Adding grill mesh ahead of active shutters in bumper?

[Jim Lewis]

the shutters are designed to ONLY active(open) when CHARGING, and fans run loud, as the battery is heating up...

I had a plastic bag sucked into the air intake in a grocery store parking lot after I returned to the truck, probably sitting in 130F to 140F parking lot heat (asphalt parking lots get a lot hotter than the weather service air temperature). Fortunately, the bag got stuck wrapped around one of the grille crossbars. But the compressors were on, the fans roaring away, and the air intake louvers open. And I wasn't doing any charging in the grocery store parking lot.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...in-truck-compressor-air-intake-grating.19885/

I have a '23 Lightning ER with the Max Tow Package, so maybe the dual compressors make a difference in louver behavior?

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[dustintinsley]

They need to be the thiner or smaller zip ties, on the sides of the clips there are gaps that you can run them through

Thanks! Went out and had another run at it and got them in there. Going at an angle from the front toward on of the corners seemed to do the trick.

 

[KurtsRPMGarage]

Maybe an extreme case but a recent job I was contracted on had me driving around an alfalfa field that was about 2 feet high in places. I added the custom car grills mesh grill as an effort to keep junk out of the radiator. Sadly it was not 100% effective despite me going as slow as possible. Afterwards I had to cut the zip ties off and vacuum out a handful of flowers, leaves, etc…. No matter I’m sure it did help and cut down 50-75% on debris getting in there. I just wish ford made it easier to access to clean out, especially around the edges.

 

[b.go]

how did you get the zip ties through the upper brackets? I can not seem to run mine through any of the brackets due to the straps already there. any suggestions on how you did it?

Has anyone in an area prone to heavy snow installed this? I'm just wondering if it will get caked with ice and snow and be more of an issue. Thanks

 

[dustintinsley]

I live in New England so will find out. But I think it should be fine.

 

[brewski]

the shutters are designed to ONLY active(open) when CHARGING, and fans run loud, as the battery is heating up...

there are not designed to 'open' any other time...
they are ALWAYS closed when driving...

Mmm, I don't think this is the case.
Example: when I am putting on my tennis shoes at the frunk, with the truck on while I'm jamm'n to some tunes...they are open. If I drop a sock, it feels like it may get sucked in.

 

[Iroc34a]

Radiator Grill guard and a Snap Plate . Works just fine.

 

[Iroc34a]

Mmm, I don't think this is the case.
Example: when I am putting on my tennis shoes at the frunk, with the truck on while I'm jamm'n to some tunes...they are open. If I drop a sock, it feels like it may get sucked in.

Yeah , pretty sure if the truck is on and AC running, grill is open and cooling

 

[H8N-8NT-EZ]

There have been several very strong and adamant comments that the shutters stay closed while moving, however my truck is reporting the shutters are open while moving. Once up to speed like 55 MPH+ they are closed but the OBD2 with carscanner shows the shutters being partially open until then.

 

[Iroc34a]

There have been several very strong and adamant comments that the shutters stay closed while moving, however my truck is reporting the shutters are open while moving. Once up to speed like 55 MPH+ they are closed but the OBD2 with carscanner shows the shutters being partially open until then.

Probably temperature dependant?
Was it really hot out ?

 

[21st Century Truck]

I just did a search and found your post. I came across this little fella the other day and am taking a chance on it. Mostly for aesthetics, but also some level of protection against an errant rock or debris. Otherwise it's just a big, gaping maw on the front of the truck.

Should be here this week:


https://www.radiatorgrillstore.com/product-page/2022-2023-ford-lightning-ev-radiator-grilles

The install video is a bit.....hokey but it does the job:

I just got my Radiator Grille mesh screen, installing it today. Thanks!

 

[21st Century Truck]

I just got my Radiator Grille mesh screen, installing it today. Thanks!

So I want to improve future users' experience when installing this worthwhile front opening rock & debris grille.

My Radiator Grille package had nine Zip ties. I used one for the temporary horizontal "handle" as per the installation video. I used all the other eight to secure the top of the new plastic grille to the four metal trim hasps, two Zip ties per metal clip... in the RG mounting video, the installer only uses one Zip tie per metal hasp.

I found the metal hasps (gray on my truck) work well as front brace points for the top face of the RG plastic grille, and the four black plastic trim male tongues clipped into these metal hasps then serve as good vertical top (ceiling) brace points for the plastic RG grille. Braced to the front and to the top in this way, the plastic added grille can't move / bounce / bend up and out of its holding groove at the bottom of the radiator opening. See the attached picture. In the picture, you can just see the base of the flat horizontal plastic trim tongue locked into the metal hasp, between my two Zip ties, and the top of the plastic RG grille lined up against both the metal and the black plastic OEM pieces.

Also, I found that we can insert two Zip ties into each metal hasp, one at each side of the in-place black plastic tongue (also see the attached picture). Eight Zip tie points are of course better than four Zip tie points, for peace of mind over the life of this truck.

Another difference between my installation and the RG installation video: I found it easier to first insert each Zip tie into its place on the truck mount points, two per metal hasp, and then afterwards to loop them through the plastic RG grille's top row of loops to finally snug the Zip ties up. The spacing of the RG grille's loop openings is then pretty obvious... on my truck they lined up at the 4th and 5th plastic grille loop holes from either end, and then at the ninth and tenth loop opening inward from the outer loop holes.

Final comment: during prep I looked into the whole radiator opening. The radiator is mounted at a severe angle beyond 45 degrees, more flat than upright, and there was already crud in there like leaves and clods of clay which I cleaned out with a stick. IMHO, this is an excellent reason to install this mod earlier rather than later.

Hope this helps future installers of the RG grille.

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