Lower radiator support
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,234
Likes: 646
From: Orange County Ca
Lower radiator support
Thank you CalTrans for the humongous lip on your recently repaired freeway that broke the lower radiator support on my '09 yesterday. The radiator is now just hanging by the hoses, etc. No coolant loss and the ac still works fine. No oil leaks, etc. Replacement support is definitely needed.
I may have the work done by a local shop or do it myself. Just a casual search on the web shows that oem-gm ones are pretty scarce and aftermarket ones run from $85 on ebay to up to $1k for nos.
Does anyone know anything about the aftermarket ones? I do see that some are 1 piece and some are 3 piece to be bolted together.
Are they all the same chinese parts built in the same factory? Do the fit well? Etc.
I may have the work done by a local shop or do it myself. Just a casual search on the web shows that oem-gm ones are pretty scarce and aftermarket ones run from $85 on ebay to up to $1k for nos.
Does anyone know anything about the aftermarket ones? I do see that some are 1 piece and some are 3 piece to be bolted together.
Are they all the same chinese parts built in the same factory? Do the fit well? Etc.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 219
Likes: 48
From: The Midwest
I bought a one piece from Amazon for $85. It was exactly the same design as the oem one. It is not any better and no worse as it is the same oem design. Same shape and welded in the exact same spots. To me it’s a junk weak design, I welded some extra aluminum brackets to mine to reinforce it. The bolt together ones, just put some blue loctite on the bolts so it doesn’t vibrate apart.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2025
Posts: 37
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte
I replaced the broken unit on my 05 with a unit from Fleabay. It worked well and was pretty easy. Taking my time and not having done one before, I think I had it done in under 2 hours. (No lift, regular tools, etc.)
