Need 95 F53 Radiator Replaced in Orange County CA

[David99]

I have a '95 Fleetwood Southwind on the Ford F53/460 chassis. Although it only has about 32k miles on it the radiator has been leaking slightly for several years. After reviewing several similar posts I guess the radiator has to come out the front. I can't do it myself as my neighborhood CCRs frown on motorhomes in general and repairs that take days or weeks in particular, not to mention that my driveway is short and sloped. In addition my RV storage place won't allow repairs like this either.

I got a "guesstimate" from a respected local RV repair place that it would take "2-3 days labor." I don't know what they are doing there but if it takes 24 hours of labor I think they aren't doing something right.

Does anyone have a lead for either a radiator shop that won't be afraid to do this or an RV repair garage that will replace the radiator? Orange County CA is best but I can drive anywhere within reason in Southern California.

Here is what I think I know:

• Original radiator is aluminum core with plastic ends and has a leaking gasket
• A new all aluminum radiator for the F53 motorhome chassis can be purchased for between $650 and $800
• The AC needs to be evacuated and the condenser removed; apparently the oil (PS maybe? - it's at the storage yard now and I don't remember which) or trans cooler can be loosened and tilted
• The radiator comes out the front
• I should probably put a new water pump and all hoses in at the same time
• I really don't think it should take 24 hours of labor at $125 to R&R this radiator!!

Last question: how do I tell if the chassis and engine is a 95 or if the motorhome is a 95 built on the 94 chassis? I understand that was quite common. There was a significant change between the 94 and 95 F53 engines including apparently a different water pump.

[David99]

Thanks for all the suggestions folks. I decided to have Fairway Ford RV Center in Placentia do the work. Adam explained to me that they felt the replacement radiators for the F53 were inferior to the original Ford replacement part in cooling capacity. He quoted a total of 8 hours labor for the R&R at a competitive rate compared to the other shops that were willing to do the work who quoted 12 - 36 hours. The job included an all new radiator custom fabricated for the F53. We agreed on an estimate which included evac and recharge, fluids, etc. but did not include additional work such as a water pump and belts, which would be additional as needed.

He did call and advise that the water pump needed replacement along with the belts, fan clutch, etc. In all the job was done for a fair amount in about 10 days. They even did a nice job of washing the coach! In all a successful experience.

[Chum_lee]

It's been a while (1975) but Saddleback College in south Orange County used to have a program where for a small fee you could use their automotive technology shop to work on your own vehicles. There are other community colleges in the Orange County area. It might be worth a call. Make sure you state that you would be working on a Class A motorhome of X length. Some cities also used to have similar programs. At one time there were private businesses that would allow you to rent their shop space and tools on a daily/hourly basis but that may have gone the same way as the one hour photo lab too.

Chum lee

[RLS7201]

Another option. Have a competent radiator shop manufacture and install brass end tanks on your OEM copper radiator. That gets rid of the composite end tank gasket issue.'
After finding out, the hard way, about the fins per inch issue, I removed the ends tanks from the OEM and replacement radiators and soldered the brass tanks from the new radiator on the OEM copper radiator. Works great! My OEM radiator still had the original Ford part # on it.
Note my signature. No heating issues with OEM radiator running larger engine and pulling a toad.

Richard
95 F53 Bounder
460/528 stroker

[MrWizard]

Fairway said the stock replacement all aluminum radiator does not have enough capacity but the original one worked fine

as stated above in another post
the 'now' standard replacement is NOT the same as the Ford OEM radiator

[David99]

Yes thanks Eric, I have just talked to them. I am a little skeptical in that they want to build a new radiator from scratch, for about $1200 but I may go with them after I compare them to Fleet Services. I took it to Fleet and they can do the job. I guess I just needed to go to a heavy duty truck repair facility. Fairway said the stock replacement all aluminum radiator does not have enough capacity but the original one worked fine pulling my towed Ranger pickup up the grapevine. (I no longer have a toad so it's unlikely I will overheat.) I also pulled the toad in Arizona about 8 years ago when the fuel pump went out, but the temp gauge stayed in the middle all that time with the outside temp at about 118 degrees.

I am now much more comfortable with either Fleet Service or Fairway, neither of which said it would take 24 hours labor to R&R the radiator.

Thanks for all the leads!

Dave

[96Bounder30E]

David... Have you talked to Fairway Ford in Yorba Linda?

[Blackdiamond]

Santa Margarita Ford has a fleet service center that works on motor homes, try giving them a call.

[RLS7201]

I can have the copper radiator out of my 95 F53 in a couple of hours. I've made a living out of my tool boxes all my life and can run with most any wrench swinger. So 8 hours, including evacuating and recharging the air conditioner is over paying.
I guess most people think, if a radiator has composite end tanks, it's an aluminum radiator. Not the case with the older 460 equipped F53s. Go scratch the metal part of your radiator, it's copper.
Also, your OEM radiator has 20 fins per inch and most replacement F53 radiators have 15 fins per inch. That's a 25 percent loss of surface area to transfer heat. Had one, it didn't cool properly. Good luck.

Richard

[David99]

Thanks for the suggestions, but the problem isn't getting the radiator fixed or a new one, it's getting it R&R'd. I called a few places and got "bring in the radiator" or "we don't work on those" responses. It's not that I can't leave the motorhome in the shop for a few days, but I refuse to believe they need 24 hours of labor to R&R it... If the homeowner's prez didn't live 2 doors down I would be tempted to do it myself. I just wish I had another place to work on it for a week or so, then I could get the radiator out in 4-5 hours. No way is it gonna take 24 hours labor to R&R it.

Mostly I was hoping someone has had a similar vintage F53 radiator replaced near me. It seems that they all had a tendency to leak at the seams. I just ignored mine for a few years.

[JoeH]

I had a radiator replaced several years ago and like you, wasn't able to do it at home. The shop I took it to jacked up the front end of the MH and dropped the radiator down to remove it. As I recall, it took a couple of days, they removed the radiator, sent it out to a local radiator shop to be re-cored and got it back the next day and reinstalled.

[Tyler0215]

Google Orange Co Radiator shops.