Hung up on last step to removing the radiator
 

UPDATE: problem solved; see post #11.

I've read enough reports about people removing the radiator without pulling the whole front end off the truck, and it looked quite possible, so I gave it a whirl. It's actually been pretty easy to do, save for the rusted aspect of the top two bolts on the extension brackets.

But, I'm stuck—or maybe I'm just being too gentle. I've removed the screw holding the trans cooler to the radiator and slid that to the side freeing it from the radiator. I've removed the four fasteners (two top bolts, two bottom screws) securing the extension brackets to the radiator. How exactly does the radiator separate from the extension brackets if you're removing those in place?

The extension brackets keep the radiator from lifting up and out of its bottom mount points. It seems like the radiator should just tilt back off those extension brackets and lift up, but they seem tight or stuck at the bottom of the bracket. Do the extension brackets have a channel or something and need to slide straight off the front of the radiator? Do I need to just put more effort into it? I don't really want to force anything too much without knowing, since I'm dealing with plastic parts here. I really tried to examine whatever pictures I could find of these parts around the Web, but nothing I could find gave me any hints about this sub-assembly.

If memory serves there are 3 bolts on each side/extension bracket.

one behind the foam that is behind the horn and 2 on the bracket for the condenser. They should remove once all those are off.

Thanks for the help, but I'm not doing the through-the-grill procedure.

And for reference, when I say "extension brackets", I'm talking about the black plastic bits that bolt/screw to the front of the radiator that have the upward-pointing post that hooks into the steel bracket that you are talking about. Those are the pieces I can't seem to free from the radiator and am suspecting there is some sort of channeled mating surface that requires them sliding straight off perpendicular to the radiator. That's the only thing I can see that would keep these two pieces from coming apart at this time, but since I've never done this, just looking for confirmation. Also looking for the proper technique to separate these from the radiator and get it up and out when NOT going the RAVE route and removing the radiator without going through the grill.

I don't know. The only way I have gotten radiators in and out is with the Rave procedure. If you do not release the bracket that hold the adapter to the radiator, you have to really struggle with it. It is 100% worth taking off the grill, wind flaps and other minutae to do it, but that is just my opinion. Good luck!

The grill has to be removed.

If you have have removed and are sure of all the screws in the bracket then, slide it towards the firewall. It may require a little finesse. It's pressed into the radiator.

you're welcome 😉

http://www.allbrit.de/downloads/BULLETINS/LT303-001%20-%20Discovery%20II%20-%20Change%20in%20Method%20of%20Radiator%20Removal% 20_%20TOPIx.pdf[/url]

Note: no need to drain trans or oil cooler. They WILL move out of the way enough for you to pull the radiator up and out.

If you want to release brackets from radiator, you need to slide them to the side, (they slide in & out), but it will be hard to do when rad is still in place , could be stuck & you might break something, do what abran said, take grill out, (easy only 3 plastic screw on top), & release metal brackets (3 screws on each side) holding the plastic brackets, and get rad out, once it's out you will see why you have to go this route,

I guess I don't constitute the grill as "the whole front end". And I have to add that anybody that does is being dramatic. It pays to remove the necessary items and not cut corners. For the time it's taken you to post your issue, you would have had the grill off and radiator out.

good luck.

Ugh. Yeah, I've got the RAVE, and I've had the grill off a few times, just didn't want to do it for this. It's cold in Ohio and I was trying to limit my exposure, which didn't end up happening. Also, I'm pretty positive the bolts on those steel brackets are going to be a rusty mess and get me cussing. I understand why that's the recommended method because of the arrangements of the parts. What I don't understand is why more than a few people say it's possible to do without removing the grill—and it was pretty easy to get 95% of the way there—but then give really vague instructions on how to do it as if it's just obvious?

Thanks everyone for your input!

Dramatic? Okay, maybe ("hyperbolic" would be more accurate), but the RAVE does have a few unnecessary steps, and the engineers in Solihull probably could have made some better choices to make servicing something that could essentially just lift straight up and out much simpler.

Also, I've learned many non-RAVE ways of doing things on this very forum that have saved me a lot of time. I was hoping this would be one of them. Perhaps not.

Thanks again for being the first to jump in and help.

Removing the grill on a RRC/D1/D2/LR3/LR4/RRS is a breeze! The headlights come off easy, the side lower headlight finishers come off easy, the grill comes off easy, and it probably takes me maybe 30min on a 94-02 D1/D2. 03-04 D2 is like a 5min job if that!!!

With it removed the radiator is very simple to remove/install. Yes I have removed those plastic bits with the nipple on them without removing the grill (had one broken on a D2 I bought and the radiator moved all over the place) I got it out, but it was a fight and I risked breaking stuff in the process.