Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 11, 2025 ...

u280 rediator removal

April 01, 2016, 05:01:09 pm

Ugh. The temporary fix for the core leak only held, surprise, temporarily. So the goldern radiator is coming out, I've put this off long enough. I think it will come out the back. The only things holding it in place now are the hoses. I am certain the fan needs to come off and am just hoping the shroud can stay...I can''t even begin to see all the fasteners holding that item in place. Has anyone who'se played this game any advice/hints/laughnpoint?

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Re: u280 rediator removal

Reply #1 – April 01, 2016, 05:05:22 pm

Jay,

Please confirm that your is a REAR radiator, not side radiator so you will get advice appropriate for your coach.

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Re: u280 rediator removal

Reply #2 – April 01, 2016, 05:27:43 pm

Pics would help, if it's a rear radiator, rather than side-mount (like ours) it could be a bearcat. This would be the time to replace all hoses/belts. With the pics, post what engine you have and some of our smart cookies will give you info. Maybe my sig is long-winded, but the coach specs are very helpfull to all of us should you have any other questions.

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Re: u280 rediator removal

Reply #3 – April 01, 2016, 07:18:02 pm

That would be a rear radiator the coach would have a 3208 Cat engine. I never took one out of the u280, but have taken a radiator out of a u300 with a rear radiator and several out of the older FTX ORED coaches the fan will have to be removed and believe the shroud can stay in place. That radiator is a real brute to lift out, takes 2 men and a boy or at least that is how the saying goes. On the older FTX models had to cut the fiberglass panel between the bumper and the radiator and take it out of the way

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Re: u280 rediator removal

Reply #4 – April 01, 2016, 08:19:59 pm

Ron, on the U300 rear radiator removal, did you need to remove the rear fiberglass cap to have enough room to lift the radiator out?

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Re: u280 rediator removal

Reply #5 – April 01, 2016, 10:31:02 pm

Rear rad, 3208. It is not coming out the back without a gantry crane. Gad it is heavy. Fan needs to come out which was no big deal.  It will fall out the bottom with the shroud in place, but not untill the side mounts are removed. I broke an extension trying to remove the fastener from up top on the bolt end. I need to go buy a deepwell 15/16" socket, another extension with the words "snap-on" stamped on it, and borrow a real impact gun to get the nuts off from the underside. Soaked them in oilfoam, and  will see how it goes later. I am just hoping the thing can be repaired. NOT looking forward to a new one's pricetag.

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Re: u280 rediator removal

Reply #6 – April 02, 2016, 04:44:41 pm

No I did not remove the rear cap. but know that it is heavy. RR Radio removed his rear radiator on his u300 while it was parked in a church parking lot. several years ago. He had quite a write up about it, you might pm him about it

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Re: u280 rediator removal

Reply #7 – April 12, 2016, 01:40:23 am

Life got in the way and I couldn't work on this little project til this afternoon, where I found that I need to go back in time and do this job with the back end of this rig parked over a service pit. Failing that, I lowered the nose all the way, raised the rears all the way, and bottlejacked the diff up the last 4" I needed to get the clearance to get that dern thing out. I wonder what it weighs. Quite sure it is a couple hundred pounds at least and not much cooperative when it comes to grabbing hold to lift it. But it is in the back of my van, and we'll find out just how much the fix is gonna $ting. When it comes time to reinstall, I am going to dig a bit of a trench in the (yes, gravel) driveway so I'll have more room. Then I'll just need to find the above-metioned two men and a boy to horse that blanketyblank thing back in there!

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