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Flex or fixed fan?? #463219 09/08/09 07:03 PM 09/08/09 07:03 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 154 G Gator73 OP member
Gator73 OP member G Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 154	I don't like the idea of it but due to shroud clearance issues ( I need a 16 inch fan) I may have to resort to an aftermarket flex fan on my 74 Runner. I looked on Summit's website and there are not many choices for flex fans in the 16 inch range. There are aftermarket fixed fans in the 15-15.25 range. Would a smaller fixed fan move more air than a 16 inch flex fan? Anybody have any experience with flex fans and if so, what brands/styles move the most air?

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Gator73] #463220 09/08/09 07:19 PM 09/08/09 07:19 PM
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio Challenger 1 Too Many Posts
Challenger 1 Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio	Quote: I don't like the idea of it but due to shroud clearance issues ( I need a 16 inch fan) I may have to resort to an aftermarket flex fan on my 74 Runner. I looked on Summit's website and there are not many choices for flex fans in the 16 inch range. There are aftermarket fixed fans in the 15-15.25 range. Would a smaller fixed fan move more air than a 16 inch flex fan? Anybody have any experience with flex fans and if so, what brands/styles move the most air? Don't use a flex fan,

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Challenger 1] #463221 09/08/09 08:16 PM 09/08/09 08:16 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 154 G Gator73 OP member
Gator73 OP member G Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 154	I have always heard that flex fans are not a good option but can anyone explain their short comings and why they don't work? The various manufacturers claim they move a lot of air and they are still produced so someone must be buying them. Just wondering why they get such a bad rap.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Gator73] #463222 09/08/09 08:37 PM 09/08/09 08:37 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,111 Bowie, MD R Reggie top fuel
Reggie top fuel R Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,111 Bowie, MD	Some folks swear by them, but they can fail with bad stuff happening - especially if you're nearby. Flex Fans

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Reggie] #463223 09/08/09 08:43 PM 09/08/09 08:43 PM
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio Challenger 1 Too Many Posts
Challenger 1 Too Many Posts Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 28,312 Cincinnati, Ohio	Quote: Some folks swear by them, but they can fail with bad stuff happening - especially if you're nearby. Flex Fans WOW!! I just didn't think they moved enough air IMO. I never even thought about that!

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Reggie] #463224 09/08/09 09:37 PM 09/08/09 09:37 PM
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA B Bill MeLater mopar
Bill MeLater mopar B Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA	I could see it being bad if an aluminum blade hit you in the neck...As for it "severing a persons arm at the shoulder"....Now I don't believe ANY of it.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Bill MeLater] #463225 09/08/09 10:27 PM 09/08/09 10:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,111 Bowie, MD R Reggie top fuel
Reggie top fuel R Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,111 Bowie, MD	A pic from a Chevy forum. 5471095-FlexFanFailure2_Burlinator.jpg (571 downloads)

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Bill MeLater] #463226 09/08/09 10:38 PM 09/08/09 10:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 32,929 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 32,929 Grand Prairie,Texas	Quote: I could see it being bad if an aluminum blade hit you in the neck...As for it "severing a persons arm at the shoulder"....Now I don't believe ANY of it. Very possible with the blade coming off. They are very sharp and at speed are just like a knife. I have seen them cut into a hood at high RPM.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Bill MeLater] #463227 09/09/09 12:19 AM 09/09/09 12:19 AM
Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 5,285 South Carolina FM3_1970 master
FM3_1970 master Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 5,285 South Carolina	Quote: I could see it being bad if an aluminum blade hit you in the neck...As for it "severing a persons arm at the shoulder"....Now I don't believe ANY of it. There were a bunch of lawsuits about flex fan injuries filed against GMC in the 1990s. IIRC, in one of them a piece of a flex fan supposedly severed the guy's nerves in his shoulder so he couldn't use his arm any more. That may be the source of this story.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: FM3_1970] #463228 09/09/09 12:51 AM 09/09/09 12:51 AM
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,168 Vancouver, WA MoparMarq super stock
MoparMarq super stock Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,168 Vancouver, WA	Had a flex fan on my RR for 30 years with no problems, but I think the blades were steel with thicker steel plates sandwiching them to the hub with the rivets. Aluminum work hardens fast, so all that flexing can make the blades brittle. On the other hand, I don't think I've ever seen a factory car with a flex fan, so maybe that says something also.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: MoparMarq] #463229 09/09/09 08:17 AM 09/09/09 08:17 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,072 Niles , Ohio T therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah. T Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,072 Niles , Ohio	The summit stainless flex has been on my 65 for at least 15 years.I also ran one on my Jeep that was daily driver and snow plow.My kid has one on his 360 also.If its quality its as strong as any fan.My 440 runs at 180 all day with an untouched OE rad.As far as that pic of the broken one it ht something and almost amy fan will break if its hitting steel.Ive had one fan break in over 40 years and it was a factory fan.Stay away from the glass fans as they arent as strong as a good stainless one.Rocky Chrysler Firepower

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: therocks] #463230 09/09/09 08:32 AM 09/09/09 08:32 AM
Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,506 Az Crizila master
Crizila master Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,506 Az	Flex fans have come a long ways in the last 10 years. Failures are rare anymore. Most the blades are stainless and a good flex fan will move more air at idle than any fixed blade OEM style fan. HP savings can be considerable. A flex fan is the only way to go if your not going electric - or not doing any off roading. Fastest 300

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Crizila] #463231 09/09/09 11:04 AM 09/09/09 11:04 AM
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,728 ST clair shores MI M moretoys top fuel
moretoys top fuel M Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,728 ST clair shores MI	First hand experience.buddy just redid his cooling system 67 fairlane 390 4 spd.new rad. and flex fan.Banging gears-slight over rev.The fan flexed outward and took out the new radiator.stuff was only a week old.I was with him.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: moretoys] #463232 09/09/09 11:20 AM 09/09/09 11:20 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,072 Niles , Ohio T therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah. T Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,072 Niles , Ohio	I doubt it was the fan flexing that did it.Mine has seen over 7K regulary and the 65 has one of the closest fans there is.Sounds like junk mounts so blame it on the fan.Rocky Chrysler Firepower

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: therocks] #463233 09/09/09 01:10 PM 09/09/09 01:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,270 Missouri M MY340 master
MY340 master M Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,270 Missouri	Any fan can break whether it be a flex or factory clutch fan. Both serve specific purposes and both are fine to use in the right application. I had a factory fan blade go thru the hood on my 1972 Chevy 402 pickup one time while driving 60mph on the highway. It scared me chitless! 1970 FE5 Duster 360/904/3.91's SOLD 1973 TB3 SpaceDuster 340/4spd/4.10's SOLD Moparless for now but when the opportunity is right I'll have another one.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: MY340] #463234 09/09/09 03:34 PM 09/09/09 03:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,072 Niles , Ohio T therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah. T Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,072 Niles , Ohio	My factory one in the 65 broke in the drive on start up.One blade came all the way off.Most break from abuse period.Rocky Chrysler Firepower

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: therocks] #463235 09/09/09 06:27 PM 09/09/09 06:27 PM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 259 Morris County NJ R Rustydog enthusiast
Rustydog enthusiast R Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 259 Morris County NJ	I have used them for over 30 years. Never had a problem. I have one on my Ray Barton 472 Hemi. (70 Challenger) I have one on my 440 68 Dart. I have one on 318 Poly 66 Coronet. Over the years I've had them on over 30 cars. Just for the record, Ray Barton himself told me when he saw my Challenger that he does NOT like aluminum flex fans. Go figure.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Rustydog] #463236 09/09/09 07:26 PM 09/09/09 07:26 PM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 154 G Gator73 OP member
Gator73 OP member G Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 154	Of those of you who have used flex fans and had good luck, what brand(s)did you run? It appears that the most prominent fans are Flex-a-lite. Summit also carries Derale. I read on another post that the style or taper of the blades will make a difference in how the fan functions and the amount of air it will move. It was suggested that one look for a heavy duty flex fan. I don't know if that is opposed to one designed for racing applications or what.

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: Gator73] #463237 09/09/09 07:48 PM 09/09/09 07:48 PM
Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 565 IA L landon1 mopar
landon1 mopar L Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 565 IA	mine is a 17" flex-a-lite. been on there for 6 years now - factory fan blade cracked at the hub area that mounts to the wp pulley '71 Satellite Sebring 440

Re: Flex or fixed fan?? [Re: stumpy] #463238 09/10/09 09:45 AM 09/10/09 09:45 AM
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA B Bill MeLater mopar
Bill MeLater mopar B Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 671 Wisconsin USA	Quote: Quote: I could see it being bad if an aluminum blade hit you in the neck...As for it "severing a persons arm at the shoulder"....Now I don't believe ANY of it. Very possible with the blade coming off. They are very sharp and at speed are just like a knife. I have seen them cut into a hood at high RPM. Granted: BUT who stands over their flex fan and zings the motor to 6 grand?

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