Radiator replacement

rawsoncj

New member
I managed to damage the radiator beyond repair on my 2022 FTR R Carbon this morning. ABS kicked in halfway up my driveway and completely killed my braking power, so the left radiator guard impacted my garage door and bent the radiator badly enough that it’ll need to be replaced.

So far as I can tell, there is no damage to the trellis frame; only the radiator and the mounting brackets welded to it appear to be bent out of true.

It doesn’t look like it’ll be all that difficult to replace the radiator myself if I need to — is anyone aware of anything I need to watch out for, or anything about the setup that makes it more of an issue to swap out than it looks like at first glance?
 
Tie the hyd front brake lines up away from your work area. If you don't they will rub your new $300 radiator fins and smear/bend them over. I also suggest removing your tank/air filter cover- left side I believe so you can unplug the electric cooling fan. Then you can remove the electric fan and radiator as one assembly. On a table or bench install the fan on your new radiator- then install the entire assembly onto your bike. I left the fan on the bike and removed just the radiator. It made it more tedious mounting it back to the radiator. All in all a very easy repair. Oh- I took plastic plier clamps and gently pinched off the radiator hoses to minimize coolant loss. Harbour freight sells them. Plastic plier type tools made to pinch off hyd car brake lines.
 

FTR London

Well-known member
I managed to damage the radiator beyond repair on my 2022 FTR R Carbon this morning. ABS kicked in halfway up my driveway and completely killed my braking power, so the left radiator guard impacted my garage door and bent the radiator badly enough that it’ll need to be replaced.

So far as I can tell, there is no damage to the trellis frame; only the radiator and the mounting brackets welded to it appear to be bent out of true.

It doesn’t look like it’ll be all that difficult to replace the radiator myself if I need to — is anyone aware of anything I need to watch out for, or anything about the setup that makes it more of an issue to swap out than it looks like at first glance?
As has already been mentioned, this is a straightforward installation. My bike toppled off the excessively long side stand because the engine was running and hence out of gear and I was grappling to unlock the stubborn disc lock. it impacted the radiator pressure cap and damaged the collar/lip of the radiator. Freak accident, but necessitated a replacement one. Got hold of one for £278.
 

mtFTRnh

Member
Hitting the brakes hard on a loose/slippery surface?
Yea… but that doesn’t means his brakes disappear forever. If he was coming in ‘hot’ and the slippery surface was right in front of the thing he hit…that I could see. Otherwise…?
 
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Staedtler

Active member
I've had ABS cut in once on my Tiger, it made me feel like the braking had actually reduced, but doesn't completley get rid of your brakes. Maybe it was just the op's wording that made it sound that way
 
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FTR London

Well-known member
Always disable it together with the traction control and the wheelie mitigation - which is off in sport mode.
 

mtFTRnh

Member
I've had ABS cut in once on my Tiger, it made me feel like the braking had actually reduced, but doesn't completley get rid of your brakes. Maybe it was just the op's wording that made is sound that way
It probably was the wording that through me. Thanks.
 

motocroft

Active member
I managed to damage the radiator beyond repair on my 2022 FTR R Carbon this morning. ABS kicked in halfway up my driveway and completely killed my braking power, so the left radiator guard impacted my garage door and bent the radiator badly enough that it’ll need to be replaced.

So far as I can tell, there is no damage to the trellis frame; only the radiator and the mounting brackets welded to it appear to be bent out of true.

It doesn’t look like it’ll be all that difficult to replace the radiator myself if I need to — is anyone aware of anything I need to watch out for, or anything about the setup that makes it more of an issue to swap out than it looks like at first glance?
That really sucks mate - hope you can get it sorted without too much hassle and get back to enjoy your new machine.
 

Davo10R

New member
I never realized that ABS could be so intrusive. I think you will loose most of the fluid anyway so why not replace it with high performance synthetic, non toxic stuff that is supposed to make you bike run cooler...I use the Starbright brand because that's all they do...make radiator fluid. I wonder if Samco makes silicone hoses for the 1200?
 

