The originals were Behr. I would stick with them. On my 400 radiator I had a fitment problem. The parts house gave me one with an extra plastic flange that ran all the way down the left edge. I had to remove it with a hack saw. I probably could have exchanged it, but I needed the car back asap and it was identical to my original in every other way. Wrong end-cap perhaps?

It isn't all that bad of a job. You will need to loosen the A/C condenser and fans on the front of the car. I think they tilt forward a bit and then lift out of a slot in the bottom of the radiator. At that point they are just enough forward to clear the radiator. There is a little bracket underneath that supports an A/C line that needs to be separated. (The bracket separates, not the A/C line.)

There is a special tool that helps hold the fan pulley stationary while you use a hex wrench in the end of the fan clutch to R&R the clutch. My local independent MB shop was nice enough to loan me one for the afternoon. (They sold me the fan clutch.)

Regarding the fan being imbedded in the radiator. I have no experience there, but at least you don't have to preserve the old radiator. You can probably cut some of the tubes for access. I think there is spring wound up on the face if the clutch. That spring probably came loose and is what you see snagging the radiator.

Again, good luck with the project!

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02 S500
92 500SL
92 400E (Sold)
87 300E (Sold)
83 300D Turbo (Sold)
75 300D (Sold)
74 240D (Sold after 20 years)