There's a Ford reason.

[jblc]

Take your thumb and partially block the opening. Is there any less water? Nope. The same amount of water still flows through the smaller opening.
...
Feel free to correct me on any of these.

Hmmm, it doesn't work this way: if it did, then we could put a pinhole only instead for the radiator, and super high-pressure air would be going through it

The difference with the hose is that the pressure of an uncompressible medium (water) is restricted in a hose while under tremendous backpressure. This medium tries to exit somehow.

With air coming to the front of a car, the medium is (a) compressible, (b) unrestricted (it can simply deflect), and (c) there is also not a very high backpressure.

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[aeroshots]

Hmmm, it doesn't work this way: if it did, then we could put a pinhole only instead for the radiator, and super high-pressure air would be going through it

The difference with the hose is that the pressure of an uncompressible medium (water) is restricted in a hose while under tremendous backpressure. This medium tries to exit somehow.

With air coming to the front of a car, the medium is (a) compressible, (b) unrestricted (it can simply deflect), and (c) there is also not a very high backpressure.

I'm picturing my cousin, Bubba, standing in the back of my truck at 45 mph holding only the frame of a screen window into the relative wind. Then saying "y'all watch this" as he raises an intact screened window. Bye Bubba.?

 

[Mastodon]

Hmmm, it doesn't work this way: if it did, then we could put a pinhole only instead for the radiator, and super high-pressure air would be going through it

The difference with the hose is that the pressure of an uncompressible medium (water) is restricted in a hose while under tremendous backpressure. This medium tries to exit somehow.

With air coming to the front of a car, the medium is (a) compressible, (b) unrestricted (it can simply deflect), and (c) there is also not a very high backpressure.

True, but it still happens, otherwise airplanes wouldn’t fly. When air hits a wing, it deflects above and below it. That deflection causes its speed to change

As far as the pinhole grill goes, if a car is sitting at a red light, there’s no air flow over the radiators, which is one of the reasons grilles as are large as they are. But when moving, you get more airflow. Air is compressible, but as long as there is someplace else for it to go, it’s easier for air to move than to compress. Air is a fluid, after all.

The bigger issue is the efficiency of the radiator to transfer heat to the air as it moves over the fins. There’s only so much heat that can dissipate at a time, better radiators dissipating more. Depending on the quality of the condenser, and the setting of the A/C, it could still fall in the good side of that threshold.

I’ll probably be doing some tests with cardboard before spending any money. LV gets hot in the summer.

 

[Jms81661]

I can’t speak to the results of this specifically, because I haven’t done it yet, but I plan to add a winch in that area in the future. These are my thoughts on it:

1) Airflow and cooling. Yes, blocking that opening will reduce the area of airflow, but not necessarily the AMOUNT of airflow. Think about this: take a garden hose and turn it on. A certain amount of water will flow per minute. Take your thumb and partially block the opening. Is there any less water? Nope. The same amount of water still flows through the smaller opening. It’s just at a higher pressure (flow rate) which is why it’ll spray further. Same thing would happen with airflow as it moves around the winch.

More air (apparently) isn’t always better. Look at the front end of the GT350 and GT500.

Despite having a large grille area to work with, both cars restrict the airflow to a small opening in the center. Both of these have high horsepower V8s that (I’d assume) get very hot when driven like they’re supposed to be, yet the limited airflow is adequate. While the Ranger is a very different vehicle, it has a smaller engine and larger grille opening.

2)Radiator blocking. From what I’ve been able to see from looking online (truck’s still in the body shop) the radiator that’s being blocked is actually the A/C Condenser. If any performance is limited, it’s the performance of the A/C. Since the amount of air hitting the condenser should still be similar to stock, I’d expect the A/C to work as normal. But I live in Vegas, where it’s 100° by 8 am, so this would be my biggest concern.

3) ACC. They make relocation kits that move the ACC sensor behind the grille. As long as it’s oriented in the same way, there should be no difference to how the system works being a foot or so higher than stock.

