flex fan

[explodr3]

one of my friends who formally had an ranger with the 4.0l in it said that a flex fan would free up my 4.0l alot i was woundering if this is true and was thinking about getting one but would i need a spacer for the new fan or not?

 

[Maniak]

Flex fans do flatten out as the rpms go up to allow the motor to spin more freely, BUT..

On a vehicle that tows to operates at higher rpms while at lower speeds (like a 4x4) this would be a very bad thing...

~Mark

 

[aldive]

Go one step better and add an electric fan.

 

[Kamaaina]

I don't like flex fans. The theory sounds good but I had a bad experience with one of them. I had a '69 Mach 1 with a flex fan on it and all was well for a couple of years until the constant flexing of the blades weakened the metal and one of the blades cracked and flew off. It just missed my upper radiator hose and A/C freon line but managed to shoot right thru my hood. I say go with an electric fan.....with a flex fan I'd be awfully scared to open the hood with the motor running.

 

[X~FACTOR]

Same bad experience here. I bought one and it looked pretty good with the shiny chrome and everything but it did not pull in enough air to cool my radiator. I overheated numerous times before I was convinced it was the flex fan and not the Coolant or Thermostat or Water Pump or Hoses or the Radiator or... I changed just about everything before I switched to electric fans to solve my overheating problem.

 

[Bottomlesspit]

Had a flex fan on my mustang for awhile. It worked just fine, but........you cannot stick your fingers anywhere near it without risking slicing one off. They are VERY sharp and will slice something off before you know it. The fans are also a lot noiser than your clutch fan or electric. Mine was just too dangerous and noisy to be worth anything, so switched it out.
Ken