This month marks the launch of our new Industrial Radiator Service online radiator store. The addition to our website lets you to browse hundreds of different radiators from all the top manufacturers, including John Deere, Kubota, Case/IH, Massey Ferguson and Caterpillar. Our selection covers radiators for all types of agricultural equipment, construction equipment, forklift, skidsteer, bus and truck models. More radiators will be added over time, so be sure to check back often. And let us know if there’s a particular model you’re searching for but don’t see.
Now that the Industrial Radiator shop is live, what better time to share some helpful info about how to pick the right industrial/commercial cooling system for your equipment? With dozens of manufacturers to choose from and lots of specifications to consider, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. We’re here to help make the process easy.
How to Find the Right Radiator for Your Equipment
The simplest way to narrow down your radiator search is by referencing its OEM (original equipment manufacturer) number. This is a standard indicator of which brand made the original part and to what specifications. Replacement, or aftermarket, radiators are built to meet or exceed the OEM performance specs and can save you a significant amount of money.
Most radiators have the OEM number printed somewhere on the part itself. If you can’t find it, you may need to contact your equipment dealer to determine the number based on make and model. The format varies by manufacturer, but most are an alphanumeric string between 6 and 13 characters long. Once you know your OEM number, you can search for it on our radiator shop page, or browse all radiators and filter by OEM number using a dropdown on the left.
There are other important criteria to consider when shopping for an industrial radiator. Even after matching to an OEM number, make sure you check the additional product information to ensure the radiator will fit your engine bay and provide the right type of coolant flow.
Here are a few key specs to verify:
- Overall radiator dimensions
- Radiator core dimensions
- Inlet/outlet size and position
- Number of rows in core
- Core fins per inch
- With or without oil cooler
Differences in Radiator Construction
One more factor to be aware of when shopping for a radiator is what material it’s made of. Different types of construction yield different heat transfer results, so it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of what’s available.
For a long time, copper and brass were the most common metals used for radiator construction. This is mainly because copper is the best thermal conductor. That means it’s good at transferring heat away from the engine, which is the purpose of the fins in the radiator core. Brass is a sturdier alloy of copper that’s generally used for parts other than the fins.
More recently, radiator cores made entirely of aluminum have become popular. While aluminum alloys are typically not as good as copper at conducting heat, they are better than brass and are all-around stronger and more efficient. All-aluminum construction also eliminates the need for the poor-conducting solder alloys used to hold copper/brass radiator cores and headers together. Aluminum radiators are often paired with plastic tanks.
Even though aluminum construction makes for an overall lighter, more durable and safer type of radiator, more traditional options are sometimes necessary for older equipment models. It’s all about finding the ideal pairing of cooling system and engine. Fortunately, we have the parts and the expertise to serve a wide range of radiator constructions.
Now that you’ve had an introduction, or refresher, on what to look for when shopping for your next radiator, visit our shop page to get started or contact us for more in-depth guidance. Our dedicated sales support team is ready to help keep your heavy equipment running cool.