h radiator removal

DD in WA

Member
Trying to get the radiator off a '42 H. The two nuts under the radiator are rusted pretty much solid and won't budge. I've been trying with PB blaster and heat and nothing. I'm thinking of cutting them off with a sawzall. Good idea / bad idea? Other ideas?
 
I'd say do what you gotta do to get it off. You can buy new studs, rubber pads, etc. for very reasonable. I also have thought about making my
own studs that are much longer, with a longer threaded portion to ease reinstallation. I'll tell you - there is nothing more frustrating than
trying to compress that spring to get the nut started on the stud, especially in the tiny work space area they give you. One of my only
complaints about IH designs. Goes right along with JD's splined axles and their bright idea to require the steering shaft to be removed just
to take off the hood.

But that is an entirely different color altogether.
 
I have done this on my H and Ken is right--there is not much room in there at all. My only caution would be to be careful not to damage the radiator itself. If you cut the studs off, then you are in a situation where you have to replace the entire stud, and there is no guarantee it will unscrew from the radiator without damaging the actual radiator. Do you think you can get a nut splitter in there? Then you could simply clean up the threads on the existing studs with a die after lifting the radiator off, and not have to worry about fighting to get the stud free of the radiator.
 
Been years or more like decades since I was in there on an H. If you could get a dremel up in there to reach the nut you could just cut oen side off then probably unscrew it. Or 2 sides and it might just turn off with a socket till they pop off.
 
I had that job a couple years back and didn't know you could change a water pump without removing the radiator. I tried cutting the nuts off and ended up destroying the studs. They came out easy enough but the radiator leaked near the stud holes. Had to take radiator in to be repaired. That cost way more than any repair I did to that tractor. Had a spare water pump off a parts tractor. This was a lesson I won't soon forget. Agree 100% on the tight space to try and get into. Hope somebody had a cure as I would like to hear it. Just a miserable space. Best of luck. John.
 
They originally had a castellated nut with a cotter key. Also, early models you could not even have
a hole in bolster directly below stud to get up in there with a extension and socket. I think the
idea of cutting with a dremel if you can would be best. Heating is really touchy due to solder melt
and a sawsall will be vibration to tank.
 
Dave,

This is where I think studs that are a bit longer with more threads on them would help with reassembly. You can always tighten them down, but in my experience - reinstalling the nuts is VERY difficult as the springs (uncompressed) are longer than the portion of the stud coming through the bottom of the pedestal. This makes it a near nightmare to get the nuts back onto the studs as you have to compress the spring just to get the nut started.

Never much cared for that design.

As far as removing the studs, I have had good luck soaking them with a good penetrant (JB-80, Sili-Kroil, or PB Blaster). I have yet to break one or damage the radiator (or use a whole lot of heat). I know some have used candle wax, heated the stud, and then let the max melt down into the threads. Once everything completely cools, the wax acts as a lubricant and the studs turn right out (never tried this method myself but have heard really good results).
 
Like Pete23 said, you have to be really careful with heat on those studs. The heat will soak into the radiator the solder will start coming apart. I have had the solder come loose on those threaded inserts in the radiator and then had to fix that once I got it all apart and I wasn't even using that much heat.
 

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