I think broke the driver side front body mount, the one by the radiator. I think that peace is called the radiator support? It is rusted there very badly, there is a hole where it rusted through and it finally broke around that hole. I need to know if this is something I could get at the junkyard, and if this is something I can fix my self. I noticed there are spot welds holding it in at some spots, could I just replace those with bolts on the new one?

Would it be save to drive the truck until I can get a better look at it? I am pretty sure its broke though. I can push down on that corner and see it moving and hear a popping sound, I also hear that popping sound wile driving if I hit any kind of bump in the road. Its dark out now so its to hard to really get in there and see with nothing but a flash light.

 

Often referred to as "core support". Is it the core support thats rusted through or the actualy bracket off the frame for the mount??

 

That is it, the core support. I couldnt think of the name.
The bracket on the frame is still there, its the core support.

Here is a old pic of the rust, It broke some where above that red line.

 

I got a radiator support for my truck off ebay for $100 to my door, took the better part of the day to swap it in with some help from someone who actually knows what there doin of course!

 

I could do it, the only thing im not sure about is the spot welds. Can I just replace those with bolts? If not then I will have to take it to get done, and I dont have the money for that.

lone ranger, I may go later today and see if my local junk yard has one but if not then I will probable do what you did and get it off ebay.
I thought I remembered seeing a thread about someone putting a new core support in and I looked and it looks like it was you that did it. I hope you dont mind but I have a couple questions for you. What did you do about the spot welds on the new one? Was the tool to drill out the welds really worth the money? It also looks like you didnt remove the fenders, would it be easier to remove them or leave them on?

Edit: If I get one off ebay I will more then likely get this one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-...sid=p1638.m118

 

Here's the thread when I did mine this summer

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=49125

The tool to drill out the spot welds is definately worth the money! A mechanic at work helped me I definately couldn't have done it by myself, no need to take the fenders off but its a pain to get to the spot welds under the lip of the fender

and ya mine is mostly bolted on but I got a guy to put a few welds in even tho I don't think it would really make a difference honestly

 

I looked around town and nobody had the bits to drill out spot welds so I will be ordering that alone with a new core support from ebay for 105 shipped. Not to bad for a brand new one.

I plan on taking every bit of time that I need to do the swap and watch how the old one came out.

In the pics of your thread you have the radiator just kinda hanging there, is that with fluid in it? I dont want to put to much of a bind on the hoses with the extra weight of the coolant in it and it hanging down by hoses.



Looks like you stuck the prop rod somewhere on the motor to hold the hood up to.



sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I know what to do and the problems I might run in to.

 

Ya the hood prop was attached to the rad support, but since that was gone I just shoved it in somewhere to keep the hood up, probably not the safest but it worked!

and there was no binding of the rad hoses or anything of the sort, didn't drain any fluids or hold up the radiator by anything once the support was out

and if you want some more advice, you can see in the pic that we torched off the corners (easy to see the torch tracks on the left side), this was becuase the spot welds were a complete b!tch to get to with the entire support in, so we just cut out the corners to attack the spot welds at a better angle

 

Cool, thanks for the info. I think im ready to attack this once the support and tool for the spot welds gets here.