Radiator Shroud Clips: Can These be Found?

[Anak]

I have struck out at Napa (not to say they can't be found there. The person I was dealing with didn't really want to work at finding such a small part). I have struck out at the junkyard so far. Eventually I am sure I would succeed, but it's a roll of the dice every time. I think I am going to have to break down and try the dealership, but I thought I would try here before resorting to such an act of desperation. Further, given my success rate, I'm not so sure I will find them there either.

I am looking for the metal clips which attach to the bottom of the plastic fan shrouds. There should be a total of four of them in my Jeep. I have a grand total of one. Here's the sole survivor:

Anybody have any luck finding these someplace other than the junkyard? And if so, do you have a part number?

 

[GregGA]

Try a good size Ace Hardware.

 

[Sidewinder CC]

I've been looking for these myself. I gave up looking so I just install the shroud and dab a little RTV around the tab and the slot to keep it from rattling around.

 

[ParadiseXJ]

Try a good size Ace Hardware.

X2...I find a lot of parts...or a lot of things that WORK...at my ACE hardware in the "doo-hickey" department. That looks like a simple spring loaded clip.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

we don't have clips like that at NAPA sorry. GM used the same type of clips for a lot of years to hold parts of the interior trim in, try pulling some of the snap in interior panels off a late 90s GM car next time you're at the yard, you might get lucky and find something that will work for you.

 

[Anak]

GM used the same type of clips for a lot of years to hold parts of the interior trim in, try pulling some of the snap in interior panels off a late 90s GM car next time you're at the yard, you might get lucky and find something that will work for you.

Winner, winner!!
Chicken dinner!!

I tried the Jeep dealer and struck out, as expected.

GrimmJeeper's comment reminded me that I had indeed seen similar fasteners in my truck (an '02 Silverado). I couldn't recall exactly where, but it didn't take long to find them. Here they are on the access panel for the fuses (driver's side, end of dash):

Not quite identical, but promising. A couple of nice features are that they appear to be plated and they have little prongs to keep them in place.

I didn't have time for a trip to the junkyard, but the Chevy stealership isn't too far from home. I was able to actually purchase just the clips. No need to purchase an entire dash assembly to get them. These particular clips are P/N 11588650. They aren't exactly cheap at $6 each, but $24 to solve this problem is a reasonable value. That, and the dollar ain't what it used to be. These ones might even have better plating than the ones on my truck:

Installation on the shroud for the electric fan was no problem at all:

For the mechanical fan, a bit of a modification is required. The tabs for the mechanical fan have a pair of ridges which interfere:

I tried putting the clips on, and they will indeed go on the shroud if you position them to one side:

However, if you try the clips that way, they won't fit in the slots in the support. The problem is that the extra material (the ridge) makes them too thick to fit in the slot. Rather than modify the support to take a thicker clip I chose to remove the ridges. A few minutes with a couple of files and I had the tabs down to a plain surface:

Now everything fits, and hopefully these clips will not get lost as the factory ones did.

One last bit of advice: Do not hand a pair of these clips to your junior assistant. Particularly if your junior assistant is of the inquisitive sort. Yes, the clips will nest together neatly. And no, they will not come back apart nicely.

Those prongs which work to keep the clips from escaping their task also do a wonderful job of holding them together when joined as above. You can only free up one side at a time. The other side will have the prongs well wedged into its mate. I used a piece of metal strapping to get one side locked out while I then worked on the other side. Little varmint.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

glad I could help! :wave1:

 

[djgrayxj]

Note from DJ

Very informative preparation, I enjoyed the humor about your junior assistant help.
My question is this? After looking at the profile pick of the clips stuck together and the pick of the shrouds inserted into the metal radiator support. I’m wondering if the pointed barbs aren’t now imbedded into the plastic shrouds and the bubble out portion of the clips are snapped into the metal radiator support how easy is it going to be remove the shrouds the next time? You may have been better off flatting out the barbs.

 

[Anak]

I have already tested them in and out, and they work perfectly. I was curious as to how well they would release, and I am happy with how they behave.

The barbs should indeed be embedded in the plastic. That keeps them attached to the shrouds. The bubbled out portion of the clips is essentially a spring. It compresses to allow them to pass through the slots in the support. This is why the raised ribs in the shroud for the mechanical fan pose a problem. Those raised ribs eliminate the space for compression.

Add in some years and some rust, particularly a salt environment, and the picture may change, but I expect that to be the same with the original clips.

As these sit right now they are the best answer I have found. They hold things in place, but remove the upper screws and the shrouds will release from the lower support with a nice snap, and then go back together just as nicely.

 

[djgrayxj]

Note from DJ

Thanks for clearing up my concern.

 

[old_man]

You can find these clips at your local professional auto paint supplier in the Dorman section.