mounting rear radiator Nissan Safari

[4x4rookie]

Want to mount a radiator in the rear of my Safari.
Will be using original radiator, 2 x 24volt Davies Craig fans plus 115 electric pump and lcd controller unit.
Looks like a clear run for the water pipes to the rear from the front using right hand side chassis rail (pipes on top off).
Question......do I put the radiator behind the cab ( I have cut the back off) or run side on from rear cab to the back ?
Obviously more air flow side on but any negatives ? or is there a really good reason why behind the cab is better ?
Will leave existing mechanical pump in and thermostat in as I'm told no need to remove, is that correct ?
cheers

[imsohi]

the only disadvantages i would find with it mounted side on is if you fell over on a stick you could dammage it, never had an issue with my cab mounted one and you can always add a roof scoop for on road air flow. my 2c

[mudtroll]

Side mount more likely to get mud in it. I just run the engine driven water pump, no electric at all, never runs hot.

[pruggerdore]

regarding electric water pump. don't run one if you can avoid it. standard pump should do it. I ran electric for several years. Just pulled it out and going standard pump. great system when its all happy. unfortunately it's quite a complex system computer controlled etc. asuming your talking about the davies craig elecy pump and controller. the controller is quiet delicate and sensitive. for one example when I electric winch hard the voltage in system can drop down to 5 volt, bounces back ofcourse when you take your finger off winch button voltage bounces back. anyway pump controller really dosnt like it. looses its presets shuts down. wont accept presets being re inputted. just generally throws a hissy fit. get it wet throw it away. dont get me wrong its a great set up in the right environment. just not robust enough in our environment. safari your probably pto winch so gets around that one. anyway try without first as you shouldnt need it and one complication avoded is a good thing.
KISS keep it simple stupid lol

[mudlva]

do a pump test
outside next to good water supply
remove therostate, replace housing
remove rad cap
disconnect top house form off radiator, insert garden house into port and tape or pipe clamp into place
use top hose plus extra hosing if required and connect to your steel tubing that you are going to use for the rear mount project.
have pipe supported so it is at least as high as your roof if not higher.
if you have a second radiator connect it to the open end of your pipe with more rubber hosing. use the lower port.

with every thing supported securely and with garden hose running start the motor,with thermo out pump is fully open
it will draw water through motor and will start feeding water water up to the higher radiator, at some point at idle the water will stop flowing as the pumps are centrifugal based and thats all to do with rpm v flow.
start moving the revs up and the water now should start pouring out of the high rad port
dont let your motor run dry!!
now with motor just above idle and water still pouring out of top rad then the pump is plenty good enough
if the flow is intermittent them an electric pump will be a must.

the reason for having the second rad high is to stimulate hill climbs and descents.

the pump must be ale to push the water up to a height of the length of the vehicle, as this will be the height when you have the nose buried in a hole or climbing out of a drain etc

it worth the test.

i know that a c/d pump will lift water well over 4.8m in height flowing through a 40mm x 10m length of drain pipe (had the pipe resting over the shed roof)

[mudlva]

oh yea follow Clives advice about the e/controller. i went through two units then throw them out and just hard wired the pump, best thing that i ever did then.

my new project is going to be using both initially until i can test the engine pump, once im happy with the engine pump i will bypass the electric unit and pull its fuse, with the intention that if i did ever need it, it will be a case of dump a bit of coolant and plumb it back in

have the fans on a auto temp switch and and the fans will keep it all running nicely, never been in the snow but in the bush it never got "cold" as once the motor starts generating heat whilst working the fans will cycle on and off.

imho mid mount behind the cabin works best