Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Topic: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years (Read 3272 times) previous topic - next topic

Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

December 23, 2021, 11:08:50 pm

Shortly after purchasing our Coach we replaced a leaking radiator. Assume but can't be sure if it was original but now we have a major leak in the core and it appears to require replacement again at prices over 50% higher than previously. I'm told there are no other suppliers.

I plan to reach out to Atlas.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #1 – December 24, 2021, 01:47:46 am

That's not a great thing to hear about. I believe mine is original, but it was repaired locally last year and is again leaking. I've got a new one on order from FT, which is due in next month.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #2 – December 24, 2021, 04:39:57 am

Radiator could have been defective,could have excessive vibration,could it possibly have mixed or bad coolant?,let us know what
Atlas says,what coolant do you use? If you have a radiator shop near you have them take a look at it.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #3 – December 24, 2021, 08:20:01 am

Randy,

With it being only 4 years old you should be able to have it cleaned, pressed and have the bad tube plugged. Any good truck shop should be able to remove it if you are not in a place to DIY. Now if somehow the chemistry is whey off and the radiator is ate up after only 4 years then you have bigger problems. Are sure that it is in the core and not a tank gasket leaking and spraying on the core?

Mike

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #4 – December 24, 2021, 08:21:43 am

Not good news. I would expect installing a new replacement radiator to be a "one time and never worry about it again" job.

Our old '93 model coach is still running on the original factory radiator, and so far no leaks. Knock wood.

At this point, I'm hoping the OEM radiator lasts longer than I do.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #5 – December 24, 2021, 02:08:46 pm

This is "My Guy" he's old he's crotchety and you need to ship your radiator in a reusable box with a return label enclosed. His main business is truck and heavy equipment radiators*. The '62 Studebaker's post collision radiator re-core was in the neighborhood of $6(10^2) not including shipping.

Maybe you have someone similar in a small building near you.

Bob Rondeau's Radiator Shop
279 River Road Suite E
Bow NH 03304

(603) 225-6000‬

*And those guys show up with the radiator on their truck and use their crane to move the radiator into and out of Bob's shop.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #6 – December 24, 2021, 02:11:14 pm

Randy,

Can you tell the cause of the damage:

Corrosion from the outside-- fins degraded?

Corrosion from the inside/coolant?

Rock or other exterior damage?

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #7 – December 25, 2021, 03:43:39 pm

Some times a bad radiator cap will over pressure the water system and blow out solder seams/tubes.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #8 – December 28, 2021, 02:01:08 pm

Coach is at Paul Yasbeck. Hope to have more info soon and will update. Also will let you know the response I get from Atlas.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #9 – December 28, 2021, 07:47:13 pm

He knows what he's doing had work done by him

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #10 – December 29, 2021, 01:54:15 pm

I emailed Atlas Radiator to express frustration and ask for guidance. I'll discuss with Paul. Here's their reply:

"Some 15-20 years ago, I spent about $250,000 replacing cores under warranty because Foretravel - in direct opposition to my strong suggestion - would not sit the entire unit on a solid "shelf" and I was too stupid to cut them off. They were running about 20/month at that time. The unit was far too heavy to be slung in a bracket, especially after they added fans, hyd motors, etc. A consultant bore me out by measuring the amplitude of the vertical motion and recommended a beefing up of the bracket, as it exists today, which is only marginally effective. I'm surprised that anyone gets out of the driveway without problems.

Sorry but I'm not going down that road. My suggestion to you is 1) get a "shelf" installed to support the weight of the rad/cac properly, and 2) have an industrial radiator shop recore the jacket water section for you.

Larry H Frederick
Atlas Radiator Inc"

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #11 – December 29, 2021, 02:02:37 pm

Just my opinion, but too many 20 year old units still going with the original radiator to believe his story.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #12 – December 29, 2021, 02:06:50 pm

I gather Larry has viable issue and knows of what he talks about.
I looked at the set up a couple of years ago in our coach when I was over my pit doing other stuff and had a thought that should we need to replace our radiator I was definitely going to add some support were needed.
I guess anyone who has recently replaced theirs is now thinking "am I going to have this issue sometime"
Johnh

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #13 – December 29, 2021, 02:18:46 pm

Quote from: craneman – December 29, 2021, 02:02:37 pm

Just my opinion, but too many 20 year old units still going with the original radiator to believe his story.

