D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Nice and simple .. that's what I like about you Matt :lol: :lol: :lol:

What a great idea. The look and fit is better than the shade cloth I'm using.

What's the airflow like ???

Cheers
Chippy

[Jim Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jim]

Ahhh ... that is why you are a Moderator and we all are just humble followers. Should I learn from your experience or perhaps just have the two beers and spray a bit of insect repellent around the Prado:?:

But seriously, top stuff Pradogxlv6. Looks easy enough. Anyone got a comparo photo of the 'genuine' article :?:

Jim

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Sounds good to me ... I'm getting really good at re-assembling insects that have tried to pass through two sets of fins ... and failed.

This should keep me busy for most of the weekend ... and I simply won't have time to mow the lawns or weed the garden beds .... Oh well But it is all for our safety

Cheers
Chippy

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Yep ! I had the Toyo original insect screen fitted before the big trip ... and it worked a treat. A couple of weeks ago I took it off to clean in behind it ..... and decided to put it back on ... on the inside. I've used cable ties .. not the original fitting clips .. and it works a treat.

Bugs are stopped - so the protection is still there - and the original chrome grill is on full display.
Its a bit like a pair of Glad Wrap budgie smugglers :lol:

.... but I love the idea of an effective screen that reaches further down ... where the OEM screen doesn't cover.

Cheers
Chippy

[MUMSRIG Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MUMSRIG]

Its a bit like a pair of Glad Wrap budgie smugglers :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

And that my friends is scary.. I have seen Chippy in his Glad Wrap budgie smugglers and it is not a very nice site at all.... :shock: :shock:

Cheers ears,

Eeeewww, thats quite disturbing and not a nice mental picture!!! **puts fingers in ears, closes eyes and starts chanting LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALA **

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Hi Guys and Girls,
If you are fitting the screen to an Update 07/08 GXL onwards you will need to remove the condensor electric fan and cut a relief out of the cloth around the A/C High Side fitting and the A/C liquid line sight glass/HP cutout bracket on the condenser, this so the cloth sits flush to the condenser.

When done tension the cloth a bit to ensure the fan blades clear the cloth and fit the bottom cable ties.

When I fixed the top I did not cable tie the second from LHS hole as it was possible the tie would contact the engine coolant expansion tank hose and chaffe.

[Hubble80 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hubble80]

Just another thought, you can also do something similar to this on the intercooler of a D4D. I did it to an intercooler on a modified WRX once. Worked really well!

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Re:

Buy some screen door mesh

When done tension the cloth a bit to ensure the fan blades clear the cloth and fit the bottom cable ties.

Ok, this is slightly unclear.

Aluminium screen door mesh or shade cloth? I was thinking the mesh until clifton's informative post about the later models. Maybe both work fine?

Michael

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Re: Re:

Buy some screen door mesh

When done tension the cloth a bit to ensure the fan blades clear the cloth and fit the bottom cable ties.

Ok, this is slightly unclear.

Aluminium screen door mesh or shade cloth? I was thinking the mesh until clifton's informative post about the later models. Maybe both work fine?

Michael

Hi Photoprado,
I have used low UV shadecloth for 25 years, by Low UV I mean a less dense mesh can't remember the correct term, I found flyscreen material could not stand up to the job (after many locusts etc. over the Hay plains NSW, SA and Northern Vic).

Too tensioning the cloth, just pull tight from the bottom and cable tie both sides.

Hope this helps a little

[Golly Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Golly]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

In my rig build up you can see I have done this to an 07 GXL, yes I noticed the top of the AC radiator it does get tight and mine gathers a little, but I can live with it, I have used the metal flywire, not shadecloth, so I can only see how mine goes as to whether or not it will stand the test of time. I also did the Intercooler one and it fits nice, again, a temperature test will be on the cards next for me.

[celwar Member Find all posts View Profile Close celwar]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

Also looked at the Toyota bug screen and decided I didn't want the chrome grille covered.
TJM also have a similar design but rejected that for the same reasons.
Based on the previous posts, this is how I did it.
I had some old flywire so removed the grille and roughly cut the metal flywire to the same shape.
Then removed the black bracket at the bottom of the grille and used this to clamp the flywire at the bottom and the sides.
For the top I folded the flywire over the grille retaining screws, put tape over the grille bonnet area (mainly to protect the paintwork) and after trimming any excess, fitted everything back again.
I have some long interstate business trips coming up in the new year so will see how this arrangement goes but seems OK to me and it cost me absolutely nothing.
I will monitor the temperature via the SG and also refine and tidy it up a bit once I have confirmed there are no problems.

[4D4 PRADO 08 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 4D4 PRADO 08]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

Looks good, I might give this method a go. Going to the sunshine state soon, so I should be able to afford this mod.
I'll use some black shade cloth thats in the shed. Cheers.

[4D4 PRADO 08 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 4D4 PRADO 08]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

Job done, I used the shade cloth but will keep a close eye on it as it is flammable, didn't give it a thought till I had finished.
I would recommend a hard core fly wire just to be on the safe side. One of the easy installs to date. It covers the air inlets for the intercooler so I won't need to cover the intercooler. Just hope the shade cloth is safe.

[Golly Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Golly]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

After our Perth/Vic/Perth trip, I can vouch for the metal flywire on the radiator setup like the way I have done it and others. Temps outside reached 41'c across the bite, and the temp guage stayed put, didnt budge a bit. 120kmh for most of it, and with the done the radiator way, its hell easy to clean with a pressure washer. I think that with it behind the grill, you will need to squirt from under the lifted bonnet to flush out the bugs is some get stuck good in there. With it on the radiator, its a simple angle wash down to the floor and there gone. Just my thoughts and observations that is all. Keep ideas coming guys, as it helps our friends here at PP.

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: D.I.Y Radiator / Air condenser bug screen - How too

120kmh for most of it.

Didn't you mean perhaps 110kph? :roll: :shock:

At least NT still has 130kph max speed limits on its Highways.