Winter grille cover?

   / Winter grille cover? #1  

MattLynch

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Messages
343
Location
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Tractor
2015 MF 5612
Does anyone use grille covers during the winter? Even when my tractor is plugged in it takes a very long time before I get cab heat and the temp gauge never goes above 1/4 when it is below 0. My truck will do the same thing without a cover but it came with one from factory as well as a supplemental electric heater to warm the cab right away. I don't see anything in my maunual and the dealer wasn't sure either so I may go with some old fashioned cardboard. Anyone heard of actual grille covers for tractors?
 
   / Winter grille cover? #2  
For my Dodge cummins i found some 2x2 corrugated plastic (same design as cardboard, but in plastic) use for 'yard sale' signs from lowes.. I then cut a hole in the middle then put it in front of the radiator..

Brian
 
   / Winter grille cover? #3  
Matt, I did some digging and wasn't able to find anything either. Cardboard, heavy canvas, etc will all work well enough. Heck...paint the cardboard green... LOL
 
   / Winter grille cover?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Matt, I did some digging and wasn't able to find anything either. Cardboard, heavy canvas, etc will all work well enough. Heck...paint the cardboard green... LOL

Lol, thanks. I will probably go with cardboard. Last night it was -20 and after and hour of running I still didn't have heat. Kinda sucks my tractor only has heat when its warm!
 
   / Winter grille cover? #5  
I have a piece of luon/luan basically 1/4inch plywood precut to fit my machines, makes a big difference. Slips infront of the radiator cut so that it will still allow some air through
 
   / Winter grille cover? #6  
not sure how you guys are set up, but reading this page gives me an idea. I have a screen that slides in front of the radiator, why not just replace the screen with some thin cardboard (like the leftover clothing boxes from xmas)? My screen only gets anything on it in summer when I am going through something seedy, so I doubt it is necessary now. Just have to make holes larger as you go until you find the right size that you aren't overheating.
 
   / Winter grille cover? #7  
Mikehaugen, that is the way I do it with my nortac dozer works nice.
 
   / Winter grille cover? #8  
I'm sort of cheap: I use an old pig food sack. Inserted between the grill guard and the grill.
 
   / Winter grille cover?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
I'm sort of cheap: I use an old pig food sack. Inserted between the grill guard and the grill.

Whatever works! I ended up covering about 1/4 of the rad with cardboard and it helped. I didn't want to cover too much in case we get a few warmer days this winter.
 
   / Winter grille cover? #10  
Yep, in extreme cold. A piece of cardboard slides into the slot in place of the radiator debris screen. I'd never cover it completely but in temps near zero cover about 3/4 of it.
 

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