I'm in the shopping stages for a new F-150 , possible I wait for 16's because I'm not finding many loaded with longer bed. I'm looking for a KR or up 4X4 supercrew with 6.5' bed. My question is on the new tech packages offered will these systems be affected by a grill guard ? I have noticed in pictures that some have a camera in the front grill and sensors that could get blocked by some grill guards.


Thanks,
cwtex04

 

The camera will be the least of your problems. As far as I know, none of the bumpers or guards on the market are compatible with the front radar, so you'll lose collision warning, self parking, and I've read that it even disables the cruise control completely.

I think making it work would require someone to make a bumper that allowed you to relocate the radar module onto the bumper itself. Of course, someone will do that wrong, have an accident, and blame the bumper manufacturer, which is maybe why no one makes one.

Then again, I'm surprised at how few off-road companies seem to care about making anything for the F150.

 

You could probably get away with it on a XL or XLT, but Leikos is right on the additional concerns. Sensors are making life less and less fun. I had a customer get a Transit van with backup sensors and then after the fact he put a step on the rear... guess what goes off at full tone every time he is in reverse....

 

Not quite the same problems but.....

I put a big Ranch Hand guard on my 2009 a couple of months after I got it (for protection against the numerous deer on south GA highways), and it didn't take me long to regret it.
There is the cost of the guard, installation, and front sagged so much I then had to buy a leveling kit. The main thing I disliked was the look, ugly. I personally think grill guards are unattractive, but that is subjective. There was a time when they were very trendy, but I see fewer of them now days.
I also firmly believe it decreased my fuel economy but I don't have sufficient data to confirm it.

I did not put a grill on the new SuperDuty for which I traded. I am happier without it. The camera and radar concerns are even more damning.