Radiator Lower Support Repair - if and how

[randoms]

My '93 525i, manual M50, sustained some damage to the front end of the car just behind the air dam.

The lower radiator support is bent and shoved back about two inches and the radiator is leaking. The bumper looks serviceable and the a/c condenser looks ok.

After describing it to my mechanic he won't touch it. I think when he heard welded, bent metal on a 15 year old car he got scared.

I can manage the radiator and condenser if needed. My question is how do I replace the lower radiator support? It's welded/brazed in.

Thanks.

[bolloc]

Somebody else posted with a similar problem a day or two ago, a reply included pictures of the removed rad support I believe, go back a page or two and you will see it, anyway the rad support isn't welded in its bolted. I don't know about the 525, but if similar to the 535 the bottom of the rad sits in a couple of cups that just pop onto the frame, the top is just clipped.

Ohh I just re-read your message, you say yours has been welded in, do you mean the front cross member perhaps?

Take a look here:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD53&mospid=47404&btnr=41_0170&hg=41&fg=10

[randoms]

... do you mean the front cross member perhaps?

Take a look here:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD53&mospid=47404&btnr=41_0170&hg=41&fg=10


Precisely. It's part "#1, cross member front." It's bent, pushed back a couple inches near the left side, and a few of the welds have popped off. There's only one weld left holding the left side in place.

What do you suggest I do to get it repaired? How critical is the placement/alignment of that part?

[Binjammin]

My '93 525i, manual M50, sustained some damage to the front end of the car just behind the air dam.

The lower radiator support is bent and shoved back about two inches and the radiator is leaking. The bumper looks serviceable and the a/c condenser looks ok.

After describing it to my mechanic he won't touch it. I think when he heard welded, bent metal on a 15 year old car he got scared.

I can manage the radiator and condenser if needed. My question is how do I replace the lower radiator support? It's welded/brazed in.

Thanks.

Brazed? :confused

You would remove the support by cutting, grinding, and/or drilling the old metal and spot welds. The new piece would be aligned and welded in. You're probably best off taking it to a body shop and not a mechanic, as this is a part of the unitized body of the car and not something mechanical. While there you can determine if you've done any damage to anywhere else on the body at the same time.


How did you do it btw? Doing donuts in a parking lot and hit a curb?

[ElleShooTiger]

After describing it to my mechanic he won't touch it. I think when he heard welded, bent metal on a 15 year old car he got scared.

I can manage the radiator and condenser if needed. My question is how do I replace the lower radiator support? It's welded/brazed in.

Thanks.

He's not a body man, so welding sheetmetal is probably not anything he wants to get involved in.

You can try to pull it back into shape yourself at least enough to get a good radiator in there and working. It shouldnt cost too much for a body shop to remove and weld in the new piece, maybe a few hundred bucks.

[bolloc]

Now we know why the mechanic won't do it, it isn't his area of expertise. It would be advisable to take it into a body shop that has experience in repairing collision damage. They will be able to determine if the damage is localized or more extensive. To save money you could strip it to that point, have them do the inspection, straightening and cross member replacement, you re-assemble.

[randoms]

Alright guys. I think I have my marching orders. Thanks for the insights.

I'm going to run it around to a few body shops in the area and get estimates. If I can get it done for less than about $250 parts and labor, i'll do it. I see the support on eBay for $25, and Bavarian Salvage in Rancho Codova, CA has em for $45. So $200 seems like plenty to grind the old one off and pop a few new brazes on.

Fall back option is to get the support as straight as I can, do the radiator repair myself and call it a day.

Thanks all.