It was a rainy sunday and I got the idea after seeing all these "zoodad" mods on f250's and had actually been thinking of this before I saw the mod.
First remove the rubber flap thing, this is by far the hardest part.

Now use the edge of it to make a template for around the wires and air tube on your piece of steel or aluminum.

Cut out the rough shape and bend/ shape to your preference.

Cut the edge off the intake tube so it's flat instead of curved to the side, dremel tool or something, push rag into inlet to avoid plastic getting in air box.

Mock up the piece and drill holes. Test fit grill and make sure everything fits well.

Paint your metal piece, while drying I decided to heat tape the crack where the air box and intake tube snap together. I could see light through the crack so that meant more hot air.

Install your new ram air/cold air intake scoop.


I'll let you all know how this works out, mpg, cleaness of filter, seat of the pants (I doubt it will do much for power).

 

Interesting mod, Interested to see if there is any mileage gains, since cold air seems to more of a difference there than it might on power. I like the ingenuity here.

 

Thats a cool idea, but I doubt it will make any difference. It also looks like its blocking some air flow to the AC and radiator. I always liked how the factory did it with the grille and the flaps to direct the air to the radiator. The I6/460 lower tube already pulls in cool air. It was a good choice to upgrade to the lower tube, its the best setup for our trucks. I didn't see it mentioned, what engine does your truck have?

 

I don't think I would worry about covering a bit of the rad. I doubt if any of these trucks in working condition would ever overheat. Your more likely to overheat when your not really moving anyway, and at that point, there would be no air flow to divert.

 

Joe G, are those lights recesed into your bumper or is it further out front?

Who made that setup?

 

oh yeah, the scoop is pretty sweet.

 

I noticed the lights too. I did basically the same thing on mine. Its not hard to do. It just takes a little time to fab up a bracket. There is a hole on the backside of the top of the bumper that is almost centered with the openings. Depending on the lights you use the brackets may need to be slightly different. Hella 550 lights fit perfect.

 

Engine is the 300 I6, and I know the air box flows well but I was bored, the head is the real place to work on for this engine. Those square lights look good, I almost used some like that.
I did the lights with a couple pieces of scrap aluminum diamond plate. Drilled the holes in them for both lights and then mounted them in the middles of the inside of the bumper with some long bolts with a nut on both sides of the plate that way I could adjust the angle left and right, up and down. If your going to do something in the bumper don't even think about keeping it on the truck, it would be impossible, I tried haha. I mounted my switch inside the little hole/inset box thing by your right knee, it hides it and makes a little cleaner install.

 

I installed my lights with the bumper on the truck. It wasn't too bad. For what you did, it might have been a difficult task though.

Hopefully the air box mod helps. Its definitely a neat idea.

I was thinking that you upgraded to the I6 air tube. I didn't realize until now that your truck is the Eddie Bauer with the side exit exhaust and BFG Radial TA's. I've seen it on youtube and on here a couple times. Its a sweet truck man.

Why did you move the license plate up and cover up the other openings?

 

Yeah, thats her. The holder deal was already there when I got it, I've thought about doing away with it all together but I kind of like the look now. The truck never gets hot either so I figure they wouldn't really do much anyways unless they flow through something I haven't realized yet.

 

Yeah the bumper openings are not necessary. Most of our era trucks don't have them anyway. I think these are the best looking bumpers though and I figure any added air flow in the front is good, especially with my truck being black.

 

Took about a 2 hour trip the other weekend all highway around 70-75 mph and 2500 rpm-ish. Only got 14 something mpg, the truck has always gotten better mileage in town but never that bad. I unhooked the battery before we headed back thinking this might clear its memory or something, came back the back way and got 17 something. About the same as normal, could this be pushing cooler air in and the computer thinking it needs to run richer? Does the motor just not like those rpm's for that long? What does everyone think? I'll stay updated on mpg in town this week.

 

Why is your truck running 2500 RPM at 70 or so. I would think it would be closer to 2k or a little higher. Did you swap rear end gears? I doubt that matters much though, because thats not high RPM anyway.

I also doubt that its running richer now. I guess its possible, but unlikely.

The gas milage fluctuation could have been due to several conditions like more up hill grades, or more windy, or running the AC etc. Mine always gets anywhere between 14-16 city highway mix. Usually its on the better end of the scale but sometimes not.

 

Joe, I didn't see your engine size listed, what engine do you have? also what transmission and rear end do you have.

Also
70mph
+ 3.55 gear ratio
+ manual tranny (.80 OD ratio)
+ 235/75R15
= 2313 rpm

So 2500rpm isn't too far out of the ordinary range. Although, sounds like you need some bigger tires to get those RPM's down.

 

I know that when I had stock sized tires for a little while my RPMs were at 2100-2200 at 70 or so with 3.55. With the 31 10.50s it reads about 1900-2000. At least thats what the tach says. When he said 2500 that seemed high to me unless he has changed the gears or has shorter tires.