figured I could just call up Summit or Jeg's and order what I wanted. However, the only ones available are from Flex-A-Lite and Derale (they actually look like the same part) and have six equally spaced blades. I had always heard that 5- or 7-blade fans with non-equally-spaced blades would be quieter and less prone to harmonics. Is this really a big deal?
thanks,
nate
Yes, it is, for noise control.
Flex fans suck. Use a regular fan and thermostatic viscous clutch.
That's what they are supposed to do -- suck air through the radiator. Quite a few of us are using all-plastic six blade flex fans on our circle track dirt cars with no problem.
Don
I have used flex fans in the past, and had no negative issues with them. There have been articles published which indicate they do not save energy when compared with the viscous clutch arrangement, and I suppose that might be true.
But, rather than put a lot of money into an OEM clutch, I would use a flex fan again.
That's what I want to do, but it seems that my only option is to either go boneyarding (a long drive, for me) or else hit fleaBay.
nate
I already have the OEM clutch, and I would like to use a clutch driven fan. The problem is that the blades that I have are apparently larger in diameter than the stock fan in the chassis that this whole setup is going in, and I would like some blades 1" smaller in diameter. Does anyone make clutch fan blades that have staggered blades?
nate
I assume this is for your Stude, Nate.
On things that are getting pretty old, sometimes you have to use recycled or very used parts, I guess. Im getting to that point with my Reatta, and it is only 16 years old.
If you dont like the flex fan approach, have you considered modifying the water pump by pressing a different collar on the water pump shaft and then using the corresponding new thermostatic clutch and fan? Might be do-able pretty easy.
Another possible patch is to machine an adaptor from your Stude pump collar which will allow you to install a late model fan and clutch from another brand of vehicle.
I am not familiar with the Stude setup, so maybe I am all wet on this.
Sorry, had I seen this, I wouldnt have posted a previous suggestion.
Why don't you just trim down the blades on the fan you have? Measure, mark, trim with cutoff wheel in angle grinder, static balance a bit and you should be fine.
Pete C.
It will be noisier. In an old Studebaker, you won't notice a bit of difference because the engine noise will swamp whatever fan noise there is.
--scott
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