1984 6.9 IDI Radiator Replacement

hey guys, ive gotta change out my radiator. one mechanic said there was a slight crack in it, but didnt get the chance to look at it entirely due to being severely understaffed, (which sucks, hes my favorite mechanic) and another mechanic is worried that letting it run idle for too long will blow the motor the rad's so bad.
So, understanding this truck is almost a complete rebuild, rather than try and just fix and seal the radiator she has, its best and easiest to replace it entirely.
Howweverrr, shes an XLT. A/C, power steering, power brakes, all the fun stuff. I cant find a radiator thats the proper size, nor do i know if theyre interchangable. I know some gas/diesel parts are, but since the only 2 radiators i know for sure would fit are $772, and $939 (depending on where i order from), i dont exactly want to spend a couple hundred on a rad, and then it turns out to be the wrong one. Im also broke, and i think id cry if i spent a ton of money on the wrong part.
with that being said, im currently looking for the big long, 3 row radiator. (O'Reillys said the part number is 432148). I am seeming to only find the short thin, 4 row radiator, that went in base models and smaller diesels.
Is there any way i can find a cheaper radiator that properly fits my truck? even if i have to find a 7.3 IDI rad? im not sure if the 7.3 would fit, but for sake of example, it could be that im searching for the wrong thing and Google pulls up what Google thinks i want.
if anyone knows of a place, or some keyword or universal part number so i can properly search for a 3 row please let me know! ive already found almost everything that i need, like the tie rods, kingpin, and im pretty sure the water pump and power steering pump are right but i have to double check.

The accessories or trim level really don't matter on the radiator.  You just need a good radiator that will shed the heat.

We had a thread that discussed radiators last week and you might want to peruse that.  But the bottom line from what I can tell is that Cold Case and Champion are the recommended brands.  Personally I like as much radiator as I can get, and the Champion 4-row I have fit the bill.

You can go to our page at Documentation/Cooling Systems/Radiator Part #'s and see what Ford part numbers would fit your truck.  But that really won't help much as each of the vendors has their own part numbering system and will tell you which of their radiators fits.

I believe that the AC radiators for IDI stayed the same for all years and body styles. The aluminum replacements are cheaper and some owners prefer them… but there are some with bad experiences too. I personally don’t think I would spend the money on a NEW copper IDI radiator. The cost is ridiculous.

Don’t forget to flush out the rest of your cooling system and be sure to get the coolant with the anti-cavitation additive (or buy the additive to put in standard coolant). This is not the place to scrimp on an IDI. 6.9’s have thicker walls but they cavitate too.