A/C Condensor Guard

[LPChristensen]

Being an old worry-wart, I was always concerned about the A/C condenser being so exposed to boots/rocks and road debris. I liked the look of the polished stainless steel MPC Grille Guards offered my Geno's Garage, but I wanted more protection for the entire front of the condenser, so I was leaning toward getting the guard offered by TDR member Brad Kilby of Kilby Enterprises in Burbank, CA. It occurred to me that one was more decorative and one was more functional, so the two together might be just the ticket. I put both guards on my truck in about an hour and I am very pleased with the look and the protection. A big thanks to both Brad Kilby and to Geno's, both were quality products! When I got all done and closed the hood, I didn't like the way the front of the stainless steel showed up through the grill, so I think I will paint the front part of the stainless steel black and leave the top as is. But that is a project for another day---#ad

 

[Bill Littlefield]

no pics?

Thanks for the info. Did you really expect to get away without posting any pictures of the install? Shame on you.

 

[ImagesThatSing]

Built My own and added a bug Screen

After building our own from and old shopping card and and sheet metal, I riveted a couple of strong clips to hold a bug screen.



Link to Hood Up Image

 

[LPChristensen]

Bill, If I could figure out how to post a picture, I would. I have learned how to e-mail pictures, but this forum seems a little confusing. When I hit the "IMG" button, I get a tool bar that says"Explorer User Prompt" and I have no idea what that does, sorry---

 

[ImagesThatSing]

Originally posted by LPChristensen

Bill, If I could figure out how to post a picture, I would. I have learned how to e-mail pictures, but this forum seems a little confusing. When I hit the "IMG" button, I get a tool bar that says"Explorer User Prompt" and I have no idea what that does, sorry---

I believe you have to have the picture posted somewhere on the internet, or your computer needs to be connected all the time to the internet.



If you have posted your pictures to the internet, then you type in the url and the name of the picture.



If I had a picture at the site ImagesThatSing.com and it was under the images directory, and I named the picture radiator.jpg



I would put in the promtp http://www.imagesthatsing.com/images/radiator.png





When you click ok that will post the code.



Clear as mud huh.....

FWIW



now the above will Look like a link rather than a picture, because it was an example. It is connected to nothing, just illustrative.

 

[ray1933]

Insert Photo

Just scroll this page down to where it says insert file, click on browse and it will let you add any photos that you have stored on your PC, that is if they are not to large a file.

 

[ray1933]

Insert Photo

I should have made that prior post clearer. I was referring to the page where you write your posts to the list. Clear as mud now, right.

 

[Kilby]

Larry, I saw your pic the of the install but I can't find that link anymore. Can you PM the link to me? I'll post the pic too if you'd like. Btw, the two items together looked great.



EDIT: Here's Larry's pic



#ad

 

[Bill Littlefield]

attaching picture

There is an easy way to attach a picture. At the bottom of the screen where you write your reply message, the last field is labeled "Attach file:" Next to it is a "Browse" button.



In the simplest terms do the following:



1) Click "Browse"

2) Locate a .jpg file (picture) on your computer

3) Double click on the file you want to attach

4) The TDR system will walk you through the rest of the image upload process



Notes related to numbers above:

1) First take a picture and save it on your computer or have it in an external drive as a .jpg type file. Be sure to save the image small. It is limited to 32,000 bytes (or 32 kbytes). There is also a maximum dimension limit. I can't remember for sure but I think it is 4"x6". It doesn't matter because if you try to attach a file that is too large, it gives you an error message and lets you try again with a smaller image. You do have to have software on your computer that allows you to change the size of an image. Most PC's come with this in one form or another.

2) The browse button can be used like a file manager to locate any file accessible by your computer. It can be on your C:/ drive or an external drive like A:/, E:/ or F:/, etc. This means you need to know where you have the file saved before you can upload it.

3) You can select the image and then click on OK.

4) If you get an error message, you can reduce the TDR upload screen and use another program to change the image size. You can then return to the TDR upload screen and try again. You should not have to start all over at the beginning.



