Another Pace427 heading to Vic

[dave295]

Would the stainless steel mesh used in household security screens on windows/doors be any good to protect the radiator.

Cheers
Dave

[Donunder]

I've often thought that the radiators in our cars are vulnerable to damage but the silver alloy screens on some cars that are mounted right on the mouth of the radiator opening seem to me to look like some ugly visual "block" that severely affects the car's attractive front end design.

Dave's security screen suggestion has merit in that most of these screens are black. If you've ever noticed on these screens at home it is possible to see through them to the outdoors, whereas the grey material on others screens restricts this through vision. So then, black for me. It would blend in far better. Also does the mesh need to be as fine as on security or fly screens? We're not trying to keep tiny objects out at the expense of restricting precious airflow.

If your plan is to mount the screen right at the opening, then black less noticeable Crimsafe-type material with a similar strength but of a slightly coarser mesh would seem OK. Preferably, if you're not running pusher fans, mounting the screen a couple of centimetres in front of the radiator body would be ideal, and then the colour becomes immaterial.

Another thing -- Murphy's Law. I have a liquid cooled motorcycle. In one year I had two major hits to the radiator. I put on a radiator guard and five years later it is still pristine and unmarked....

[David Hodgson]

I've used light 1 - 1.2mm? expanded mesh with about a 5mm opening spaced off the radiator about 10mm. If you're radiator is alloy you could use stainless or aluminium. I've used the fluted style not the flat and mounted 180 degrees to what this pic shows. With the lean back angle of the radiator, it is only the thickness of the metal facing the direction of flow.