Tools
Needed: |
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| Drill Press |
½ bit |
Pop-Riveter |
| Rivets |
½ hardware |
Hacksaw |
½ Angle
Aluminum |
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Before you do anything else, you have to have a plan to mount your transmission cooler. A popular option is with tie wraps to the radiator. While this is a convenient method, it does not lend it self to maximum efficiency. For that reason I recommend the unit to be installed behind the driver side "snow cover". For maximum security the bracket shown below should be fabricated. To make the bracket, measure the length of each side on your cooler. Then mark those lengths onto a strip of angle iron or aluminum. The first cut made will be at the first line you made. Cut only through one side. Once the cut is complete, you should be able to fold your piece of stock to form a right angle. A block of wood may help you keep things looking neat. Now repeat those steps for each side of the cooler, checking distances and fit as you go.
You now have a loose box frame. Confirm that your cooler fits in the frame correctly before you continue. If everything looks good, drill a hole in each corner. The hole should go through the center of that square that is formed where the two pieces of metal overlap as shown above. The size of the hole should be based on the size of the pop rivet you will use to anchor the sides. If room allows you can use two rivets per side for additional strength. 3/16 seemed to be about the right sized rivet. Bolts can be substituted for the rivets, but are not as good of an option due to clearance.
Lay the cooler into the frame. Mark the outer most hole in each corner with a grease pencil, and drill out the holes in the frame to bolt the cooler to the frame. Due to the soft nature of Aluminum, washers should be used for added piece of mind. You will now have an extremely rigid unit well suited to its task. You will also need to make cut outs in the bottom of the frame to allow clarence for the fittings.
Actual mounting to the car can be done in several ways. You need to pick an option best suited to your car. Depending on your make and year, you may have to work around fog lights or other obstructions. On the above picture you can see the cooler installed behind an R airdam. No matter what Volvo you have, there are a lot of mounting options in that area. There is a large piece of metal below the battery tray, the actual bumper, as well as many other areas. In this install I mounted the unit directly to the bumper using self tapping screws. No matter what option you opt for, it needs to be secure. The hardest part of mounting the cooler is removing the under tray, which is held on with one bolt on each side and four clips in the middle.