Transmission cooler mounting

[77 K20]

I'm finally getting around to installing a transmission cooler on my truck. It bothers me it comes with some little rubber spacers and some zip ties.

Really? Is this an acceptable way to mount one?

In one way I can see that it would probably get more airflow thru it vs trying to make some sort of bracket and have it further away... but is a radiator strong enough to have something hanging off of it without the vibration rubbing holes thru the fins?

My truck spends most of its time on dirt roads that aren't exactly smooth.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Yes.
Don't overtighten the zip ties though.

It'll be fine, there's no moving parts.

 

[bucket]

Is it the tube/fin type, or the stacked plate type? The stacked plate type has the flanges on the ends that are great attachment points for custom brackets.

The zip tie thingies do work ok to hold the cooler. The cheap universal electric fans often come with the same zip ties to hold the fan on, which I think is very cheesy, but they do seem to work.

 

[75gmck25]

Most coolers have long tabs on each end with holes drilled in them, and you can use them to bolt it on using a metal bracket. This is how I bolted mine on in front of my parallel flow condenser. Its not the neatest job, but it keeps the radiator, condenser and cooler from being in contact with each other. There are alo small brackets/tabs on the bottom of the cooler (not visible) that are bent in an L shape and bolted to the support under the radiator.

Bruce

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[77 K20]

Is it the tube/fin type, or the stacked plate type? The stacked plate type has the flanges on the ends that are great attachment points for custom brackets.

The zip tie thingies do work ok to hold the cooler. The cheap universal electric fans often come with the same zip ties to hold the fan on, which I think is very cheesy, but they do seem to work.

It is a stacked plate type- a Hayden 699. 11"x11.6"

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[idahovette]

Nice cooler!!

 

[Snoots]

Mine's been front of the rad for over 30 years. Zip ties thru the rad. I've replace the zip ties once.
Very happy with it.

 

[skysurfer]

Either mounting position works, I used zip ties to attach the coolers to some brackets made from scrap metal. I attached the brackets to the front of the core support since that's what the factory did with the oem oil cooler and provides some stand-off distance from the radiator.

Trans cooler on the upper left, power steering cooler below that, and the factory engine oil cooler on the right.

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[Blue Ox]

The zip-ties do work, but I find them in-elegant. OTOH, I have a tendency to try to make things that look like they were designed by NASA. So do what works for you.

I added a stacked-plate engine oil cooler to the Suburban when I turbocharged it, and adapted the factory brackets from the smaller gas engine oil cooler. They attached to the rad support and stood the cooler off from the radiator. It seemed a decent arrangement, but of course it depends on what you have available and your fabrications skills.

It similarly depends on how involved you want to get in the plumbing. Flared and threaded fittings are superior to hoses clamped on barbs, but tens of thousands of transmission coolers have been installed with zip-ties and hose clamps and they seem to work well.

So,... hours with a tubing bender, flaring tool, saw, drill press, maybe welder etc. or cut and zip-ties?

Tough call.

 

[shiftpro]

I have a tendency to try to make things that look like they were designed by NASA.

You mean like duct tape and gold foil haha?

 

[Frankenchevy]

The stacked plate coolers have a decently rigid frame. I built some brackets that attached to the core support. My trans cooler is spaced away from the radiator because I was afraid of a chafing situation. I used Nicopp to hard pipe most of it. I did use a zip tie as a just in case on the upper hose -AN fitting. I didn’t want to drill any more holes in the original core support.

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[shiftpro]

I recently remounted my tranny cooler using aluminum bar stock. It was originally pinned to the rad with 1/4 foam rubber gaskets between the two rads. Well that 1/4 space was a SOLID petrified mat of dead bugs, dirt and ****. I had to practically bomb the bugger to get it off. Decades of heat and wet and **** was set up like concrete. Of course, there was no air possibly going through it.

 

[77 K20]

Some good ideas here. I did notice that the trucks from the 80s seem to have access holes thru the core support. Doesn't appear like they exist on the 70s version. (for the hoses)

 

[Raider L]

I came across you all's conversation about mounting coolers. Here's my trans. cooler. I know this is a old post but like me someone may come across it like I did. Hope this gives some an idea in solving the problem.. Like you I to did not want to use the zip ties and used my aircraft mechanic experience in doing tons of sheet metal work in making these supports for the cooler attached to the flanges around the radiator support. There's about an inch in behind the cooler and this is a rigid support. The second pic is side ways. It's a pic of the bottom attachment. I don't know why the program sees some pics and turns them sideways. Can someone tell me what is doing that?
The aluminum flat bar has nylon stand-off's so the bar is not right up against the rad. support. I got those from Lowe's in those specialty parts drawers. I made the braided lines that are going to the cooler from the transmission. The cooler is a TCI race cooler, 32,000 lb. cooling cap.

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