Have just purchased new lower radiator support. Is their any tricks in doing this job? It looks pretty straight forward, bit of grinding and a few welds. Also will I need to take any of the panels off to do it or can it all be done from underneath the car?

Cherrs

You mean this one??

 

Out with the radiator then grab a 3mm & an 8mm drill bit, and find the spotwelds that hold it in. Then a fine steel chisel or an old flatblade screwdriver you don't mind destroying to pry the panels apart.. Castor rod fittings off and it should fall in your hand.

 

Panelbeat the tabs straight and weld the new one on.

 

I have a terrible feeling it will want the bumper off and maybe the grille so you can get access enough to swing tools around. There will be a vertical center support brace for the fittings that will need to come off too, and we had the lower front panel, the gravel tray, welded there somewhere too.

sweet cheers man, Ill start stripping the front end off this week I guess. Why can't it just be a bolt on part!

Just to add you may want to tack a brace on the inside of front rails to hold every thing together.

 

Youll have to cut the sheet metal that comes down in front of the rails,as the cross member is behind it youll see what i mean when you get there.

 

Youll also find that if your only bought the bottom half of the cross member,that the top is more than likely f##ked as well.

 

It s a bigger job to try seperate the two halfs,so your better off cutting the hole crossmember out,then drill it where it joins the rails.

 

Then fit the new one, its a fiddley job.

 

As said remove bumper, grill ,caster mounts radiator .

Where can I get the Front Radiator Crossmember for a KE20-25 look for the spare tire panel also 

"Where can I get the Front Radiator Crossmember for a KE20-25 look for the spare tire panel also  "

Your local wrecker..  I don't expect there to be any new parts for those bits any more.

Can you weld some 1.6mm steel plate onto the existing crossmember instead?

I think you will find Phil’s rotaries sells them. Pattern parts. Google them. 

Hopefully some being made from klassicfab soon. says they are in the pipeline

I also am looking to replace this part, found this link for both front and lower radiator support 

https://www.rgautoaccessories.com.au/product/toyota-corolla-ke30-ke35-ke36-ke50-ke55-upper-and-lower-radiator-support-panel-kit-with-free-freight/

 

Top looks a little different, does anyone else have experience with these replacement panels?

They look OK for shape. What am I missing? Which part do you reckon is different?

That's quite a job you have ahead of yourself, a bead-blaster would be good!

Edited September 27, 20242 yr by altezzaclub

That looks so sad !  Your photo lacks a bit of high resolution; but when I zoom in, I can see why you might want to replace the upper & lower components completely. 

 

The upper one is a "no brainer", as I believe in all models, it was totally removable, & is just a bolt-on component.   The lower one is totally the opposite; & is a completely welded in component.  I agree with Altezzaclub, that blasting the lower section back to bare metal; or what's left of it; is your first option.

Good luck !  Has this car lived in an area, where it snows & there is ice on the road in Winter, where they spread stuff/salt on the roads to stop icing ?

Cheers Banjo

 

 

The top one was just a bolt in job in ke30s and maybe early 55s, but all the later models 55s I've had had it spot welded in place. Saying that you can just drill out the spot welds and make it bolt in ala 30 style.

Thanks for all the help! Yes that does make sense that they are 2 parts of one component. I am hoping to do a proper restoration and remove ALL the rust and have all the metal looking as good as I can get it.  I think replacing the whole top piece is going to be best bet, and giving the lower piece a bit of tlc. Thanks for the info!

Edited September 28, 20242 yr by ants