The dangers of winter fronts?

[Cooker]

FWIW - I prefer the Lund grill covers.

 

[DToy]

I've used Eric's grill covers also. Must be about the fourth or fifth winter and no problems, they work good.

Yup, another vote for Eric's covers. I bought some for my '99 and loved them, then I sold my '99 recently and got an 04. 5 - after one week of driving in this cold weather I purchased a set from Eric for it. I live close so I picked up both sets from Eric's parents. Great People, Great Product. Relatively cheap, easy to install/uninstall. I have been very happy with them, plus I'd rather support a fellow TDR member than a corporation somewhere.

 

[CTD12V]

Thanks for the info on Eric's grille covers.



I notice several of you say you take off your covers when the temp gets above 40. The problem with Colorado (at least along the Front Range) is the stupid fluctuation in temperatures. It can't just get cold and stay cold all winter. It can be in the teens in the morning and 45 by afternoon, and it can be below zero one week and 50 two weeks later, or one week later on really lousy winters. There's no way I'm going to be taking covers on and off every time the weather changes in the winter. It sounds like those of you that run them with warmer temps haven't hurt anything, so . . . is there anybody who has (or knows someone who has) actually damaged anything by running a winter front above 40 degrees? Obviously if I was highly bombed or towing really heavy that would be different.



Thanks for all your input,



CTD12V

 

[RRees]

I have an 06 with the MOPAR winter/cold front. It's nice because it doesn't have to removed until it gets really warm out.



It has four flaps that can be individual velcro'd shut or open. I think I paid around $100. 00 for it, but the convenience and ease of adjustment made it worth that, to me anyway.

 

[Cooker]

I have run in temps well above 40 degrees. No problems at all. As long as you do not run the AC/Defrost and your engine temps stay in check I would not worry about it.

 

[McLaughlin]

Two more things:



McLaughlin, did you install the new, revised 160 degree T-stat on your truck?



Thanks guys.



CTD12V

Actually, I don't really know if it is a revised T-stat or not and really don't even remember if the temp was 180 or 190 but know it was a 160. I believe it was a 180 which I picked up at Rocky Mountain Cummins while in Denver and didn't ask if it was revised or not.



According to the dash gauge, temp cycles at about 180 so it is either a 180 or my gauge is off by 10 degrees (which wouldn't surprise me).



I'm glad you asked the questions regarding the cold weather front since I'm thinking about installing one also.



Regarding the Ebrake, I decided that a brake job on the truck was going to be pretty expensive anyhow so I went ahead and bought an Ebrake to try and delay the cost of fixing the normal brakes. Can't say if it is helping much but I usually don't have to brake until I moving at 20mph or less now.

 

[dpuckett]

CTD12V- if you're having heating probelms, and MPGs are through the floor along with gutlessness, I'd suggest checking your timing. With no key, the gear can slip on the shaft, and retard your timing. I did some research for a friend's dad's 97 several years ago, and this was the conclusion I came to. He was having similar symptoms. He just put some cardboard in there and ran it like that.



That said, even after being plugged in, my 92 wont put out a lot of heat til the temp gauge gets to halfway to normal operating range. I have put cardboard bewteen the rad and IC, to no avail. I took it out.



I'll trade ya winters. So far, all I've needed here is my mud boots. I miss Colorado's DRY weather.



Daniel

 

[Miner49er]

I've used Eric's covers myself last year during the cold months here in northern Nevada ( they work fine and look great),but we also experience extreme fluctuation in temps in the early spring and late fall.

I purchased a set of Lund grill covers that fit my rig. They have a smaller design hole pattern. It serves a duel purpose... They serve as a quasi-winter cover and do a good job in keeping the "bugs" out of the fins... and they don't look half bad... I leave them on all year.

 

[CTD12V]

Thanks for the continued input, everyone.



DPuckett, I too have wondered about the timing, but I haven't gotten it checked yet. My power steering/brakes just started repeatedly puking fluid yesterday and I can't even hardly steer or brake, so now I have to figure that out and get that fixed. Seems like I can never get this truck to where it needs to be before I start bombing. :{ But that's a different post, I guess.



