Billet Grille questions

[dar636]

Hi, I have a 07 SMB RB50 with the 6.0 diesel and stock bumpers. I want to know who has switched out the stock Ford grille with a billet grille and:

1. Did you see lower ECT and EOT temps?
2. What brand did you buy and where?
3. How do you open the secondary latch on the tightly spaced crossbar versions?

Comments appreciated, thanks in advance! Matt

[Zeta]

In 2011 I found a polished stainless grill on Ebay for $150 or so, much higher quality than the flimsy aluminum versions--it doesn't bend and is still nicely polished. Now, however, they seem to be absurdly expensive: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fits-92-06-Ford ... f1&vxp=mtr



Doubt it did much for temps. For that: viewtopic.php?f=39&t=8542&hilit=cooling

The extension they sent for the hood release was worthless, but I'm easily able to get my hand on the latch itself once the hood is popped.

Yikes, look how new the van looks in the first image.

Z

[yvrr]

We had SMB West install a billet grille in our original build. To get to the secondary latch, I reach in with the handle of a ratchet I keep under the front seat (to remove the Hi-Lift bolted to the front bumper).

[daveb]

I can pop my hood with my little finger.

[Aldercrest]

I have Zeta's previous van, also with a billet grill, and it's not too bad opening the hood latch. Just have to find which gap it's in.

[vlamgat]

If the billet grill is a good idea, then why are they never installed on stock vehicles - even the top of the market bling variety. When I asked this question of a Ford tech at Dearborn he answered thus: Fill a bath with 4 or 5 inches of water; take a kitchen strainer and drag it through the water from end to end. It will function nearly as well as a sauce pan as the compression of the water in front of the mesh will not allow water to flow freely. So it is with a vehicle unless you intend to keep your speed below 5 or 10 mph. The engine has to work harder to cool itself because of the restrictive effects of the small openings through which cooling air needs to pass.

Aircraft and race cars have this problem in spades and solve it with special intake designs aka NACA ducts.

[ANZAC]

I removed a billet grille from my van (long gone, so don't ask).

It was rusting. It was hard to get to the hood release. The edges were sharp. It didn't look very good.

I ended up getting the darker gray version of the stock grille and headlight surrounds to match and it looks great. Honestly can't see the appeal of the billet grilles.

[daveb]

There must be different versions. Mine is billet aluminum, so no rusting issues, isn't sharp
but is fairly tough. Can you powder coat stainless? I wouldn't want anything other than black myself.
As far as air flow, I never have saw a difference but didn't pay attention. I have had it stop rocks
though, so its paid for itself.

[ANZAC]

Oh sorry the release handle was rusting. I'm going senile!

[daveb]

Originally Posted by ANZAC

Oh sorry the release handle was rusting. I'm going senile!

Mine might do that for sure. SMB added a weird little handle extension to it.