[hossners]

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Went to change my timing belts yesterday - have read all the posts and decided to pull the radiator to make the job easier as suggested. Besides, needed to change and flush the coolant and replace the hoses. The posts just say "pull the radiator" like it's a simple task. It wasn't simple, and in fact I never got it out! What am I missing here? Is my set-up any different from everyone elses? I'm not a mechanical idiot.

I was able to remove the grill and bottom radiator bolts. I pried off the bottom hose from the radiator. However, the top of the radiator is what gave me trouble. The bracket that holds the grill and shields the topof the radiator wouldn't come off easy. It obstructs the removal of the radiator, and it itself is obstructed by the horn brackets. The horn brackets are mounted to THE FAIRING bracket. In other words, the parts must be removed in this order: 1 Fairing, 2 grill bracket, 3 radiator.

This can't be right!

I ended up only disconnecting the lower fairing bracket from the frame (just above the engine guard mounts) and pivoting the fairing up and away, to just make enough room to remove the grill bracket. Time was short, so didn't proceed with the radiator beyond this point.

(BTW, with just the bottom of the radiator pulled away, was able to r/r the belts, but spent WAY too much time fussing with the radiator. I have decided the top hose is in good enough shape just the way it is, and won't be replacing it.)

Where did I go wrong?!

 

[Graham B]

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I had the same problem. I don't think you did anything wrong but I needed four hands. My daughter came to the rescue and it came out no problem.

The key is to keep the bracket and rad together althought it's still a squeeze.

 

[FitzAl]

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It's a tight squeeze first time around. Next time will be easier! :waving:

 

[hossners]

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Graham B wrote:

The key is to keep the bracket and rad together althought it's still a squeeze.

Good point, but am sure there was not nearenough room between the horn bracket and the radiator studs for the bracket, rad, and bushings to get past. The radiator mounts and the horn brackets are offset, so appeared would pass each other, but not with the grill bracket in place...

 

[77GL1]

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I'm not sure what bike you've got, but I found on mine that if I remove the water outlet on the bottom front of the engine (bottom radiator), it makes it 10 times easier to get the radiator in or out. You don't have to try and squeeze between the hoses that way.

I didn't pull the fairing, but mine's a 77 with EliminatorII fairing.
Ok- you must have the 81 listed at bottom of your post.

 

[exavid]

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If it's a 1200 all you have to do is take the two lower bolts out, you can pull off the bottom hose but it's easier just to take the pump cover off leaving it attached to the hose. Take off the clamp on the top hose and work it off the engine fitting, leaving the hose attached to the radiator, pull the bottom of the radiator forward and down, the top is just held with rubber mounts in a channel. Don't forget to disconnect the electrical connections.

Should read the signature line sometime, just noticed that you have an 1100.:blushing:

 

[englishted]

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You shouldn't have to move tha fairing at all on the GL1100. I'v ehad rads out on a few of them and while the brackets were fiddly, it wasn't a major headache.