rzauner Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 After reading through tons of posts, I'm more confused. I want to get a radix for my truck. My purpose is daily driving, have the extra power to beat on some rice rockets, and maybe once in a blue moon go to the track. The current radix heat exchanger goes in front of the tranny cooler...I would like to upgrade my tranny cooler (live in arizona). Does it make sense to mount the heat exchanger in front of it or put in in the lower valance? If I put in in the lower valance, do I need fans as well? Sorry for the stupid questions, but I'm new to this stuff. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelot729 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 From what I've seen, if you mount it in the lower valance, I don't believe you'll need to add fans, I would mount it up in front, just to be safe. If some of these other guys have better knowledge please chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscareltemblo Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 you don't need fans in either location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzauner Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 (edited) Being in Arizona, is heat an issue if the heat exchanger and tranny cooler are piggybacked? Edited June 30, 2008 by VMaxAZ (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscareltemblo Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 If you have e fans just get a 160* thermostat and adjust the tune for it and it should be good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champion201 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 (edited) I went through the same delima recently. I live in the middle of the Mojave desert, about 90 miles as the crow flies from Death Valley, 125 days dyring the summer are common. Anyhow, I didnt want to sandwich my trans cooler due to heat issues so I went on a quest. I talked to Magna Charger and discovered that they had some of the brackets left that used on the Gibbs Silverados which mounts the HX in the valance area. I'm not sure if they have any left or not seeing they dont make the Gibbs Silverados anymore. You might want to give them a call and ask. They cost around $40.00ish. Mike Found the person I talked to at Magna Charger, Dave Gonzalas. Edited June 30, 2008 by Champion201 (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzauner Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Mike, Did you put an aftermarket tranny cooler on as well? 160 degree thermostat? thanks, I'll call magnacharger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcairns Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I would say that in real world driving, the fans are good to have. They cool down the fluid much quicker when you are at a stop light. Stop and go is what is fun with a Radix. Without fans, you don't get the kind of air-flow you need to cool the heat exchanger unless you are on the freeway. I also made some ducting from Corrugated Plastic "coroplast" to direct air from the lower grill opening, through the heat exchanger This is my bigger trans-cooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzauner Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Is there a kit you can buy, or piece by piece? How did you end up wiring the fans to come on? Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 After reading through tons of posts, I'm more confused. I want to get a radix for my truck. My purpose is daily driving, have the extra power to beat on some rice rockets, and maybe once in a blue moon go to the track. The current radix heat exchanger goes in front of the tranny cooler...I would like to upgrade my tranny cooler (live in arizona). Does it make sense to mount the heat exchanger in front of it or put in in the lower valance? If I put in in the lower valance, do I need fans as well? Sorry for the stupid questions, but I'm new to this stuff. Thanks, If you mount the Radix HX in the suggested location then the air from the atmosphere will have to pass through the Radix HX, then the transmission cooler, then the A/C condensor, then the Radiator - add it all up and it's like 6+ inches of "radiator" that the air has to make it's way through, you won't get good airflow and what airflow you have will be blistering hot by the time it gets to the engine radiator. Real world, you will see 210-degree engine coolant temps and 190-degree tranny temp and piss-poor climate control too. We went to Home Depot and bought 4-ft of 1.5" aluminum strap and bent our own heat exchanger brackets similar to those offered on the Joe Gibbs truck, placing the HX down behind the bumper where it is below the radiator and can get fresh air; this plus an upgraded transmission cooler & 160-degree TStat took 20-30 degree off both the engine coolant and ATF temp as well as dropped the IAT temps on the Radix. You will get very little cooling through the relocated heat exchanger below say 25-mph, and doing what Dave did and adding a shroud and fans works awesome but certainly is not a required mod. Mr. P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champion201 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 (edited) Mike, Did you put an aftermarket tranny cooler on as well? 160 degree thermostat? thanks, I'll call magnacharger. I got my Radix installed a little over a month ago and love it. I recently ordered the Tru-Cool Max at the recommendation of several members here as well as the SLP 160 stat, just waiting on them to arrive to install them. Dave's, dcirns, setup is the sh*t, I plan on doing the same type setup on mine, fans, and air shroud, except I think I'll stay with the stock HX and have a buddy modify me up an aluminum air shroud after I make the template out of coroplast. See his setup here, Daves Setup Here are some pics of my install, if you look in the valance area you can see the HX behind the billet. My Radix Install Edited June 30, 2008 by Champion201 (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champion201 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 If you mount the Radix HX in the suggested location then the air from the atmosphere will have to pass through the Radix HX, then the transmission cooler, then the A/C condensor, then the Radiator - add it all up and it's like 6+ inches of "radiator" that the air has to make it's way through, you won't get good airflow and what airflow you have will be blistering hot by the time it gets to the engine radiator. Real world, you will see 210-degree engine coolant temps and 190-degree tranny temp and piss-poor climate control too. We went to Home Depot and bought 4-ft of 1.5" aluminum strap and bent our own heat exchanger brackets similar to those offered on the Joe Gibbs truck, placing the HX down behind the bumper where it is below the radiator and can get fresh air; this plus an upgraded transmission cooler & 160-degree TStat took 20-30 degree off both the engine coolant and ATF temp as well as dropped the IAT temps on the Radix. You will get very little cooling through the relocated heat exchanger below say 25-mph, and doing what Dave did and adding a shroud and fans works awesome but certainly is not a required mod. Mr. P. Steve's DA MAN, he knows what he's talking about. Information from him and Dave pointed me in the direction I'm going as to cooling, as well as other upcoming mods. As far as how to wire the fans up a thermostatic fan control will work. It can be programmed to come on when it reaches a pre-determined temp. Or you can just wire it to stay on. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzauner Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Thanks everyone for your help. Does anybody know of a shop in Phoenix/Scottdale, AZ that can do this? Not that mechanically inclined. Magnacharger recommended ProDyno in Phoenix to install the Radix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champion201 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Thanks everyone for your help. Does anybody know of a shop in Phoenix/Scottdale, AZ that can do this? Not that mechanically inclined. Magnacharger recommended ProDyno in Phoenix to install the Radix. IMHO, if they suggest them then go to them, pending price of course. I know ASM used to do installs, I believe they still do. Give them a call and find out their price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSThunder Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Thanks everyone for your help. Does anybody know of a shop in Phoenix/Scottdale, AZ that can do this? Not that mechanically inclined. Magnacharger recommended ProDyno in Phoenix to install the Radix. the gibbs brackets are ideal for the stock unit. I used these on mine when I did the install. I'm not a pro by any means but I did my radix install myself. Before my ss I didn't even change my own oil lol. The radix is a bolt-on SC IMO. It can be installed by beginners like me. I wanted to do mine to learn some and save some $$$$. SC installs can cost up to $700 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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