An alternate method is to attach it in your reader's rig gallery. I wont go into those details here.



Hope this helps some.

 

[Bill Littlefield]

Late... They do look great!

I see the reply I started earlier but got interupted before I could finish is now late. Sorry.



The too items look really good together. Thanks for posting the picture.

 

[nickleinonen]

TTT

http://community.webshots.com/album/101009905zukxrI



the above link has some pictures of an a/c condensor guard that i am in the process of making. there is a lip on the top and bottom to protect the top/bottom of the condensor. i still need to paint it up and weld on some brackets to mount it with the same hardware that the factory condensor brackets are mounted at, but this is my take on this condensor guard. so far, i have less than $50 CDN invested into this. i had a friends local metal shop bend up the angled sheet metal for me, and the wire mesh is left over from an other project that never was completed [it was homedepot's wire mesh 24"x24"]



i will update the pictures when i get it completed. .

 

[lschultz]

Larry we got to have something over the condenser around her to keep them bugs out of there. Grasshoppers were real bad this summer as usual. I got one of those guards from Brad Kirby too. I could of made one but did not take the time.

 

[Kilby]

I've been meaning to come out here and let everyone know that we have the covers in stock but I keep forgetting. I guess now is a good time.

http://www.kilbyenterprises.com/

 

[TCDiesel]

Condenser

,I would check around before I would put a screen or any type of covering right in front of it,I think DC put the condenser up front for a reason. Take a Dennis racket and swing it ,Now put a screen on it you would be surprised at the restriction of the that screen. It is cooled by how fast air can travel though it. Volume can affect it but not as much.

 

[lschultz]

Kirby Screen now

Have had some type of screen over the condenser since they came out with the new style in 95 and never had any problems with temp above what it normally runs. I got tired of them big grasshoppers putting dents in the condenser fins and having to clean them out. It's your truck you can do what you want but DC has designed things wrong in the past and they continue to.

 

[TCDiesel]

Screen

Almost all auto makers put the condenser right up front with no protection. I do like the one kilby had.

 

[frijole]

Watch the A/C guy screw things up!

Preface: I have over 35 years in the air conditioning/ refrigeration trade, as a mechanic. Problem: The first two passes and the last two pases are the most important passes in the entire condenser, and the condensing function. The first two dump the most heat due to delta T, The last two perform subcooling which makes or breaks the efficiency of the system. Blocking either of these areas causes the entire system to run at elevated temps, compromising the overall effiency of the system. If you don't have before/after gauges on the system, there is NO way you can tell what these bug/rock guards are doing to you. The good? part is yes, it'll run, and cool. The bad part is it'll fail prematurely, long before it should. (due to excessive head pressures, constantly). You guys on this site have the ability to build some of the prettiest stuff on the planet, and my hat's off to you. But I would'nt feel right if I didn't chime in and lay it on the line. My suggestion would be to use simple 1/4 mesh galvanized or stainless hardware cloth mounted directly behind the grill. I know, I know, what about the yahoos crawling around under your hood that smash the finned surface? (myself included)...

I use a piece of 1" foamboard anytime I'm under the hood, to protect said surface. If the truck has to go to the dealers for work, THEN put on some fashion of guard to keep their monkeys from damaging the finned surface. Sorry to lay this on you guys, but like I said, HAD TO DO IT... . Ron

 

[TCDiesel]

Re: Watch the A/C guy screw things up!

frijole, I was hoping a professional A/C person would share their knowledge and experience.

 

[frijole]

Thanks TWest. I just hope the rest of those using or intending to use a guard of some sort read this. I don't mean to knock the guys who are building these things, they look really cool. BUT, they raise all kinds of havoc within the A/C system, most severely at slow speed on a hot day. Ron

 

[TBrennan]

I built a guard out of 1. 5" angle iron that is mounted to existing holes. It doesn't contact the AC condenser and only covers a little bit of the top of it. It seems to my unexperienced eye that there would be enough room for adequate air flow under it for the small amount that is covered. One could even remove almost all of the front part of the angle iron because it really isn't necessary to keep bellies and thighs off the AC condenser.