Feel free to correct me on any of these. Of course, there’s other things to consider for a winch too. The extra weight on the front end would change the rake of the truck, which would change the aerodynamics and affect MPGs. The soft stock suspension would also be worked more, creating more nose dive under braking and possibly more body roll. Vehicles are complex systems, and changing one thing will change something else, somewhere else.

You're a "Sinner" and you haven't joined us "Rangers in the Wild" (3 of us)to go wheelin'? WTH??
A/C is a big deal for us out here. I'm gonna leave it open. I don't want to replace A/C compressors every 3 yrs like I had to with my Explorer. They take a beating in this desert heat.
Last week...it was 118 when we were wheelin'. ?
Ck out these off road sites and you can hook up with us "off" the site for a Rangers Only ride. Aka.
"Rangers in the Wild"

the Matterhorn in Logandale

 

[Trigganometry]

I put a putco grille on there about 2 months ago. Just just looking at it today and noticed about 6 rock hits that took the paint off. That’s 6 rocks that didn’t make it to my intercooler or radiator. Think factory should have better protection than nothing at all.

 

[Langwilliams]

I put a small light bar in mine to fill the ugly hole. If it being open was so critical to air flow to prevent overheating the adaptive cruise module wouldn't be put there. My light bar is long an thin I bet it blocks less air than that module.

 

[Mastodon]

You're a "Sinner" and you haven't joined us "Rangers in the Wild" (3 of us)to go wheelin'? WTH??

I’ve only had the truck for 3 months, and it’s been in the shop for almost 2 of them.

Still got a little time to go before I get it back. And then I’ve gotta learn how to drive on-road before I can start driving off-road!

 

[Jms81661]

I’ve only had the truck for 3 months, and it’s been in the shop for almost 2 of them.

Still got a little time to go before I get it back. And then I’ve gotta learn how to drive on-road before I can start driving off-road!

Well it looks almost done. Interesting view of the underside of the bed.?

 

[thewhiteranger]

That's what I was thinking too? Why no grate or anything in front of it.
Putco huh? I shall google it.?

i,also,added the putco grill insert, it just looked unfinished without it and a little protection from road crap couldnt hurt

 

[Trustable]

I 3D printed mine. they're working copies subject to revision. held in with dabs of silicone.
they havent gone anywhere, been knocked out of place or caused me any concerns for any reason since the early part of the year.

but let me tell you, theres lots of guys who have filled their gaps with whatever, lights, winches, flower pots, and they've all done no extensive testing and claim theres zero issues with anything.
it's totally legit. theres no data to back anything up.

I like the idea of 3d printing those. That's pretty sweet.

 

[Jms81661]

I like the idea of 3d printing those. That's pretty sweet.

$$$!!!

 

[Jms81661]

Thats also where the adaptive cruise control module is on vehicles equipped with that feature. So that may be as big a reason as any that it’s left that open.

Nah. They could've built that into the bumper. We got them on our tractors at work. That opening is for air. Plus the adaptive crap is basically a square block, and it's centered. It's probably fine plugging it up with lights and crap, but I will air on the side of caution just because of the extreme desert temps I drive/wheel in. Grill insert will protect it and keep it breathing.

 

[myothercarizahearse]

I’ve only had the truck for 3 months, and it’s been in the shop for almost 2 of them.

Still got a little time to go before I get it back. And then I’ve gotta learn how to drive on-road before I can start driving off-road!

throw on a flat bed and call it done

 

[AzScorpion]

Yeah I just think that opening is there for a reason, and temps up to 118 wheelin' in the desert I do not want to restrict any airflow. Idk how many if them are driving in desert extremes? Phoenix would be the only comparable climate to mine.

I don't have one but I do have the sensor there. I was going to relocate it and put a light bar there but was afraid of blocking air flow. Sure you could get a different intercooler but I didn't want to go down that rabbit hole of mods just for a light bar.

 

[jblc]

True, but it still happens, otherwise airplanes wouldn’t fly. When air hits a wing, it deflects above and below it.

Yeah, exactly, but that was the "deflection" part I was referring to
Deflection around an object is different than entering a small area.
I agree deflection happens, but the back pressure from a cushion of air (in an enclosure) needs to be bypassed, in order to allow air to push into a small opening.

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