Winterfronts…Yes? No?

Good piece of cardboard for the few months I need it lol. With a couple of zip ties.

 

Over the years, I've seen some pretty creative winter fronts. Mud flaps, road maps, palm leaves, (ha, I made that last one up) I had shutters on my Western Star, but always had a winter front on my Pete, mostly for idling, I'd close it up, as I heard, running a diesel too cool can build up contaminants in the oil, not to mention, no heat.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4438745]Over the years, I've seen some pretty creative winter fronts. Mud flaps, road maps, palm leaves, (ha, I made that last one up) I had shutters on my Western Star, but always had a winter front on my Pete, mostly for idling, I'd close it up, as I heard, running a diesel too cool can build up contaminants in the oil, not to mention, no heat.[/QUOTE]

Also more ring wear in a cold engine.

 

Well I used to, but I found my truck pulls way better with the winter front removed, the charge air cooler is more effective. However, if I'm going to leave it running over night (-30 or colder) then I put it back on.

 

Usually anything at or around 0, I break out the cardboard. Last year it was most the winter. Only had to once this year. -20 in Minnesota.

 

They don't really do anything on my truck. Might keep the salt off my rad I suppose.

The cardboard on the grills....I thought that was where they kept their "traveling need money" signs.

 

Yes. I put it on when the temps get close to zero. My truck came with the OEM winter front when I bought it new. Mine is pre-egr, but I read an article in one of the trucking industry rags about a year ago that they were stating that the DPF equipped engines were experiencing fewer problems in cold weather on those trucks that used the winter front. I have no clue if that is true, just stating what I read.

Interesting that in Alaska, all of the trucks had shutters in front of the radiator. Temp controlled. When temps got down to a predetermined level, usually 0F, the shutters would vary in how much they closed. Same exact thing as a winter front, but fully automatic. OEM must have thought they were a good thing to have, as they put them on. They were not aftermarket. Any truck today can have these shutter systems factory installed on any truck. Just that no one seems to know or even ask about them.

I have even used winter fronts on my personal pickups since I first started using them in Alaska when I moved up there back in '82. I live back in Iowa now, but still use them. I have a real nice custom made one for my 2013 pickup with a 5.3L gas engine. Snaps right on when I want it and easy to take off when I don't. Closable flaps to adjust how much air flow I want thru it.

 

Where do you get the Auto Winter Fronts? I have a Glider Coronado and at idle, during the winter, I am lucky to get above 150 Thankfully I have an apu When I go down the road, temp jumps from 175 to 195 usually. I am told my radiator is too big...