So i just got my car back from the shop having a little tune up done and the mechanic tells me that my radiator core support is about to fall off the car. I have searched and found that alot of ppl have just cut out the lower support and welded in a new piece but i am trying to do this myself and have no access to or skill with a welder. I found two websites that have what look to be the entire radiator support for sale.
http://www.car-stuff.com/carparts/nissanmaxima19951999replacement4281.html"]http://www.car-stuff.com/carparts/nissanmaxima19951999replacement4281.html"]http://www.car-stuff.com/carparts/nissanmaxima19951999replacement4281.html
and
http://www.pershingauto.com/new-radiator-core-support-95-96-97-98-99-nis.html"]http://www.pershingauto.com/new-radiator-core-support-95-96-97-98-99-nis.html"]http://www.pershingauto.com/new-radiator-core-support-95-96-97-98-99-nis.html
From what i see that piece replaces the lower support also so i guess my question is can i just buy either one of those supports and take on the job of ripping apart the whole front of my car and replacing it? My neighbor is willing to help take it apart and replace it so I wouldnt be doing it myself. I'm just looking for the cheapest way i can get the job done but still gettin it done right.

 

Call DaveB at Southpoint Nissan, he can sell you the lower only and it's direct from Nissan, so you know it will fit right.

 

Go to worldpartsexpress.com and look there. Its OEM, and you can just get the lower suppport for $116. The sites you listed has everything. You dont need all that. I just got done with mine done last week. I dont know how to weld, and I welded it in myself. Just make sure you have clean bare metal where you are going to weld. Make sure the support is at the correct height on both sides. I didnt and its .25" higher on the drivers side. Lesson learned, but it will work for me.
There are 30-32 spot welds to drill and grind out on each side. Get an air compressor with a cut of wheel to grind out the ones in the areas you cant get a drill. I did 1/8" pilot holes on all mine and went back with a 1/4" bit and about half a can of WD and didnt break any bits. The easiest way to get around the power steering lines is to just remove them, and i mean all the way up to the resivoir.
Hope that helps. if I left anything out, or you get stuck, pm me and i should be able help.

NM91

 

Doing the whole support is more work and won't spare you the welding issue. Go ahead and swap out the lower support. Once the new one is bolted in you won't have any trouble driving the car to either a body shop or indep welder who can do the welds for you. Call around.

[flame bait]
I don't really see the purpose of all those damned spot welds. Naively I'd think that a few well placed screws would do the job, especially if you aren't going to keep the car for more than a couple of years. In retrospect, I think I should have tried this.
[/flame bait]

 

So even if i were to buy the whole support i would still have to weld? I never really looked at the thing up close so i thought the it was just bolted in there somehow.

 

Just had mine done. Best $400 I ever spent.

 

So i just got back from a local body shop to find out about having the support replaced and he quoted my $250 to cut out the lower part and weld the new one in. I think thats a pretty fair price. I was expecting it to be more but by the time i buy the lower section and then pay the body shop to have it welded in it should come to around $400 which I don't think is a bad price. What do you guys think?

 

It is a lot of work. All the holes you see in the picture below are drilled out spot welds, and that's just one side, and does not picture all of them....



Completely removed:


That sounds like a fair price if they do a good job.

 

chainsaw and JB weld






























jk, get the shop to cut the cancer out and reweld in the new one from DaveB...

 

The piece really needs to be replaced fast cause of how bad it is and i just wont have the extra time to do it myself anytime soon so i'll be making a call to DaveB for the lower support and then ill be making the appointment at the body shop.

 

Mine is rusted through and we are fixing it this weekend.

 

fixed mine like 5 months ago and it aint breaking. he just cut out the bad rust section and fabricated a new thicker piece to replace it with. then he coated it with like 8 coats of no-rust black paint. solid as $hit now.