Radiator Removal on 85PT40

[Rick A.]

Chuck, Ernie....This will be long and pertains to my 85PT40 which may or may
not be
similar to other PT models. Be careful as the rad is very heavy.
My hydraulic engine fan was leaking. I researched and found several forum
members
(Ernie, Ralph and Bim) who have done the fan motor removal with the rad in, but
since I'm
not really in to body torture like they are i decided to remove my radiator.
There are a few
details to this procedure which may help someone else.
Remove ext louver vent, remove exterior rad shrouds, spray PB Blaster on rad
bolts(4
each side) at this time and let soak, drain radiator, remove power steering/fan
oil cooler
hoses and drain, remove cooler now or later, remove lower rad hoses, remove
upper rad
hose which connects to long rad hose tube( you remove the long tube hose at the
back of
the engine and remove the tube with the rad). Remove the vent hose and sensor
wire from
top center of rad. Now the hardest part, remove the 2 bolts on angle bracket
(which is at
the front of coach side of radiator). This bracket is attached to the frame.
Open up the
bedroon floor hatch and with a helper and sockets with extensions hold the bolt
heads
while another person goes below and again with sockets and extensions gets these
bolts
out. On my 85 the rad is bigger than the opening on the side so the lower
horizontal
painted thin piece which is riveted and bolted in comes out. This is removed by
drilling out
1 or 2 rivets and removing 3 or 4 bolts. This is easier to remove than it looks.
With everything removed and using 2 floor jacks and a piece of plywood (or
use a
motorcycle or tranny jack) and a helper, remove the 4 bolts on each side of rad.
Slowly
wrestle the rad out, down, up, back, in, tilt ...over and over to clear the
inside rad shroud
and fan blade. Do not bend the fan. The back angle bracket has to clear the fan
motor
frame. Keep carefully wrestling and tilting and your done. Be careful its heavy.
Fan repair. Mine was a webster, a rebuild kit is available to repair it and
can be ordered
from your local large hydraulic repair shop. (cost $194) But you may only need
the seal
( cost $10-20)...or you may need nothing!! On mine one of the two large
hydraulic hoses
was loose. This could have been the source of my leak. It might? be possible to
tighten
these before removing the rad. But it would not be easy. I elected to do the kit
which was
fairly easy needing only a big vice, a 5/16 allen wrench on a socket and a
torque wrench
for re assembly. There are 2 large o-rings which are below the hose fittings,
get new ones
where you have your 2 new hydraulic hoses made. (might as well!)
Additional repairs whle its all open. Check all hydraulic hoses,
check/replace all engine
coolant hoses. Take rad to a large truck rad shop and have top and bottom tank
gasket
material replaced. Have rad cleaned out (cost $275). My old gasket material was
dry and
rotted and it could have failed at any time. Check the top rad hose neck, mine
was rubbing
the roof of the engine compartment and the silicone hose was rubbed paper thin.
I had the
rad shop change the angle of this slightly so the new hose would not rub
(cost$50).
The alternator is very easy to remove at this time also. Might have a alt
shop check it out
and rebuild it if you have any money left!
Good luck, sorry this was so long...thanks to Jack Jones and Bob Loomas for
coaching
me thru this.

Rick Archie
85PT40
Fort Worth