Bumper air hole screens?

[geusterman]

Anybody seen a good quality "hole-filler" in the front bumper to protect the cooling equipment from rocks? I have a screen hanging in front of the radiators but a screen does not protect against rocks on backroads. Thanks in advance. George

 

[jerryrigg]

If you search around you'll find alot of people make their own. I bought a piece of steel "security door" screen from Home Depot for $14. 50 to make mine. I made screens for the bumper holes, the grill and also used it to make a internal screen for my BHAF. It's strong enough to handle just about any rocks you will encounter.



-Nieman

 

[Steve Campbell]

illflem says...

go to the junk yard and buy a damaged grill, cut the parts down to fit the smaller bumper holes.

 

[illflem]

I made inserts from part of a broken stock honeycomb grill, free from the junkyard. By the time a Ram makes it to the junkyard the grill is usually in several pieces.

There is also an outfit that sells these premade, sorry don't have their address.

 

[JKing]

Try http://www.unusualauto.com .

 

[dresslered]

I use the grill inserts available from www.unusualauto.com as Jking suggests and have been very happy with them. The silver ones match the OEM honeycomb grill perfectly.

 

[geusterman]

You guys are great. Thanks a lot and I will get started on the project. George

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Here's another option for you (from an older post of mine):



I replaced the honeycomb in my grill with a stainless steel wire mesh from Stull. They also make inserts for the bumper openings which will stop bugs from getting into the intercooler and A/C condensor there as well. They also do a great job of stopping rocks and pebbles from getting to the radiators. They have a close to stock look (only better IMO) and don't look like add ons at all. I bought mine through Summit Racing - www.summitracing.com , part #STU-2001 for the grill and #STU-2004 for the bumper inserts. The bugs (or bug parts) that pass through these screens seems to be small enough to pass right through the intercooler/condensor/radiator. Here's a picture of what they look like:



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[geusterman]

Steve-those are cool and look a lot tougher that the plastic ones. I have a screen over the rads and will see how long the plastic ones last (ordered yesterday). Stainless ones look permanent. Thanks for your post. George

 

[RedRamer]

Home Depot has this galvanized 1/4" screen mesh in rolls.

It's in the door/window dep't and might be the same stuff mentioned above.

Good and stiff and you can slide a piece from top of rad to bottom air holes. tie wrap it in.

 

[fortunate1]

Steve's definitely look the best! illflem's idea is a good one; I tried but couldn't find a junked grill. So I ended up with a piece of PVC gutter guard (to keep leaves out). I cut it to fit behind the holes and "glued" some screen to the back of each piece with paintable rubber (for tool handles, etc. ) to keep even the small stuff out.

 

[sberrio]

Stull Bumper inserts

Does anyone know if the Stull inserts(from Summit) work without the grey fog light holder. How do they stay in. My base model doesn't have fog lights or the inserts. Those bumper holes look empty and very inviting for rocks.

THANKS,

simon

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Actually, you have to remove the plastic grey inserts if you have them in order to install them the Stull grills. They come with brackets that you install. The instructions actually tell you to put them behind the bumper. However I found that they fit perfectly putting them in from the front (better than from behind IMO) and with them put in from in front it would be close to impossible for them to get driven through the bumper in an animal strike or an accident and go into your coolers. They come with a selection of brackets and I was able to use the brackets they came with to install them how I did.

 

[sberrio]

Thanks

Thanks Steve!!! I'm going to order them.

simon

 

[geusterman]

Steve--have you noticed any increase in running/towing temperature since putting the stainless guards on? They appear to be somewhat of an air block--about 40% or so solid. Comments? George

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

No, no increase in temps at all and that includes towing 12,000+ lbs in summer heat. The bugs on most guys radiators create far more restrictions than these grills IMO. They're nowhere near 40% solid, in actuality they probably have more open area than the screens that many guys use.

 

[geusterman]

Roger that. That was the info I was looking for. Field experience. Which leads me to ask you to drop into the string on pump life as the question there is "what kind of a real difference will the pusher make" in contributing to the life of the pusher pump and pressure pump. Enough miles on this subject to weigh in a bonifide statement of fact? Thanks. GE