Thanks,



CTD12V

 

[Silver_Ram]

I had the LUND front cover, didn't like it. Bought Eric's, I like them better. We have been unusually cold, so I covered all 4 holes in the grille for the first time, truck maintains temps better. I monitor the intake air temp on the attitude monitor, they never get above 90 degrees. When the temps stay above 25, I am going back to running the top 2 covers only.

 

[Cooker]

I had the LUND front cover, didn't like it. Bought Eric's, I like them better.

I fell just the opposite. What did you not like about the Lund's? Would you like to sell them? I have another truck that I could use a winter front.



Thanks

 

[steved]

I have the Lund convers (the cheaper, black lexan versions) and they seem to work well... installing them makes the truck warm up in half the distance than without. My mileage is up substantially since I put them on just a week ago!



I look at it this way, it is winter and the truck is dirty most of the time... they don't need to look good as long as they are functional.



steved

 

[bighammer]

OK, this is going to sound really nasty, but I cover the grille of my 94 with duct tape. If trimmed nicely, it really doesn't look bad, lasts the season, and is cheap, disposable, and doen't cover too much. The 4 openings are narrow enough that 2 strips for each is enough to cover.

 

[WDixon27]

red green would be proud :-laf

OK, this is going to sound really nasty, but I cover the grille of my 94 with duct tape. If trimmed nicely, it really doesn't look bad, lasts the season, and is cheap, disposable, and doen't cover too much. The 4 openings are narrow enough that 2 strips for each is enough to cover.

 

[CTD12V]

OK, this is going to sound really nasty, but I cover the grille of my 94 with duct tape. If trimmed nicely, it really doesn't look bad, lasts the season, and is cheap, disposable, and doen't cover too much. The 4 openings are narrow enough that 2 strips for each is enough to cover.

:-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf That's pretty funny. I'd have to say it's not a bad idea though, if it doesn't start peeling off on its own. Do you have any pics of the duct taped grille? BTW, that's a nice looking '94! Were those Power Wagon wheels you put on, or just the regular 3rd Gen alloys?

 

[Silver_Ram]

I have the SPORT grille, and I just didn't like the attachment method. The set I had, I had to trim the pieces to fit the grille because of the way they attached. The bounced around & started scratching the paint on the grille.



I would give them to someone, but the were sent to the local landfill right after I bought the set from Eric...

 

[TORQUE THIS]

I got my grill cover from Cabelas. Winter front and a screen front. It uses snaps that are adhesive backed. Had it for 5 years now and looks like new. The screen is on whenever I take the winter cover off.

It's made by Fia. There are pics on Cabelas site. Look under Truck / Grill inserts.

 

[bighammer]

:-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf That's pretty funny. I'd have to say it's not a bad idea though, if it doesn't start peeling off on its own. Do you have any pics of the duct taped grille? BTW, that's a nice looking '94! Were those Power Wagon wheels you put on, or just the regular 3rd Gen alloys?

No pics with the duct tape. (I have to confess, I didn't tape it this year and it sucks because the snow from the plowing is getting in and freezing up the hood latch linkage) The pictures in my gallery don't really show it because of all the now piled on the bumper from bustin' deep drifts. #ad


The wheels are the factory alloys off my 03. After getting the H2 wheels I thought I'd try the 315s on the old truck. Rubs a little at full lock, but otherwise good. (even with the bumper and plow)

Check out the Mopar custom trim-to-fit cold front for my 03. I found it in a dumpster behind the dealership. Can't beleive they throw away good stuff like that. #ad


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[CTD12V]

Yeah, I've seen the ones from Cabelas in their catalog. They look like a pretty nice unit, if I was going to get one that covered everything on the outside.

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Check out the Mopar custom trim-to-fit cold front for my 03. I found it in a dumpster behind the dealership. Can't beleive they throw away good stuff like that. #ad




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Man alive, Bighammer, you couldn't have got the logo to fit better if you had custom painted it. :-laf Don't let the dealer see that or they'll probably want to bill you for $467. 18!

 

[David_VT]

I have a piece of paneling with an 8" hole in the center. I pop the hood and just slide it down in front of the radiator. I've used it since the winter of 99. Cheap, effective and works well. It started out with duct tape on the edges, etc but that is all long gone.

Only problem is when our climate starts to warm up and I fail to watch the temp gauge... .

Between that and the 3 cyl idle, the green monster warms up well enough.