so im getting ready to mount an intercooler for the first time (its like losing a virginity of sorts) and i wanna make sure it got ti down good and tight. the intercooler is top enter and exit so i can do an over the radiator format. my only question remaining after lots of searching is how to hold the sucker in place.. i have seen the straps that go form the top of the intercooler up to the area around the hood latch and head lights.. that keeps it from moving up and down but how do you secure it from swinging (or is that not a problem) just wanna make sure she is in place for when i hit the track and lay on the breaks real hard... thanks for any tricks and tips

 

My begi IC is mounted where the tow hooks used to be. It is extremely steady

 

that might be my way to go.. ill mount it up top to keep it from moving for the most part and then to those holes from my baby teeth to help pull it tight.. im guessing an adjustable bolt will come in handy here.. something i can put on then twist to pull it tight.

 

the pipes hold it steady for one.



A bracket like this prevents it as well.

 

well mine will be top enter/exit since im going over the radiator with the pipes.. i see that brakey you made on the bottom and ill deff be looking to make one of those to extra security

 

I made a .25" aluminum bracket which mounts to the cross beam. I've got some beefy 10mm should bolts going through the beam and another .25" aluminum backing plate so the nuts don't pull through the sheet metal.

I had plans to make a lower bracket since I was concerned with the intercooler swinging, however, once I bolted it up I realized it wasn't going anywhere. I put some substantial force on the lower tanks of the intercooler without much/if any flex. If there's an impact hard enough to cause the intercooler to swing, then I'll likely being replacing the front clip.

You can get a better idea with the below pictures





-Zach

 

I have mine bolted to the rad support and a pair of custom brackets that hold it from the underneath. Super solid design.

It also bolts onto the front bumper keeping it secure as well. The IC has enough play that if I was to just tap the bumper it wouldn't **** up anything related to the IC. Plus I figured if I hit the bumper hard enough the brackets would just snap the fiberglass before anything.

 

thats a pretty hard core set up.. i want to keep the sucker in place but i dont see it getting to that stage..pics are AMAZINGLY helpful in me creating a mental design of what to do when we get in there.. i like to be prepared so i dont have to make a million trips to the hardware store..

 

Just check the thread size on the IC and get yourself some threaded rod, an assortment of bolts/nuts/washers and a couple lengths of aluminum strips. In a hour you can have a pretty secure setup that suits your needs.

 

i like simple

 

Yeah but simple is so..........ugly. lol

This is how my starion IC was mounted.

 

I did mine over the top and made brackets to hold it to the framing like so:

 

Made some brackets off what I presume is the condenser mounting bolts. Then put some 90 degree brackets up to the backside of the bumper with self tapping screws.

 

I like the over the top of the radiator design a lot! I have seen some cool i/c set ups in the 240sx world where it's mounted up high and the charge piping is super short!