[Saltsman]

Thanks everybody! Fast feedback.

Diesel Dave... I had read the first and third of your posts three or four times previously. My rig has fog lights so number 2 isn't an option anyway, but still a clever idea.

Your grille block was my inspiration. I think i'm going to make lower grille block like yours (or buy that part) and seal up the lower area. The cooling fins catch a lot of bugs and grass and stuff down there anyway when I'm doing ranch driving. I don't have a way to test this other than to do it.

I'll start by fully blocking the upper quadrants on the upper grille, save the CAI scoop. My permanent block will cover the area shown in the picture below with my temporary foam strips. Given how many heat exchangers I need to cool with 110+ degree summer heat and the importance of the transmission cooler to my savings account, I think I'll leave the lower quadrant open in the summer. That is roughly the center of the grille area so that should help if the fan does come on.

I'm going to tinker around with a quickly removable block for the lower quadrants. I'm confident I can cover them in the winter, but would need to pull them off when it heats up in April - September. U-bolts permanently attached with wing-nuts or something so I can quickly pull them during those 90 degree winter days and put them back on when it get back to the 30's.

As for the pipe insulation between the lights, hood and the bumper flaring... any reason that idea shouldn't be used to help close the gap between the cab and the bed? The 1.5" insulation fits in there nice and snug. I don't think it would rub the paint down and it has plenty of flex for the bed to move around as needed. It's not the most dirty area on the truck, but for a $1.25, why not?