Flex Fan - Anyone?

Co4Fun

Co4Fun

New member
So I have the front end off my 4Runner waiting for the custom bumpers and decided to do my radiator (found OEM Rad for $200) and in-line aux tranny cooler (B&M) and in-line filter.

Not that I want to spend any more money here but a yota club guy suggested the LCE flex fan since I'm SC'd and pull an adventure trailer sometimes. To be clear, this is NOT an electric fan conversion but just simply swapping the stock for this fan. Seems to move a lot more air at slow speeds and more efficient at high speeds. Only downside could be some noise.

Anyway, found a lot on efan conversions but not on just this replacement aspect of a flex fan. Anyone with experience? Worth it?

Flex Fan - 5VZ Flex Fan w/Billet Spacer Kit
 
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have heard of these but never tried it. i went electric fan once. hated it and went back to stock. i am still intrigued by this setup.
 
SIKHILUXSURF said:
have heard of these but never tried it. i went electric fan once. hated it and went back to stock. i am still intrigued by this setup.
Click to expand...



Fully agree on full electric, not worth the hassle. But this seems interesting. After shipping is a $100 experiment but it is direct bolt on...


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When your engine is hot and you're pulling a steep grade, the flex fan will flatten out and give you less cooling. Probably not what you want.
 
My experience with a Flex Fan in my 1965 mustang....


I was doing donuts in the dirt parking lot, HUGE dust cloud, showing off, I was 21yrs old at the time... and dumb.

anyways, the flex fan 'flexed' enough to 'bite' the radiator, and ruined the rad and the fan, a $300 replacement hurt... but I put new ones back in, the way it was working before... until... I went down a dirt road... now, I shouldn't have been on this road, but thinking I'm not doing the 'twisting' and 'whipping' I did before... I should be safe... NOT, and again, I was stranded and needed to call tow company and tow it home, this time 180 miles from home, OUCH! and another repair bill this time including the water pump cause it got bent.

That third time, I put in a rigid fan (6 blade after market, but rigid), and the same type alum radiator... NEVER had a problem again, even went electric for some time, but went back to mech... still never a problem... sure little less power on the dyno, but the seat couldn't feel the difference.



the reason I share my 'learning experience' is so others don't follow... our rigs go offroad and 'twist' and 'whip' a lot, so I for one, don't want to see a 4runner stranded and abandoned in the wilderness cause a 'flex' fan 'bit' the rad...
 
I don't like flex fans since they lose cfm at high rpm. Fine if you're boogeyin' down the highway, not if you're spinning in mud or sand going 10 mph at 5,000 rpm


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I don't think there's anything wrong with the stock fan.

It moves a ton of air at low speeds when needed and you're never going to "improve efficiency" on these motors very much.
 
So ya, lots to think about here but for now and thanks to your thoughts and input I'm going to wait. This can always be added anytime you would just have to remove the fan shroud. I think I'll focus on the rad, cooler and filter for now and call it good.
 
Co4Fun said:
So ya, lots to think about here but for now and thanks to your thoughts and input I'm going to wait. This can always be added anytime you would just have to remove the fan shroud. I think I'll focus on the rad, cooler and filter for now and call it good.
Click to expand...

The fan shroud is critical for proper cooling regardless of the type of fan.
The fan also needs to fit well in the shroud to work properly.
 
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