Best way to patch a cracked Hyundai Santa Fe radiator support frame
What is your question?
My mother in law clipped a short brick wall pushing the front of her Santa Fe fender into the headlight and cracking the radiator support frame (Hyundai part number: 64101-0W000) at the outside point past the headlight. I've removed the fender and headlight and the piece remains intact in that nothing is drooping or shattered off.
My father is a diesel mechanic and agreed it's worth trying to patch it in place of replacing the entire frame for $600+ and requiring to take it all apart. My idea is to sandwich the crack with copper plate cut to match, using a boat glue and perhaps a narrow gauge bolt drilled through (copper is more flexible than steel or aluminum, which I would hope allows the entire bracket to flex).
But, I'm wondering if anyone has any better ideas of how I might patch the crack. Thanks
You're dealing with structural integrity of the vehicle and part of the safety crumple zones of the vehicle in the event of a collision. Being that this is a major safety issue and you're trying to work around it, no professional here nor RepairPal could support doing anything but the proper repair for your vehicle. Sorry.
RepairPal Certified shops can diagnose and repair your 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. They provide transparent pricing with a minimum 12-month or 12,000-mile warranty on repairs and services.
