# Removing radiator



## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

Hello tractor owners. I am making my first post and just as nervous as making a speech. In any case, I have a 2007 5205 JD. I need to remove the radiator for neck filler repair (place where you put water in). Please don't ask how it was damaged. I have never replaced any type of radiator but I do know to drain the water. If anyone has any experience removing this radiator, I could use your help. As my grand daddy would say "thanks until I get you better paid ".


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Welcome to the forum Ray. I'm not familiar with that tractor, or many for that matter, but I did remove and have the rad in my tractor repaired last fall. My issue was with the attached oil cooler, but just unbolted it and let it out of the way and left the hoses attached. Just be careful removing the bolts and support the rad, you don't want to damage it when removing it.
I'm sure a JD member will give you some advise!


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## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

pogobill said:


> Welcome to the forum Ray. I'm not familiar with that tractor, or many for that matter, but I did remove and have the rad in my tractor repaired last fall. My issue was with the attached oil cooler, but just unbolted it and let it out of the way and left the hoses attached. Just be careful removing the bolts and support the rad, you don't want to damage it when removing it.
> I'm sure a JD member will give you some advise!


Thanks for the reply and good advice. I will put those two recommendations number 1 & 2 on my action plan.


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## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

billyhandy said:


> Once I changed my tractor radiator, I finally found myself in the service. I wouldn't suggest you do this yourself


Fortunately, I have two brothers who live close by. Would like to know what aspect you found most difficult.

Thanks
Ray


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Looking at a video or two, seems there are a few panels that need to be removed, and perhaps the air cleaner as well. Take pictures as you go and you should be able to get it back together fairly easily.


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## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

pogobill said:


> Looking at a video or two, seems there are a few panels that need to be removed, and perhaps the air cleaner as well. Take pictures as you go and you should be able to get it back together fairly easily.


You are right. Fortunately the side panels snap out easily. It was to depressing for me to take a close look at what needed to be done. After being bed and lounge chair ridden for five years, I was excited about being able to get my tractor going to start cleaning up from a recent tornado. Will need to start burning off coastal bermuda grass fields soon so I have to suck it up and get moving. I did notice the battery will need to come out also.

Ray


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## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

billyhandy said:


> Once I changed my tractor radiator, I finally found myself in the service. I wouldn't suggest you do this yourself





billyhandy said:


> Once I changed my tractor radiator, I finally found myself in the service. I wouldn't suggest you do this yourself


One of my brothers spent 32 years in the Air Force and the other 22 years. Actually, another brother, who is a farmer, was in Vietnam when Saigon fell. They will be good help for my project.


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## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

billyhandy said:


> Once I changed my tractor radiator, I finally found myself in the service. I wouldn't suggest you do this yourself


See previous reply.


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## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

billyhandy said:


> Once I changed my tractor radiator, I finally found myself in the service. I wouldn't suggest you do this yourself


See later reply.









s


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## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

Ray Morgan said:


> Billy Handy-----I have received the same post from you 6 times. A moderator or something out there sent me an e-mail saying I have not read all posts and they will not send me anymore e-mail notifications until I do. I believe I have answered all posts. Hope you received the two replies that I sent to you.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Ray, if you were well enough and knew how to solder and you had room under the bonnet, you could have re-sweated the filler neck back on without having to remove the radiator, simple as cleaning both the neck base and the top of the header tank real good, then tin both the neck and header tank, sit the neck back on the header tank in the correct orientation and using a very soft flame from a gas torch heat around the neck base and watch for the solder to run out all around and then allow to cool, if you try this have at least the water about an inch below the top of the header to absorb the heat, heat travels very fast in brass to the point of melting the solder seal between the header and the top of the core, I was going to suggest this earlier but decided to wait.

Only you know the working area on your tractor and using an open flame, you would have to be careful.


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## jd110 (Nov 23, 2015)

The radiator is fairly easy with basic tools and skills. Drain coolant. Battery can stay in. You need to remove the air filter cannister and the cannister bracket. Then remove bolts holding the fan shroud to the radiator and move shroud back towards the engine. Remove upper and lower radiator hoses. Then remove 4 bolts on each side of the radiator support brackets. The radiator should then slide straight up and out of the side supports. Forgot to mention you will need to raise hood higher than the prop rod and support it in another way. I usually tie a rope to it and pull it up near vertical and tie the rope to the rollgard to support it.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

FredM said:


> Ray, if you were well enough and knew how to solder and you had room under the bonnet, you could have re-sweated the filler neck back on without having to remove the radiator, simple as cleaning both the neck base and the top of the header tank real good, then tin both the neck and header tank, sit the neck back on the header tank in the correct orientation and using a very soft flame from a gas torch heat around the neck base and watch for the solder to run out all around and then allow to cool, if you try this have at least the water about an inch below the top of the header to absorb the heat, heat travels very fast in brass to the point of melting the solder seal between the header and the top of the core, I was going to suggest this earlier but decided to wait.
> 
> Only you know the working area on your tractor and using an open flame, you would have to be careful.


Uncle owned a Radiator/Air Conditioning shop back in the early 60's. 1st job ever was working in that shop. He taught me to make leak repairs and re-core radiators when I was 12 years old. Also had me installing those giant under dash A/C units. Secret to soldering brass radiators is to get them really clean, especially at that neck joint. He had me use muriatic acid and a small wire brush to etch/clean the brass and also use acid core solder on the joint. Absolutely no paint or film of any kind can be on the brass, or the solder won't flow correctly. The skill comes in controlling the heat. We didn't have handheld propane torches back then. The only thing we had was a regular oxyacetylene rig, but we used a #000 tip. Like you said, heat transfers really fast in brass, get it to hot, and the upper tank joints will start to leak. Used to drape a couple of layers of wet shop rags across the tank to help absorb/localize some of the heat when we were working on a filler neck, or upper hose fitting. Worked for him until I went in the Army at 18. Probably did a 500 radiator repairs for him as a kid. Thought I was highly skilled and making big $$$$..... He paid me $1.50 and hour and feed me lunch


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## Ray Morgan (May 20, 2020)

jd110 said:


> The radiator is fairly easy with basic tools and skills. Drain coolant. Battery can stay in. You need to remove the air filter cannister and the cannister bracket. Then remove bolts holding the fan shroud to the radiator and move shroud back towards the engine. Remove upper and lower radiator hoses. Then remove 4 bolts on each side of the radiator support brackets. The radiator should then slide straight up and out of the side supports. Forgot to mention you will need to raise hood higher than the prop rod and support it in another way. I usually tie a rope to it and pull it up near vertical and tie the rope to the rollgard to support it.


You are right. The radiator was easy to take off. My brother who was in the air force for 32 years (worked on B52 and other large planes) had it off in a flash. Shop called today and said it was ready.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Not to sound like a smart ass (who am I kidding?), but taking things apart is easy, that's why they invented crowbars and sledge hammers. It's putting them back together where they work right again where the problems come in. Give me a BFH and a 6' cheater bar and I could probably get the radiator for the space shuttle engine out, but would you want to be in it the first time it started after a guy like me put it back together???


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