28 years (and 5 owners) in the case of our coach!

Has Atlas been the sole supplier of original radiators to FOT since day 1?

Is the radiator support structure the same in the (side-mounted radiator) GVs and the Unicoach models?

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #14 – December 29, 2021, 02:29:51 pm

I wonder how many Foretravel owners have had radiator problems with the added fans, hyd motors, etc.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #15 – December 29, 2021, 03:35:44 pm

My rad is leaking now and I've already dropped the $4100 on a replacement from Foretravel, which will be built by Atlas Radiator. It's due in next month. So Atlas says it will likely have a problem down the road but still sells them to FT?

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #16 – December 29, 2021, 04:19:39 pm

I gather you make them for the sales person that asks for them made a certain way, usually to the design they want. Suggesting a support method different to the drawing Sent to Atlas is or was not followed. Not their issue if there really is one.
One point is that I do not see the aging out of the cooling fins and tubes to be a problem with the support question mentioned though.
Johnh

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #17 – December 29, 2021, 04:26:04 pm

Quote from: John Haygarth – December 29, 2021, 04:19:39 pm

One point is that I do not see the aging out of the cooling fins and tubes to be a problem with the support question mentioned though.
John

John,

Actually, I have seen BOTH-- "rotted fins" generally from coaches driven on salted roads or parked next to the ocean for long periods
OR

Mechanically failed radiators-- may be from torquing (have NOT done the engineering on that one-- my job as an inspector was to identify issues, not their root cause!

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #18 – December 29, 2021, 06:42:55 pm

Maybe Atlas should have worked with Foretravel to address this alleged issue -- or at least notified purchasers of the potential problem before it occurred. Show and tell photos would be nice to have in this situation.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #19 – December 29, 2021, 07:10:40 pm

The radiators we use are small compared to alot of the ones they make mainly for the oilfield on generators and gas compressors,ours are probably a small percentage of their business,another company to try is Huffman Radiator in Sinton TX,
near Corpus Christi,they can recore ours.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #20 – December 29, 2021, 07:27:22 pm

Quote from: John44 – December 29, 2021, 07:10:40 pm

The radiators we use are small compared to alot of the ones they make mainly for the oilfield on generators and gas compressors,ours are probably a small percentage of their business,another company to try is Huffman Radiator in Sinton TX,
near Corpus Christi,they can recore ours.

The quote from the guy at Atlas above said they did $250,000 in warranty work at one point. Given the radiators were around $2500 years back, that equates to about 1000 units. Total sales must have been a decent volume if $250k was just the warranty part.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #21 – December 29, 2021, 08:46:13 pm

Hummm, I wonder a bunch of FT radiators are 20+ years old if it was such a problem!!!

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #22 – December 29, 2021, 08:47:41 pm

Hummm, I wonder a bunch of FT radiators are 20+ years old if it was such a problem!!! Sounds like a lack of concern for their customers.

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #23 – December 30, 2021, 10:20:31 am

Slim, if you say Atlas should inform buyers of potential issues this is not their duty.
Johnh

Re: Atlas Radiator dead after 4 years

Reply #24 – December 30, 2021, 06:13:06 pm

Brett - Paul messaged me that the failure was "Leaking where core meets tank front side". Haven't talked to him yet but he and I will talk soon about the becket and figure out where to go. I'm not anxious to replace or recore if the bracket is the issue.

Quote from: wolfe10 – December 29, 2021, 04:26:04 pm

John,

Actually, I have seen BOTH-- "rotted fins" generally from coaches driven on salted roads or parked next to the ocean for long periods
OR

Mechanically failed radiators-- may be from torquing (have NOT done the engineering on that one-- my job as an inspector was to identify issues, not their root cause!

Quote from: wolfe10 – December 24, 2021, 02:11:14 pm

Randy,

Can you tell the cause of the damage:

Corrosion from the outside-- fins degraded?

Corrosion from the inside/coolant?

Rock or other exterior damage?

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