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Any interest in oil cooler mount/brackets?

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I am in the process of installing my Setrab oil cooler. I am making a bracket to install the oil cooler to the upper part of the radiator frame work. I think the mount will very similar to the Ford Racing mount, but being that I have never seen one in person I can't say for sure. I currently have 2 prototypes, one out of 3/16 steel (strong but heavy) and one made out of 3/16 aluminum (light but not as strong as steel). The bracket would work for both a 6 or 9 series Setrab cooler. If there is interest, I could make more. Not sure of the cost yet. Should have a better handle on that by the end of the week and hopefully some pictures of the finished product.
 
Yes and a few of us have had a discussion about this offline. I think with the new Mishimoto t-stat sandwich plate and a bracket will make this an easy DIY project. Will it work with either of these coolers and which one are you using?

http://www.improvedracing.com/setrab-oil-coolers/setrab-25-row-series-oil-cooler-p-193.html

http://www.improvedracing.com/setrab-oil-coolers/setrab-34-row-series-oil-cooler-p-235.html
 
I plan on using the 625 setrab cooler as a got a great deal on one. Should cool a little better the 915 cooler that comes with the Ford kit. I still plan on using the factory cooler at this time, although down the road I may get rid of it due to the chance of leaking. The mount will work with either series cooler. I was thinking about having both sets of holes in the mount for each series cooler, but I may just make the a separate mount for each cooler series. The mount would be the same, just the spacing of the cooler mounting holes would be different. Someone could re-drill the holes if they went to a different series cooler. For example on my mount it will have the hole spacing for a 6 series cooler, but if I decide to go to the wider 9 series, all I will have to do is drill a few more holes. The only real question I have is whether the 3/16 aluminum will be strong enough. I know the 3/16 steel version should be strong enough to mount the 934 cooler without any issues, but will the flanges on the cooler be strong enough with out have some sort of support on the bottom.
 

ArizonaBOSS

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NFSBOSS said:
Yes and a few of us have had a discussion about this offline. I think with the new Mishimoto t-stat sandwich plate and a bracket will make this an easy DIY project. Will it work with either of these coolers and which one are you using?

http://www.improvedracing.com/setrab-oil-coolers/setrab-25-row-series-oil-cooler-p-193.html

http://www.improvedracing.com/setrab-oil-coolers/setrab-34-row-series-oil-cooler-p-235.html

FWIW the width and mount points on all the 9-series coolers are the same, just the height and number of rows are different. The 6-series coolers have a different width and mount point, etc.
 
My plan, and I think a few others are thinking the same thing, is to remove the stock cooler due to leaking problems. Then add a much larger cooler with t-stat. This will reduce the potential points of leaking. Having the t-stat is key here for street driven cars and I like what Mishimoto just made available. I'm buried at the moment but once I'm back from the 50th birthday party in April I'll be all over this. I was going to start a separate thread on this and may do so this weekend.
 
ArizonaBOSS said:
FWIW the width and mount points on all the 9-series coolers are the same, just the height and number of rows are different. The 6-series coolers have a different width and mount point, etc.

This is correct. The nice part is that the thickness is the same for both series. 1.97 overall thickness. That's why one bracket could work for both.
 
Here are some pics of the aluminum version up in the radiator support.

j4e3.jpg


2a0s.jpg


And here is the steel version ready to weld.

tpli.jpg


Should have my cooler mounted to the bracket by this weekend and then I will see if the aluminum version is strong enough.
 
Ok, here are some pics of the bracket with the cooler mounted.

c48u.jpg


omdu.jpg


8p22.jpg


By this pic it is hard to tell, but the cooler is about 3/8" away from the condenser from top to bottom. Do any of you that have the Ford cooler know if this is about the same distance?

pdhe.jpg


Now the bracket made in steel is super strong. You cannot move the cooler back or forth when mounted. The only flex in it, is the cooler mounting tabs and the radiator support in itself. I feel that with this 625 cooler, I will need no bottom support using this 3/16"steel bracket. Not sure if a 34 row series cooler would need bottom supports either. The steel bracket ended up weighing 2 3/4 lbs. with no powder coating. Still working on thee aluminum version.
 

drano38

Wayne
1,130
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Outstanding idea.
I'd be interested in a 9-series bracket.

Is a bottom light weight bracket needed going to the bumper to keep the bottom off the radiator?
How do the other venders do it?
 
drano38 said:
Outstanding idea.
I'd be interested in a 9-series bracket.

Is a bottom light weight bracket needed going to the bumper to keep the bottom off the radiator?
How do the other venders do it?

Yea, the bracket is made for the 9 series cooler, I just need to drill the holes in the correct location. The 34 row cooler is about 3" longer than my 25 row cooler. The steel bracket is strong enough to hold the 34 row cooler with out moving, but I am not so sure the cooler itself will be strong enough. I have an idea on how to make a lightweight support bracket for the bottom. I will just need to see if I can figure the design out without actually having the 34 row cooler on hand. I believe I can. I would think with an aluminum top bracket, a bottom bracket will be needed to stop the top bracket from cracking. Will know shortly.
 

steveespo

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With the 34 row cooler and Blowfish tow hook/splitter brace the bottom mounts can be 2" long x 1" wide aluminum Tek screw to the top of the bracket tube top and drill pattern to match setrab mounting holes, add a 1/4" thick grommet for each screw and you are set. I find that the way I have the inline oil t stat and the braided hoses from there to the cooler I really don't need the lower mounts.
Steve
 
Steve - I don't want to hijack 06mach1's thread here but did are you running the FRPP air - to - oil cooler without the factory water-to-oil cooler? I would like to convert mine to get rid of the factory water-to-oil cooler using the t -stat but have two questions:

1) What parts do I need?
2) Does it provide enough cooling or do you need the larger Setrab cooler?
 
cloud9 said:
Steve - I don't want to hijack 06mach1's thread here but did are you running the FRPP air - to - oil cooler without the factory water-to-oil cooler? I would like to convert mine to get rid of the factory water-to-oil cooler using the t -stat but have two questions:

1) What parts do I need?
2) Does it provide enough cooling or do you need the larger Setrab cooler?
We'll take this up in a separate thread and the link is below:

https://trackmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=7462.new#new
 

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