First Offroading Adventure (real short)

[xupe45tgp]

Took my 89 waggy out for the first time today. I got it three weeks ago and bought a BJs 6" lift and got some free 31's and away I went. The Jeep performed great. It climbed everything that the 2 cj7's that were with me could climb, until I heard a clanging so I shut it off. The fan hit the radiator. I guees I got some rotten motor mounts. Anyone else ever have this problem??? oh well I got on the highway and she made it home. I only had to stop once and let it cool down!!! I'm hoping I can get some input because it seems to be the motor mounts. What else could it be???

[Elliott]

Does it have a pos flex fan?

If it's your motor mounts that's a lot of travel... you'll be needing a tranny mount also.

[xupe45tgp]

it is a stock fan. it would have to move a long way but the radiator is mounted solid and the body mounts are solid so i don't know

[Elliott]

I could see the frame flexing and the fan hitting the fan shroud maybe, but hard to imagine it hitting the radiator itself.:confused:

[Crazy_Jeepman]

it is a stock fan. it would have to move a long way but the radiator is mounted solid and the body mounts are solid so i don't know

Are you sure? While the rad brackets are bolted solid to the Core support, the brackets are soldered to the rad tank, this solder lets go often. Once that happens the rad can make contact with the fan and return to its correct position once the rig is stopped. Where did the fan hit the Rad? Left, Right, High, Low, that could also give some indication of what is really going on ;)

[xupe45tgp]

it hit on the top right first and that bent the fan so it hit all the way around a little before i could get it shut off. the bottom of hte shroud is missing so i wonder if something got up in there and bent the fan then it hit the radiator??

[Elliott]

i wonder if something got up in there and bent the fan then it hit the radiator??

That's a definate possibility... or your transmission/transfercase mount is broken and the engine tipped forward. Put a jack under the tranny and see if it lifts off of the crossmember, if it's all good there then something probably did hit the fan blade, bending it.

[xupe45tgp]

yeah its raining here today but I will get out there (even in the rain) and figure it out. I getting ate up by the FSJ syndrome. Maybe i should just put an electric fan since I have to buy another anyway

[Josh D]

Been there, done that. On poughkeepsie gulch during the first Ouray invasion in the J-truck. I had a flex fan.:banghead:

[xupe45tgp]

it didn't really make me mad that it broke, i just wish it would have broke after I played for a while instead of 30 minutes!!!!!!!!

[HOOT]

it didn't really make me mad that it broke, i just wish it would have broke after I played for a while instead of 30 minutes!!!!!!!!

Sorry but I found this comment funny. :D Seen a few not make it that far, mine was one of them.

Sounds like you got a decent Jeep to start with anyway.
My #1 rule with "new to me anythings" is check the rubber stuff and usually replace it so I know what to expect. When I was replacing my radiator hoses for my Trucks maiden voyage to the Left coast I noticed the radiator wiggled. The lower mounts have become undone like mentioned above.

Last time my fan made that noise it had a 1400 cc Yamaha shoved into it.:eek: It's all better now.:drivin: Now to address the braking issues:banghead:

[xupe45tgp]

that is hilarious!!! well i got my new radiator and it will be here thursday so I am waiting on that. The bottom of the radiator was still in the mounts but I did notice some cracks in the solder where the bracket is.

[xupe45tgp]

Well a $10 transmission mount is what decided that I needed a new radiator!!! I got it put on and it works great. I will take it out Saturday and see how it does.

[Heimeken]

Can someone enlighten me as to why a flex fan would be more likely to run into your radiator? Seemes to me a flex fan flattens out at hight rms doesn't it?

[xupe45tgp]

that's what I was thinking. I thought maybe that there was something that I didn't know about.

[shackwrrr]

because when you put a flex fan on you usually put a spacer between it and the waterpump to put it closer to the rad and since its closer its more likeley to hit

[unclethumbtack]

I had bad motor mounts and my engine would almost come completely out of the jeep never had it hit the radiator. But I did destroy a throttle cable bracket and hit a tree and destroy a license plate when the throttle got stuck.

[xupe45tgp]

Well i took it back out today and it did great. No more fan in the radiator and me and my family had a blast. i am really surprised how well this thing climbs. I'm hooked!!!!

[Elliott]

Good deal, yeah the wheel base is pretty sweet on those rigs.

[steven79]

xupe45tgp now you need to bring it over to disney some time it is real fun out there as soon as i get the front axle joints in mine i will be heading out there again.:fsj:

[xupe45tgp]

that sounds good let me know when you are going