Replacing running board heat exchangers

[JeppeK]

Last winter both my heat exchangers under the running boards cracked so now im in the process of changing them. I have gotten some used ones and have managed to remove one of the heat exchangers by drilling out the rivets and removing the needed bolts. Now to my question, when mounting them back what kind of rivets shall i use alumunium or steel? and also when refilling the coolant to the system is it necessary to bleed the cooling system in some way?




Sorry if my english isnt the best

/Jeppe from Sweden.

 

[TBay Sledhead]

So where did they crack, at the back suspension mounts? Have them welded. If that is where they cracked let me know and I will post a easy to do support for that. You can use either the plated steel rivets, which is probably stronger or a good quality aluminum rivet. The cooling system will need to be bled, fill the system and then raise the back of the sled but not too high so as to bleed out the running board coolers. There is a bleeder bolt in the rear crossover tube. raise that no higher than the filler cap.

 

[APEX 06]

You can use either the plated steel rivets, which is probably stronger or a good quality aluminum rivet. The cooling system will need to be bled, fill the system and then raise the back of the sled but not too high so as to bleed out the running board coolers. There is a bleeder bolt in the rear crossover tube. raise that no higher than the filler cap.

x2

 

[charlie]

I am doing mine to right now did them today both cracked at the suspention mounts. Got used ones of eBay off a 07 and the rivet holes only 75% of them line up but they still worked must have changed at some point between 07 and 2010

 

[JeppeK]

So where did they crack, at the back suspension mounts? Have them welded. If that is where they cracked let me know and I will post a easy to do support for that. You can use either the plated steel rivets, which is probably stronger or a good quality aluminum rivet. The cooling system will need to be bled, fill the system and then raise the back of the sled but not too high so as to bleed out the running board coolers. There is a bleeder bolt in the rear crossover tube. raise that no higher than the filler cap.

Yes thats exactly were they cracked, and i saw before beginning to dismount them that one have been welded before thats why im mounting a new pair. I've read up that its because of the flexing of the runningboards so I have been looking for a way to get the running boards stronger so they dont flex to much, is there any kind of reinforcements avaible to buy? This might be a stupid question but is steel plated rivers alumium rivets covered in steel? Also you dont happen to know the dimensions of the rivets i need to use, im guessing its 6mm but im not sure.

best regards
Jeppe

 

[TBay Sledhead]

The rivets I used are 3/16" I think and are plated steel, not aluminum. I enclosed a couple of pic's of the bracket that I built after my 3rd cooler crack. I think that they crack because the running board flexes when you put all of your weight on them and the suspension mount is right there and is causing the stress to the cooler. The support bracket will not allow the tunnel to flex there. Been working for 3 years now.

In the second pic you can see the bracket that I add because the tunnel was flexing up when I tied my bags down on bagger trips. Just a precaution.

 

[JeppeK]

Thanks for the replies guys maybe ill add one of those support brackets! Do i have to use some special coolant when i refill it or can i use whatever from the automotive shop?