Bumper reinforcement (radiator damage)

[McKinziesDad]

The short: Has anyone reinforced the front bumper area to prevent radiator damage? If so, do you have any tips/suggestions?

The long:
I'm about to replace my daughter's radiator for the 2nd time in as many years. The real issue is that we live in the country and she bumps the underside of the front bumper cover all the time because of the uneven roads and the hills. The first time was ahairline crack on the upper drive side from repeated jostling over time. This time she hit it good pulling off a steep driveway onto the road (not good enough that is should cause that kind of damage on anything but the lowest slung car) and broke the drain from hitting the metal support underneath. Dumped her fluid right out.

I'd like to find a way to keep this from happening again (aside from buying a vehicle with more clearance). Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks.

[ptcruisersteve]

Originally Posted by McKinziesDad

The short: Has anyone reinforced the front bumper area to prevent radiator damage? If so, do you have any tips/suggestions?

The long:
I'm about to replace my daughter's radiator for the 2nd time in as many years. The real issue is that we live in the country and she bumps the underside of the front bumper cover all the time because of the uneven roads and the hills. The first time was ahairline crack on the upper drive side from repeated jostling over time. This time she hit it good pulling off a steep driveway onto the road (not good enough that is should cause that kind of damage on anything but the lowest slung car) and broke the drain from hitting the metal support underneath. Dumped her fluid right out.

I'd like to find a way to keep this from happening again (aside from buying a vehicle with more clearance). Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks.

The problem I see is that if you put anything below the metal support under the radiator it will make it worse if the Pt Cruiser runs over any objects in the road. Sometimes at night when I can't see the road I run over objects on the road and I have to check everything underneath to make sure nothing got damaged.

What about an air lift kit to raise the Pt Cruiser up?

This company offers air lift kits for Pt Cruisers.
https://www.airliftcompany.com/produ...air-lift-1000/

[rckstein]

Maybe this is what your daughter needs



Girls love yellow

[LionPT]

Originally Posted by McKinziesDad

The short: Has anyone reinforced the front bumper area to prevent radiator damage? If so, do you have any tips/suggestions?

The long:
I'm about to replace my daughter's radiator for the 2nd time in as many years. The real issue is that we live in the country and she bumps the underside of the front bumper cover all the time because of the uneven roads and the hills. The first time was ahairline crack on the upper drive side from repeated jostling over time. This time she hit it good pulling off a steep driveway onto the road (not good enough that is should cause that kind of damage on anything but the lowest slung car) and broke the drain from hitting the metal support underneath. Dumped her fluid right out.

I'd like to find a way to keep this from happening again (aside from buying a vehicle with more clearance). Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks.

That sound like you don't have the rubber grommets installed.

[soonercruiser]

How's about skid wheels on the front end?

[Sinbad]

Originally Posted by LionPT

That sound like you don't have the rubber grommets installed.

This could well be on the money - the drain is normally hidden behind the frame and a bit of a barsteward to get to. As standard it shouldn't be dangling around where it can get knocked.


Probably the easiest way to get a higher front is bigger wheels / higher profile tyres.
I have a set of 16" with 205/60's on which are about as big as you can get under the front struts without fouling, and the car sits maybe 8-10mm (?) higher on them.
Handling is a bit wooly and soft compared to standard 205/55- but I suspect that's saying more about the age of my struts and shocks than the tyres.

[McKinziesDad]

Originally Posted by LionPT

That sound like you don't have the rubber grommets installed.

The driver's side grommet is split. looks like it was almost sheared off. Anybody know if the grommet is called something else? I'm trying to find a replacement. The radiator I bought doesn't have them.

The part of the frame that is under the radiator is bent from a previous accident. I think it might be exacerbating the issue. (There's a lot of shoddy repair from a front end collision that did NOT appear on the carfax report when we bought it.)

2010 2.4L

[Sinbad]

Originally Posted by McKinziesDad

The driver's side grommet is split. looks like it was almost sheared off. Anybody know if the grommet is called something else? I'm trying to find a replacement. The radiator I bought doesn't have them.

The part of the frame that is under the radiator is bent from a previous accident. I think it might be exacerbating the issue. (There's a lot of shoddy repair from a front end collision that did NOT appear on the carfax report when we bought it.)

2010 2.4L

"Radiator mounting rubber" will probably cover it if you ask at a Chrysler dealer. As you have one to use as a pattern you could probably bodge your own using donor exhaust mounts if you trimmed them to match the other with a craft knife? As long as they fit in the holes in the frame and the radiator fits in them, the top radiator mounts should make sure it all stays in place.

[LionPT]

These are what your looking for...

http://www.ptcruiserlinks.com/forum/...tml#post546970

http://www.ptcruiserlinks.com/forum/...tml#post547986

http://www.ptcruiserlinks.com/forum/...tml#post548724

[McKinziesDad]

That looks promising. Just need to find the 2010 equivalent.