are going to be in the exact same location on every truck. If you need to move them, it’s not the end of the world.

My '50 also has the single center support. Perhaps the 3800 and up should be 3600 and up?

Mine is only loosely assembled at this point to generally locate the driver's side inner fender so any dimensions would be meaningless.

I look forward to hearing the correct dimension so that I can confirm my assembly when I get to that point in my project.

Look at the bottom right of the FAM pictures I posted. 3100-3600 has double. 3800-6000 has single.
Count the holes in your crossmember. 1, 2 or 3?

I think the single versus double bottom mounts on the radiator support is a year model thing rather than little truck - big truck thing. My '51 has a double support on it, although it may have been changed over the years. The original radiator support had a 1/2" thick chunk of metal welded to the underside. That went in the scrap heap. I'd dig out my replacement, but it's about 4 layers deep in the storage trailer. My front crossmember has holes for either single or double support mounts. There are actually 4 holes, two oblong ones for the two-mount arrangement and two oblong holes aligned front-to-back for the single mount. That's also shown on the FAM for frame dimensions.

Not sure where you are at in your assembly process but if you haven't already, go read all the posts by 52Carl on this subject. My opinion is that measuring those angle supports is the wrong place to start. I would read all you can on aligning the front sheet metal and start from the beginning (hood aligned first then everything bolted in super loose, then start moving and tweaking the fenders and grill up from there. If you really get to the place where you think the support needs to be moved you can do it, but I wouldn't start with that.

I looked at my frame pictures (50 3600) and I believe my frame has holes for both the center mount and the two side mounts. The radiator support I have is a center mount and based on the wear in the related frame mounting holes I suspect it has had the center mount for a long time if not its entire life.

My 47 3600 has the center mounting too. It does not have the two side mounting holes in the front cross member. My radiator mounting frame had pounded so long (without the rubber pad) that the mounting bracket was destroyed. I also want to know how much space between the front cross member and the radiator support frame. I will build a new mount once I know the dimension of the gap needed. It looks to me that all the weight of the inner and outer fenders, the grill and lower grill apron and the radiator rests on that single center mount. Both my fenders had cracks on the top rear near where the inner and outer fender join. The cab was trying to hold up everything that the radiator support was supposed to hold up. I plan on adding two side mounting holes in my front cross member and radiator frame to have more support, all will be rubber mounts.

I think that's why some previous owner welded 1/2" thick steel plate to the bottom of the radiator support that I got rid of. My '51 had pounded enough that the two outboard holes in the front crossmember had cracks that I had to weld and reinforce with some plate underneath. Not surprising though because the fenders were holding the cab up with the front cab supports rusted away. That 4x6 that someone stuck between the torque tube and the cab floor just wasn't doing the job of holding the cab up.

My replacement radiator support is buried about 4 layers deep in the parts pile, or I'd measure for you.

I've been lax in keeping up with this thread that I started. Work has me hopping but I continue to make progress on my truck. Awhile back I temporarily mounted the front fenders so that I could (1) figure out how to do it before I painted the fenders, (2) decide where to mount the turn signals, and (3) check the fender heights to see if my concern about the 1/4" difference at the sides of the radiator support was really an issue or not. After tightening up all of the fender mounting bolts I found that the fenders were only 1/8" different in height. I double checked the support rods between the inner fenders and the firewall to make sure the lengths were set correctly, which they are. I came to the conclusion that the 1/8" difference will probably work itself out as I finish putting the front end together. Installing the grill will probably help to square things up. I can then go in and add shims where I need to.

Thanks to everyone for all of the great input!