Painted my grill today. Had some before shots (or so I thought). It was the chromed outside with the grey colored insides. Looked terrible. Here are a few pics.

 

I agree, looks MUCH better now. I think being ford owners we can picture what the old grill looked like without a picture.

Looks even better with a stainless insert, and the diesel would like running warmer. I know, I know, it also costs more.

 

Thanks. I was a little worried when I decided to paint it and thought if it looks lousy I could just take all the paint off and it would all be chrome looking. I was impressed when I put it on. Best of all it cost less than $25.00.

I had a grill cover but all it showed was part of the bars and I think it blocked off too much air. I would like some inserts though, but first is going to be some gauges. It's only money though.

 

I believe in the 05's and later they had that option of a painted grill to match the color of trucks. IMO that does look better than the blaw gray look.

I also added a metal screen mesh right behind the grill to catch all the bugs and rocks that come thru the grill. Works well and you can't really see it.

 

I have thought of doing that as well because of how wide open that grill is. It has always made me rather nervous about something coming through.

What did you use for screen? Something like whats in a screen door?

 

Yep, the silver metal mesh. You can usually buy it at a glass shop that makes window screen, or I think hardware stores(Canadian tire) usually sell it for repair fixes. I used small screws with washers along the bottom, and simply cut at the top after I put the grill back in. The screws that hold the grill in on top also help hold the screen on. Most bugs usually wash off, but those that don't, it only takes a minute to remove the grill to be able to brush and wash the rest off. I also don't have the fog lights and mounted the lic plate lower, and fixed a heavier stainless mesh into the bottom opening to stop rocks. If the thinner screen rips with heavy rocks I may even replace with the thicker stainless mesh, but at over $11 a square ft. for the stainless mesh, I opted to try the thinner for now. It has seemed to hold up well over the summer travel season. The snow and gravel will be the true test tho.

 

Lookin' good!

That mesh is a good idea. I used some on my daily driver (not a Ford ) when I had my grille insert in. I think the mesh was some type of garden mesh, I just found it in my shed. Basically it was plastic mesh that I just traced the insert around and snipped the outline with sidecutters. I then stuck it between the insert and stock grille. It's not as tight as a weave as like a screen door mesh, so I don't think it would do much good against bugs etc. I put it on there to hide the "honeycomb" stock grille, and it worked from a distance.

 

Very nice Chris......

 

Chris the gril looks great, hows the 6.uhoh () been treating ya??

Eric that grill looks good too!

 

Have had an issue or two but I think they are mostly previous owner issues. Even with issues I love it. I don't think I will ever go back to a gas job.

 

I hear ya loud and clear. There is just something about a diesel that ya fall in love with. I will always have a gasser around (for them times when it gets really cold in the winter and the psd MIGHT not start, even with it being plugged in).
Hopefully no major issues either bud!