TheSamba.com :: View topic - Radiator brand/manufacturer: Behr, Nissens, JP/Dansk,...

Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:42 am

Good morning Samba,

My questions: Which radiator brand should I buy? Are the JP Group/Dansk units good quality?

I've spent some time reading through the forum, browsing and calling vendors, here is what I have:

Behr: used to be the real deal. Have since outsourced to China. Chinese units are not good quality, units made in South Africa are still good quality. To know which is which, the South African version:
- is more expensive
- is branded "Heavy Duty" or "Premium Line"
- has a brass screw (Chinese version has a plastic screw)

Nissens: used to be crap, now seems to work fine (according to Samba and VanCafe). The good version has a metal screw, like Behr.

JP Group/Dansk: Any feedback on these? They are $200 CAD at CIP1 instead of at least $350 CAD for the other two brands.

Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:17 am

I bought a real South African radiator from Napa a few years back. It seemed to be built to the same quality as the original. No problems so far.

Tue Dec 07, 2021 12:17 pm

I bought the heater matrix from an UK manufacturer. It is full copper.
http://www.motoradsonline.co.uk/products/Volkswage...52d91.html

JPG was crap a few years ago. They try to improve, but not OEM quality.

Tue Dec 07, 2021 4:21 pm

ZsZ wrote: I bought the heater matrix from an UK manufacturer. It is full copper.
http://www.motoradsonline.co.uk/products/Volkswage...52d91.html

interesting.... i'm really wanting to try one of these!

Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:32 pm

SA Behr radiators are no longer available. I ordered one last year. It was the real deal, but was damaged, so had to order a second. Same make, model, part number, and price. The replacement was the cheaper China manufactured unit.

Tue Dec 07, 2021 6:18 pm

SA Behr is what you want. I got one a few months ago, from GW, not sure about their current availability though.

Thu Dec 09, 2021 10:52 am

The South African Behr radiators are available at GoWesty. I just received one this week. $250 plus shipping/handling. Unfortunately I had to order this radiator because my 5 year old South African Behr radiator started leaking last week. It will be two weeks before I can get to it, but I will post pictures of the old radiator once I remove it.

Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:50 pm

Just ordered one as well, a Behr made in SA, from Werke1 in Vancouver.

I'm curious where yours failed after only 5 years. Did you flush coolant every other year and whatnot?

Thu Dec 09, 2021 11:41 pm

DanHoug wrote: ZsZ wrote: I bought the heater matrix from an UK manufacturer. It is full copper.
http://www.motoradsonline.co.uk/products/Volkswage...52d91.html

interesting.... i'm really wanting to try one of these!

I would say it is the same or a bit better than the original style heater.
Hard to compare as the original was full of dirt and leaking. And I have re-foamed the box and changed the motor in one go.

Fri Dec 10, 2021 9:51 am

The Behr -Mahle part number when listed is different from Chinese and RSA.
Premium Line 8MK 376 713 631 is the good one.

The new Nissens and Chinese Behr look identical, prolly a private label manufacturer.

Fri Dec 10, 2021 11:27 am

A year or more ago RockAuto had some generically listed "closeout" radiators for vanagons. There is a thread here but a samba member ordered one and they turned out to be the SA Behr radiators. At the time they were $60. Might be worth a look to see if they're still there?

Fri Dec 10, 2021 11:55 am

Here are some pictures of the current South African Behr available from GoWesty:

Sun Jan 16, 2022 5:36 pm

termuehlen wrote: The South African Behr radiators are available at GoWesty. I just received one this week. $250 plus shipping/handling. Unfortunately I had to order this radiator because my 5 year old South African Behr radiator started leaking last week. It will be two weeks before I can get to it, but I will post pictures of the old radiator once I remove it.

Pulled the old radiator this weekend. South Aftrican Behr which I installed in 2017. 4-1/2 years and out. Leaking along the seal between the plastic and the metal.

Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:20 pm

Nissens installed in 2015.No leaks. Stainless bleed bolt replacement has been OK.

Mon Jan 17, 2022 5:28 am

Meyle Behre Hella…..soon all parts will be Taco Bell

Don’t forget to test your radiator with a flashlight

Sat Apr 09, 2022 10:09 am

Has anyone considered taking an old rad to a shop that actually builds custom radiators and have one built to match ? All welded aluminum ? Maybe even soldered copper ? I'd expect copper to be more spendy but having a radiator fail can ruin a lot more than a day.

Sat Apr 09, 2022 4:06 pm

Crankey wrote: Has anyone considered taking an old rad to a shop that actually builds custom radiators and have one built to match ? All welded aluminum ? Maybe even soldered copper ? I'd expect copper to be more spendy but having a radiator fail can ruin a lot more than a day.

It crossed my mind many times, but since the Behr from RSA is decent, it's fine.

I replaced one recently I had installed on a van many years ago. It saw a lot of ocean camping and salt mist.
Died in 6 years, slight leak from the corrosion under a crimp tab lifting them, causing a leak.
Upon opening the side tanks, they are actually VW tanks with the logo and part number inside.

I recently installed a JP group Dansk radiator recently, bought from GW. I laughed. It's some freaking junk, assembled like the old Nissens from 10 years ago with rubber washers to seal the end tubes. The plastic bleed screw doesn't clear as expected, so I made my own with an M10 bolt.

I recently also replaced a Nissens radiator, with copper fins, aluminum tubes, made in Denmark. I hadn't seen one until now. That was pre-internet for sure! Good ol' parts....

Sun Apr 10, 2022 11:10 am

Yeah, Behr from RSA, but that manufacturing went to China too, so there's Behr rads from both places.
I'm just wondering if it's time for a place like RMW to look into making rads like they do coolant tanks.

Tue May 10, 2022 9:22 am

Forst brand radiator made in the EU, available through heritage parts is a repro of the Behr unit. Haven't seen it mentioned yet but one is going into my rig. Hopefully it tests out good.
Looks the same. 🤞

Fri Jun 24, 2022 7:52 am

Bump for any recent reviews. Crankey, how do you like the Forst?

Pretty sure mine is original (1984 Campmobile with 153K) and causing higher than optimal temps.