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Max Kool

Well-known member
I never realized that ABS could be so intrusive. I think you will loose most of the fluid anyway so why not replace it with high performance synthetic, non toxic stuff that is supposed to make you bike run cooler...I use the Starbright brand because that's all they do...make radiator fluid. I wonder if Samco makes silicone hoses for the 1200?
All 50/50 coolants do pretty much the same thing. That’s just physics.

Oh and please don’t use waterless coolant (like Evans). It may have a higher boiling point, but it also has a significantly lower heat absorption- and heat transfer capacity, which as a result raises the engine (oil) temperature. That’s also physics 🙂
 

Davo10R

New member
I dont know the physics and I'm not an chemical engineer so I won't even start to argue this or that🙃. I do know a lot of well respected companies make a similar product and they all retain or have you use water... I do know many race tracks don't allow antifreeze in your motor in case you crash and it leaks all over the track. Starbright is mixed with 50% de-mineralized water. If you do a little research you will find the science is solid. Amsoil, Red Line, Hyper Lube, and Royal Purple make it too. Redline has been around forever. In Royal Purples case you must retain a little antifreeze for freeze protection. I have Starbright in my bike and my Old Range Rover without issue. So do a little research for yourself. Don't listen to me. There are plenty reviews and funny YouTube Scientists to listen to as well...lol
 

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ferraiolo1

2021-2024 IMR Ambassador
Staff member
Its all a waste for your everyday bike, unless you're racing on a track that requires something else, espcially since you have to flush your system a few times before making the switch. Also the Propylene Glycol carries a very low toxicity, but also doesnt transfer heat as good as ethylene glycol.
 

Davo10R

New member
I'm just going by there facts and the test that exist online. I'm not sure where you got your information but prop is less efficient at low Temps but better at high and who really cares when either the Temps far exceed the service requirements. All of the pictured products are directly compatible with ANY antifreeze you may have in your bike. You dont have to flush anything just reduce the volume so you can add it. Starbright is mixed so you can run it completely by itself or mix it with whatever your using. Obviously if you want the best results with any of those products it requires you to read and follow directions. As far as being a waste of time??? He is removing his radiator and he can put whatever he wants in there. Plus even if it's all BS some claim to reduce your operating Temps by 20 degrees. If they reduce is by half that it's worth it to me. I wasn't charging a radiator I was doing maintenance and adding Samco Hoses so it's an obvious thing to do for me. Unlike some I have done my research and there is an advantage to running a water wetter type of product in your bike/car period! That it's non toxic is just a bonus. There formula is better for your motor, water pump and it's reduces your temp so that was worth my time. Hate it, love it I don't care but don't listen to someone who has not even read the label on this stuff or even realizes it's more than just non toxic antifreeze.
 

ferraiolo1

2021-2024 IMR Ambassador
Staff member
It but doesn’t lower temps in normal real world driving with a coolant system that’s controlled by a thermostat.

There are just as many studies proving it doesn’t do anything normal 50/50 doesn’t do. Kinda how royal purple tried to say their oil gives you more hp.

and waste of money I should have said.

I have engine ice in my KTM and beta only because that’s what the previous owners ran, it doesn’t run any cooler than any other bike I’ve owned.
 

S2Davies

Active member
Just to throw my hat in the ring, I did put Evans waterless in my 1200 Daytona when I had to do a radiator change. The thing that persuaded me was the lower levels of corrosion and the fact that the coolant system doesn't pressurise when at running temperature due to the lack of boiling.
My Triumph doesn't get ridden very often so the corrosion issue was a major factor, but when I have ridden it, it does seem to reach optimum running temp in a shorter time but does control to temperature quite happily on the move, and in slow prolonged traffic conditions, when the fan trips in it controls as it should.
I can't say definitively that its better, but I can say that for me, with ambient temperatures normally around 70 Fahrenheit up to a maximum of 90 Fahrenheit, on a 25 year old 150hp four stroke it works.
 
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Max Kool

Well-known member
The thing that persuaded me was the lower levels of corrosion and the fact that the coolant system doesn't pressurise when at running temperature due to the lack of boiling.
Another Evans myth. It expands when it gets warmer, just like 50/50 or water. (Or actually it expands more than water and will build pressure)

if water really turned to steam in a closed system it would expand about a 1000 times…. (That’s why nuclear reactor have concrete domes).

anyway, watch this
 
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