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Towed home!

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
Our Bronco got towed for the second time in its life tonight.
Pretty good track record for 300K miles.
I had just been out having a beer with another CB member, and was on my way home. A bit of rattling and steam from under the hood. Temp barely started to rise.
Looks like the fan got into the radiator for some reason.
Well it's in our garage now. I'll update tomorrow.
Hey, Blu even looks good on a tow truck!
 

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DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
Well bummer blu.
But on the good side, it was probably the BEST looking rider that tow-truck has had in a long time!

Very interested to hear what happened. Guy here locally lost a single fan blade just like we used to hear about in those "old mechanic's tales" and took out a few things.
I'm sure I should know by now, but what fan are you running?
Or were you running?%)

Paul
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
My eb was recently on a flatbed for only the 2nd time in its life too.
34 years, Blu has had his for 40 years.
Only about 30,000 miles vs. Blu's 300,000.
Lol.

Mine was a fuel pump.
Mechanical Carter.

I'm going ahead and replacing it with the Carter electric 4070(?). I had it on the shelf waiting to go in to accommodate my Explorer serp system.

Blu,

Keep us posted. Strange for the fan to take out the radiator on a "non-hardcore" trail rig like yours. Be interesting to see what happened to you.

And yes Blu "always looks good" on a flat bed or not.
 

ared77

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 21, 2013
Messages
2,791
Truck driver seems to be thinking "I wish I was taking this to my house"


Looks great, even on the truck.:)
 

71broncman

Sr. Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2009
Messages
407
Loc.
Woodland Park, Co
I guess this is one of the "old mechanics tales". I had a bad vibration and a bit of rattling on start up a few years ago. I revved the motor to see if it would stop and one of the fan blades blew through the bottom of the shroud. No other damage other than the hole thankfully. In the late '70's I was driving a 1 ton chebby at work when a blade came off at freeway speed without any warning. The blade came part way through the hood and by the time I could get off the highway wiped out the water pump bearing. Check the fan blades for cracks at the hub. Bummer about the radiator.
Mark.
 
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blubuckaroo

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
Well the bits are all pretty close in this Bronco with the A/C. The fan was already closer to the radiator than would have been ideal, but it's been this way for about ten years.
I did a good visual this morning. Radiator and fan both are toast. It was a really good custom "X" core brass radiator and the stock "super Cooling" seven blade flex fan.

I'm blaming it on the giant "power shift" I did when leaving the pub.
Sometimes "the little boy" shows up in me, then bad stuff can happen.%)
 

LUBr LuvR

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,956
It's one thing to lose parts you were looking to upgrade, and another to have to replace ones you've already made the investment in. Yeah these trucks sound so good sometimes it's just too darn tempting to stick your foot in 'em a little more than we should.
 

warthog70

Jr. Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Messages
72
That is brutal. I have a brand new 18" ridged steel fan I bought from Toms. I ended up with an explorer motor so I couldn't use it. It's yours if you want it, thanks for the 🍺!
 
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blubuckaroo

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
That is brutal. I have a brand new 18" ridged steel fan I bought from Toms. I ended up with an explorer motor so I couldn't use it. It's yours if you want it, thanks for the ��!

Thanks Sean, but I'm gonna replace the fan with one like I had before. It works good and is quiet too.
You know how it is. I heard your engine when you left, and couldn't help myself. Happened when I hit second and got sideways. The ol sow sounds bitchin around 4000 RPM too. Right up till I saw the steam.:eek:
 
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blubuckaroo

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
So now I'm gonna need a new radiator. The one I destroyed, was a real nice recore. It has the tanks from a four core, but has a triple core that is just as thick as a four core.
I'm thinking of replacing it with a three core with the standard thickness. That should help a bit with my fan clearance problems. As it was I only had about 1/2".
I'm looking at a Spectra from Rock Auto. Any experience with that radiator?

Here's a photo of the carnage.:(
 

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bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
TBP often has good used oem Super Cooling asymmetrical 7 blade fans.
Tons of cfm and quiet.
If you had room for your last one you'll have room for this one.
 

savage

Contributor
Bronco Nut
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
2,482
Loc.
Renton
So now I'm gonna need a new radiator. The one I destroyed, was a real nice recore. It has the tanks from a four core, but has a triple core that is just as thick as a four core.
I'm thinking of replacing it with a three core with the standard thickness. That should help a bit with my fan clearance problems. As it was I only had about 1/2".
I'm looking at a Spectra from Rock Auto. Any experience with that radiator?

Here's a photo of the carnage.:(
I'm not sure how great the spectra is for the bronco ,but I bought one for my dodge Cummins from summit racing had nothing but problems with it, after the third one ,I ended up buying a all aluminum tig welded one. Tom makes a nice aluminum stock replacement one. I have it and its worked great for cooling. https://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/pro...es-auto-or-manual-66-77-early-ford-bronco-new
 

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Glass Pony

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
1,817
Loc.
Sussex County Delaware
I'm blaming it on the giant "power shift" I did when leaving the pub.
Sometimes "the little boy" shows up in me, then bad stuff can happen.%)
I'm guilty of that myself. The sound of a V-8 in full song warms my heart.
Are you still running the "snubber" in front of the transfer case?
 
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blubuckaroo

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
I'm not sure how great the spectra is for the bronco ,but I bought one for my dodge Cummins from summit racing had nothing but problems with it, after the third one ,I ended up buying a all aluminum tig welded one. Tom makes a nice aluminum stock replacement one. I have it and its worked great for cooling. https://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/pro...es-auto-or-manual-66-77-early-ford-bronco-new

Looks good.
Where did you get the shroud? I prefer the looks of the fiber/plastic ones over the steel.
 
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blubuckaroo

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
Are you still running the "snubber" in front of the transfer case?

That's a good point...
I have the NV3550 mod, and it doesn't come set up for a forward bumper. Hmmm... I wonder if it needs one? It sure wouldn't be a bad idea.
Sounds like my next mod.
 
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