radiator modding for my gen-3
- dannygraves
- Posts: 8020
- Joined: June 1st, 2007, 2:03 pm
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radiator modding for my gen-3
so, I bent in the crossover hose peices, but the exit for the right rad hits the coolant fitting on the jug. and not just a little, like they are unable to co-exist. so I start bending the outlet on the rad a little and SNAP!
so I go "oh well, I was gonna have to cut it off anyway"
So I find a '89 rad in my garage with a perfect lower tank and cut out a rectangle that bends up to cover the hole from the busted off outlet and to relocate the outlet to point down out the bottom.
now here comes the question... I was thinking about ways to do this and well...
1, weld my self with MIG
no, I weld like shit and it will leak
2, take to my TIG guy
no, if he was a tattoo artist, you would say he has a very heavy hand, when he welds my frames he uses thick ass rod, tons of heat and a big fat bead, I worry he is gonna burn right through the rads
3, JB it
no, I promised I would not nigyver this bike
4 braze it!
I thought about that muggy rod stuff, but I am impatient and needed something now. Airgas by work had this aladdin 3-in-1 aluminum brazing stuff. After my works discount it was $15 for like a lifetime supply big ol' tube of the stuff.
anyway, my question is, has anybody ever brazed aluminum and could offer up some advise? anybody think this is a bad idea? and anybody know what the hell they mean by "tinning"
http://www.aladdin3in1.com/whitemetal.htm
step #2
so I go "oh well, I was gonna have to cut it off anyway"
So I find a '89 rad in my garage with a perfect lower tank and cut out a rectangle that bends up to cover the hole from the busted off outlet and to relocate the outlet to point down out the bottom.
now here comes the question... I was thinking about ways to do this and well...
1, weld my self with MIG
no, I weld like shit and it will leak
2, take to my TIG guy
no, if he was a tattoo artist, you would say he has a very heavy hand, when he welds my frames he uses thick ass rod, tons of heat and a big fat bead, I worry he is gonna burn right through the rads
3, JB it
no, I promised I would not nigyver this bike
4 braze it!
I thought about that muggy rod stuff, but I am impatient and needed something now. Airgas by work had this aladdin 3-in-1 aluminum brazing stuff. After my works discount it was $15 for like a lifetime supply big ol' tube of the stuff.
anyway, my question is, has anybody ever brazed aluminum and could offer up some advise? anybody think this is a bad idea? and anybody know what the hell they mean by "tinning"
http://www.aladdin3in1.com/whitemetal.htm
step #2
'09 kx450f 4-Poke
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80

Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80

- Roostius_Maximus
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send me a picture of the damage
http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore
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Re: radiator modding for my gen-3
think "sweat solder"dannygraves wrote: and anybody know what the hell they mean by "tinning"

http://www.mediacollege.com/misc/solder/tinning.html
- LAYNFRM
- Posts: 204
- Joined: October 22nd, 2008, 2:25 pm
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i ran into the same problem. my radiator was supposed to be ready to pick up today, but now they say it'll be ready tomorrow. i don't even want to know what they charge... the only other thing left to do is wire the bike up.
it can't be THAT expensive to get a radiator shop in your area to plug the hole and add the bigger spigot, can it?
what are you going to run for a radiator hose coming off that spigot going to the motor?
it can't be THAT expensive to get a radiator shop in your area to plug the hole and add the bigger spigot, can it?
what are you going to run for a radiator hose coming off that spigot going to the motor?
05 CR500AF Plated Supermotard/dual sport
01 XR650R Plated Supermotard
07 CRF80 mini-motard w/115 big bore
08 Polaris RZR
01 XR650R Plated Supermotard
07 CRF80 mini-motard w/115 big bore
08 Polaris RZR
- Roostius_Maximus
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I did mine, but was too conservative on trying to keep it close to the frame, the hose would contact, then i pie cut the tube so it angled away and welded it again. I chopped the wp to jug 87 hose and it fit perfect.
http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore
My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd

My CR500 Tech Reference... http://sdrv.ms/1a0CIiz
MRE Components... http://sdrv.ms/1bs2zhd

- dannygraves
- Posts: 8020
- Joined: June 1st, 2007, 2:03 pm
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- Location: Las Vegas, NV
so... the brazing was an EPIC FAIL! I tried everything and couldn't get the stuff to stick. I bead blasted the surfaces, then used brake cleaner, then wire brushed. heated, cooled, everything!
so then I got mad and busted out the MIG, then after it cooled I used some JB to make sure it seals. looks like shit, but the radiator was pretty much tacoed anyway
I would have taken pics, but it was too embarasing
so then I got mad and busted out the MIG, then after it cooled I used some JB to make sure it seals. looks like shit, but the radiator was pretty much tacoed anyway

I would have taken pics, but it was too embarasing

'09 kx450f 4-Poke
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80

Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80

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- Last active:
post em!dannygraves wrote:so... the brazing was an EPIC FAIL! I tried everything and couldn't get the stuff to stick. I bead blasted the surfaces, then used brake cleaner, then wire brushed. heated, cooled, everything!
so then I got mad and busted out the MIG, then after it cooled I used some JB to make sure it seals. looks like shit, but the radiator was pretty much tacoed anyway![]()
I would have taken pics, but it was too embarasing

Post em X2!!south central hoon wrote:post em!dannygraves wrote:so... the brazing was an EPIC FAIL! I tried everything and couldn't get the stuff to stick. I bead blasted the surfaces, then used brake cleaner, then wire brushed. heated, cooled, everything!
so then I got mad and busted out the MIG, then after it cooled I used some JB to make sure it seals. looks like shit, but the radiator was pretty much tacoed anyway![]()
I would have taken pics, but it was too embarasing
We all wanna see some infamous Digger-Rigging!! Or Afro-Hungo Engineering!!


The CR500 is an acquired taste. If you don't like it, acquire some taste...


- dannygraves
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