newgsman

iTrader: (4)

As some of you may be aware the design of car is not good for front-end collisions. If you rear end someone chances are your bumber will slip under the other car's and it will be the grille, hood, lights, and rad supports which will take the brunt of the impact.

Looking at the Sewell Lexus parts diagrams the upper rad supports are supposed to be replaceable parts. The upper rad support is comprised of three sections with the center section bolted to the right and left pieces. I removed the center section from my car but the right and left sections appear to be welded in place. Has anyone done a DIY for removing the right and left upper rad supports. I would like to be able to do it my self but I don't have a welder and I am not sure how to remove them anyway.

Thanks for your help

speedaddic

iTrader: (10)

Take a spot welder drill bit (or you can use a regular drill bit) and look for the sections where it is welded to the inner fender and drill out the spot welds. You'll have to weld new parts back on. I would have a buddy weld it if you don't have a welder

Sonic_RC

iTrader: (15)

Well technically any part is "replaceable" minus the frame. But its not a wear and tear part so no need for replacing. So what are you suggesting? Are you planning to design your own rad support? If so I hope you have a engineering degree or something because if you get in an accident and it turns our to be a catastrophic failure, the insurance company may deny your coverage.

99 GS3

iTrader: (14)

Pretty basic stuff, just drill the spot welds like speedaddic says. You can get a specific spot weld drill bit, but a regular bit works and a uni-bit work good as well.

The beauty of the spot weld drill bit is it drills out the weld to the point that it lets the panels go but doesn't drill all the way through the second panel. Then you can line up the new panel/rad support in the same spot and re-weld it in place with a mig/tig gun easily since there is still material below where you removed the spot weld..

haha, he didn't really mention what he was trying to do or if he had wrecked it?? Just that the design sucks apparently. But I'm going on the assumtion that it is wrecked and he want's to fix it.

Otherwise it's kinda of a pretty good design compared to other cars I've worked with. Since it is 3 pieces you can unbolt the center when removing or working on the motor for tons of room, and if you bang up one side of the car you only have replace the side piece that is damaged. Most cars have a one piece radiator/core support and you have drill out and work with the undamaged side as well, and also don't have the luxury of the removable center either.

DosyBoy

iTrader: (1)

Full Coverage

newgsman

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the feedback guys. I guess I have a basic idea about drilling out spot welds. I was wondering if anyone has actually done so with the upper driver's side rad support specifically. It's hard to tell exactly were the weld points are and how much stuff I have to remove to get to them all. Some of the weld points seem like they are more like an inch long rectangle rather than a spot but I can't tell for sure.

Sonic_RC

iTrader: (15)

And you are doing this again because.............?

TTurboPimp

iTrader: (12)

he didnt say it, but its a pretty good assumption he wrecked his car and hes trying to get it fixed. I know exactly what hes saying, as I need to replace the same parts one one of my GS'