My 2c:
First mount it using the foam pads and zip mounts, then form/bend the brackets to hard mount it, then remove zip mounts.
Short version
I wanted to hard mount mine with brackets but also got frustrated and just wanted to get it finished so i used the zip mounts. I realized it was now securely in place and that this is the perfect scenario for hard mounting. I bent and formed the brackets as needed and now my tranny cooler is securely hard mounted.
Long version
Be careful with sharp metal tools like screw drivers. The aluminum a/c condenser is soft and fragile. Think of it as a virgin on prom night. Be gentle and respectful, it is delicate and sensitive and easily damaged.
Recently installed tru-cool 4544 LPD on 99 limited. I like the LPD bypass design. After spending 2-3 hours figuring out hose routing (because I was maniacally overthinking the thing), I spent another maniacal 2+ hours trying to hardmount using brackets. So frustrating. "Screw it," I says to myself and used the plastic zip tie things and foam pads. Works great, though I was concerned, perhaps without cause, about plastic zip mounts rubbing against a/c condenser tubes and eventually wearing a hole.
I read that the tranny cooler should be very close to (but not touching) the a/c condenser so it benefits from the air flow created by the fan. The further away from the a/c condenser, the less draw from the fan it experiences, as I understand it. The foam pads create just the right amount of space between the two.
I mounted mine as high as possible so it is behind the grill, not below it and blocked by the bumper. I centered it and made sure it is directly in front of the radiator fan. I want the maximum air flow.
My cooler was zip mounted in the exact place I wanted it and the ideal distance from the a/c condenser (thickness of the foam pads). There it was, fixed in place but not hard mounted.
This is the ideal scenario to hard mount it because it is secured in the exact position I want. I bent the brackets to the configuration needed to hold it securely exactly where it is. Then I removed the zip mounts. Now my new tranny cooler is held securely by 4 metal brackets. It is rock effing solid. Def more solid and secure than with the zip mounts and I need not worry about them rubbing a hole in the a/c condenser tubes. Even if it is a baseless concern, I have removed this variable from the equation so it is now a non issue. My mind is at ease.
tip: when hard mounting after zip mounting you will need to pull tranny cooler away from a/c condenser to make room to slip bolts through holes. one corner at a time: form bracket, cut zip mount, gently pull corner out and slip in bolt, secure bracket. foams pads will be sticking to a/c condenser but not enough to cause problems because they were just applied and have not fully adhered.
opcorn::focus:
