[SWThomas]

Jeff (GK_crewchief) liked the way I did my trans cooler with the braided lines to he contacted me about a list of all the parts I used. He then asked if I would be willing to help him install it if he drove down here from Fayetteville, NC. Being the wrench-junkie I am, I couldn't refuse. Jeff got here around 2PM and we had lunch before we started. I must say that Jeff's L is very nice and kept in outstanding condition. It was going to be a pleasure to work on this Lightning. Then we got to work. I decided to take this opportunity to take a lot of pics so I could do a detailed How-To since I didn't when I did mine. Hopefully the following will assist anyone planning to do this. Here's we go...

First we elevated the front end via some drive-on ramps that Jeff brought with him. Then we went to removing the headlights, corner lamps, radiator cover, the grille and the grille support.

Remove the headlights by pulling up on the two taps behind each one. Then pull the headlight out and disconnect the connector. Remove the corner lamps by removing the retaining screw on the top and then pull each one out and disconnect the connector. Sorry, no pics but it's very easy.


Then we went to removing the grille...


There are 6 screws on the top and two on each side that need to be removed to get the grille off....






Then pry the push pins (I have no clue what the official nomenclature is) down out of the bottom of the grille on either side...


There is also two supports in the center of the grille that need to be released. It was kind of hard to get pics of them so I couldn't. You can see them through the grille and need to reach in from the top to get to them. Pull up on the clip on the bottom of each support and pull out on the grille. It will come right off.

Then the grille support needs to come off. Do this by removing the two bolts in the center. Ther is one here...


And one here...


Before moving on, pry all of the push pins out that attach the splash guard to the grille support. Here are some of the locations but it's obvious where they all are when you're looking at it...




When you pull the side ones you will expose some more bolts that must be removed. There is one on the top and one on the bottom...






There is also two on either side where the headlights use to be that also need to be removed. They're covered in paint...




Once you've removed the final bolt, you can then remove the grille support. Here's Jeff getting his hands dirty...






Jeff decided that he didn't want to retain the stock trans cooler so we removed it. First put a drain pan underneath where the cooler is and unscrew the two fittings from the stock cooler...






Then remove the three bolts that hold the cooler in place. There's one on the bottom of the cooler that I didn't get a pic of...






Then remove the stock cooler...




We then decided to go ahead and mount the new Ford Super-Duty Trans Cooler (Ford Part # XC3Z-7A095-CA). We carefully maneuvered the cooler behind the center hood latch support and then held it up to where we wanted to mount it. We then maked the mounting locations with a black Sharpie and drilled some pilot holes. Then I used some self-tapping screws to secure the new cooler. I went back later and installed some washers because I didn't like how the screws were almost too small for the holes...










Then it was time to work on the hard lines. We drained the Heat Exchanger and pulled the hose off the Intercooler pump to make some room to cut the hard lines...




Then I used my tubing cutter and cut the hard lines...