Cracked sheet metal above radiator body bushings

I would stop drill that ASAP

 

yeah I am. Just goes to show how weak the metal really is. You don’t necessarily have to abuse the truck to make it crack.

 

Has anyone replaced the whole radiator core support, after seeing cracks, and reinforced the new one to hopefully prevent cracks? I've never really stared at the full core support, contemplating taking it off entirely to replace. It looks like it is bolted with sealer/glue in at least a few places. Is there any welding required? How big of a job is it?

I also question the use of poly replacement bushings. While poly is not rigid, and does allow some deflection, the replacements that are made for the front of the truck, even when doing the main cab mounts, are WAY stiffer than stock. I'm not saying stock is best, but when the frame and body can no longer flex easily at the bushing, it will start flexing somewhere else.

I had some cracking and bent metal under there, initially due to a 'send it' moment that in fact bent the frame out back and pretty much wreaked havoc everywhere including the core support. Frame straightened on a table, things seemed ok, but with the stock bushings at all 6 points I could see things were sagging and broken due to the 'incident'. I replaced the core support bushings and cab support bushings with the poly ones. I hated it. They were creaky/noisy no matter what the torque was, and super stiff. The core support started cracking way more, way quickly, like more additional damage in two camping trips than the prior 10. I just replaced all the poly crap with new OEM stuff (expensive) but damn, way better. And the front bushing is very soft as expected, but also way cheaper than the other cab bushings. I will keep an eye on it and replace those as soon as they look collapsed or deformed, but leave the soft ones in there for some actual flex between the body and the frame. I just think that I see a trend here... mounts collapse, then cracking starts. But then hard poly mounts are installed, or even installed as a so-called preventative measure, but the cracking gets way worse very quickly. I get the feeling that a very flexible interface is needed at that mount, and as such the bushing is probably not large enough to survive long term and needs to just be replaced more often.

Now I am thinking of replacing the whole core support, reinforcing it better than it was, like plating, or extra gussets down to the body under the battery, or a solid rod welded at the edge of where the cracks start, or something. In addition, looking to relocate the battery system, use a small lead acid battery on passenger side and put a big AGM battery or even a lithium battery in the back with a dc/dc charger.

But I want to know information from anyone who has replaced a core support, and is there a big difference between OEM and aftermarket, and is starting with new metal more trouble than it is worth?

Oem is like $500+. but this is intriguing:
https://www.carparts.com/details/To...gAi267aAbWpvxPE5jGxoCNzwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

what am I getting into here, and has anyone else gone down this path? Any reason not to go there? Thanks in advance

 

I agree with your points but have nothing to add specifically in regards to Toyota.

I will offer this anecdotal story from my working life: A long while ago I was assisting the Navy in troubleshooting some long-standing problems they were having with the generators in a class of diesel-electric ships they operate. They were having problems with the engine support frames cracking. These “engine beds” are essentially like a truck frame and support the Diesel engine and alternator (generator) as a package or “raft”. They turned over the problem of the cracking engine beds to our national military naval engineering team in Ottawa who designed an absolutely bulletproof engine bed that would never crack, ever. This thing could survive a nuclear blast. Very impressive. With great fanfare they installed the prototype engine beds in one of the ships, and within a year they were cracking the engine blocks instead, which was a way bigger, and more expensive problem than just having cracked engine beds.

Just goes to show, that a destructive force does not just disappear. It has to go somewhere.

 

its always finds the next weak link...even trophy trucks break and crack after so many miles.

 

Trophy trucks have a bigger budget for such things though.

 

Yeah Im just making a point along with @Stocklocker

 

Things don't necessarily have to find the next weak link, although they will if there isn't proper isolation for the application used. I think that is the question, is a soft, flexy isolation needed for the frame to core support, and when that small and admittedly measly undersized bushing breaks down then replace it? Or does it need the Energy Suspension poly bushings which are many times more rigid? Something in between?

I've just found that the poly bushings really cause a ton of damage, fast. Gonna give the stock setup a try again, if they collapse quickly, then I think an intermediate solution would be something to look into.

 

i.e. .....finding the best combination in parts and proper regular preventative maintenance.

 

I was wondering if anyone has just gone the replacement with the same part. It looks to be like 70ish a side.

 

Dirt Limo

 

New cracks for me too

 

i have the exact same "crack" you think its when the tech tried to move the fender to clear the bolts

 

There is probably tiny writing somewhere in the commercial about how such use would void your warranty etc. etc. lol

 

A decal perhaps...

 

Most likely...do not attempt blah blah blah...professional driver blah blah blah....

 

Could be, I also bent that portion to install some aftermarket UCAs. I also use to have a G31 AGM battery that weighs 70 lbs which probably made it worse.

 

Pretty much summed it up. Built not bought

 

Alright just looked at mine, and they are destroyed. Anyone around Arkansas that can fab me up something?

 

Just remembered I've been needing to post up in here.

I discovered this on my '17 back in like the beginning of March, and spent the next basically 3 months of about a half day per week addressing it (hopefully decent enough).

Here's the first little thing I noticed.




Then started digging around and found a lot more...






This is the basic idea of how I chose to handle it. Spot welded in some steel rod around the headlight openings.




Ghetto-fabbed up these reinforcement pieces to bolt to the existing structure and sheet metal on both sides.




Nested a new upper tie bar down over the original one, with steel rod reinforcement all the way across, then bolted that down to the old upper tie bar, as well as to the side reinforcement pieces in a couple places.






Those were the last pics I got, as I was in a hurry to finish it up. But I ordered some spray cans of my paint code to give everything a little bit more of a factory look at least.
And just did the two side reinforcement pieces in black.

I finished it all up and got it back together about 2 months ago.
I haven't checked on it since, as I'd have to take most of the front end off again to get a decent idea of how it's holding up. I'll probably wait for some winter down time to do that.
Fingers crossed that this will still allow for enough flex to prevent finding the next weakest link, while also preventing the original tearing from getting any worse. Who knows...