[wakev]

After a few hours of thinking fiddling and a few scratches on my arms and hands, I have completed part one of my front grill project.

I like the look of it others many not, all I have to do now is find how to get into the lower grill to do that one

 

[The Hood]

That should keep the stones out, seeing the new style badge on the front, is the one on the back still laminated or have they cured the dreaded white worm?

 

[wakev]

The new rear badge is the same as the front, both plastic, so hopefully no white worm.

 

[Shanco]

Hi Wakev,
Saw my first FL 'in the flesh' and frankly was smitten with it. The front grill is superb and makes the beastie look more aggressive, whilst the rear has also improved with it looking less boxy. My concern with the 'open' front grill seems have been addressed with your project which I am sure will be copied by others. The only aspect of the face lift that I didn't like was the change of the emblem - it looks like that of a vauxhall - pity they couldn't have left the laurel leaves on it.
Enjoy your Chrismas present - it really looks the dog's bol****s.
Shanco

 

[wakev]

Cheers the emblem does not bother me to much the rear has SKODA in large letters on it, and vauxhall could never turn out a quality car IMO so not a problem for me.

 

[Banjobach]

Wow, what a great looking job, well worth the few scratches.

How did you fasten the mesh in place?

 

[plbxr]

That looks good...and so does the Yeti.

Edited by: plbxr

 

[Pat]

Liking that idea very much

 

[JOOKS]

Hi wakev, the grill looks great, perhaps the design dept at SKODA may have room for you. It looks very original eqipment not an after thought, well done.

I always said the F/L looks the part! (actually I didn't as I was too scared to say so!)

 

[wakev]

Wow, what a great looking job, well worth the few scratches.

How did you fasten the mesh in place?

When I have worked through the list of jobs HRH has just given me

, I will take a few photos of how I made the template and the fixing and post them up, only played with it for a day and she has given me a list you really don't want to see

 

[wakev]

For anyone wanting to try the mesh fitting here is how I did it.

Mesh from ebayhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300974645170?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Cut template along the top edge of the lower chrome strip, then up the middle of the last two grill slats (ignore the small triangles missing on the top corners the card was not big enough cut straight up), along the top cut level with the top part of the chrome, leaving two large tabs to fit to the plastic push rivets.

Cut mesh to template, alone the bottom bend 5mm of the mesh at a right angle to the very ends.

To fit the mesh remove the black cover from the top of grill, two torx screws and four plastic rivets (pull the center posts up and they will come out can be reused), hold the grill one end and pull and wobble the cover and it will come off, work along till is off.

Before fitting the grill you need to fit the bottom fixings I used 1mm galvanised tying wire. Cut a piece about 150mm and use this to make the holes for the lower fixings 6 arrows along the bottem.

If you look inside you will find at the bottom of each slat a flat behind them, I used the wire heated with a lighter to melt holes through the plastic, then fitted a long length of wire through the hole pulling the top part out of the grill. the outer edges of the mesh are held by a rubber flap each side (already there).

Put the mesh in pushing the bent lower section into a small groove at the bottom of the slats, this part is a fiddle, then when its looking right take the wires at the front and put them through the mesh as low as possible behind the slates, then twist tight with small pliers and remove excess.

The top is then pushed into the top groove the there are three tabs that can be drilled and the mesh wired to them, plus the black cover will hold it if you push the excess under the top lip, the two tabs I cut on the top bend over and lay where the plastic rivets fit the top cover trim them to length just past the holes,

Refit the top cover and push the plastic rivets through the cover and mesh (the holes are the right size for the rivets).

Job done all you need now is a plaster or two on your arms and wash the blood off the grill

 

[wakev]

Ok dragging up my old thread as I have finally got to the lower grill, now have matching upper and lower grills

.

If anyone would like to have a go at this I will post up a how to do it guide, just let me know. its not as bad to do as I thought it would be.

Edited by: wakev

 

[UMEL]

How much do you think it will affect the air flow for cooling. Looking at the holes to metal ratio, I suspect it now has only 50% of the original flow volume. Edited by: DonjSZ5

 

[wakev]

How much do you think it will affect the air flow for cooling. Looking at the holes to metal ratio, I suspect it now has only 50% of the original flow volume.

As the cooling fans never run in normal usage can't see a problem, the upper grill has had mesh in it for months and has had no affect on cooling, having run large machines in dusty and grill bunging conditions, and you would be surprised how bunged up a grill can get before the temp starts rising, and they where working hard at full power, the yeti will never work that hard, and look at the size of the grills of some cars on the road with the same size engine, grills less than half the size of the yeti.

 

[wakev]

After a 160 mile trip today A3M M27, at the legal speed limit (well may have slipped over a bit

), the mesh in the grills has had no affect on cooling, temp sat rock solid on 90 and the highest oil temp was 105.

A few flies are looking a bit the worst for wear but easier to clean from the mesh than the rad fins

.

 

[Banjobach]

Wakev, what was the outside temperature? There may be some engine temp variations when it is 110 degrees in the waterbag!

 

[wakev]

Not as hot as you down under, about 17-19, it will cope with a lot hotter days. The holes in the mesh are a lot bigger than they look in the photo it depends on the angle you look at it.

Look at the top part of the mesh in this photo.

 

[grin factor]

Cracking job & good fitting instructions.Looks very professional.

 

[wakev]

Have been asked by PM how I did the lower grill so here goes


I made a template with the card that come with the mesh cutting it to the middle of the silver lower front bumper (the picture shows the cut lines).

Sorry images come over small click them to enlarge.




Cut mesh to template, then cut the mesh in half.
Cut line shown on template.





With the top cover under the bonnet removed (as for the upper grill) lower one at a time down to the under pan (in front of the radiator is a deep area put the bottom of the mesh in there) then move the top forward towards the lower grill. using a piece of wire hook the mesh and pull it forward and up.


The top of the mesh fits up between the plastic bumper and the polystyrene cover over the front cross member, holding the mesh in place nicely, repeat with the other piece of mesh, then line the two parts up it should line up so you cannot see the cut.


Now is the fiddle. put your fingers in the long holes (the 3 at the bottom) of the silver part put your thumbs on the black part push the black part in and the silver part out (may need a wiggle and a fair push). the two parts will separate. in the grove where the silver part sits are some holes where I fed tying wire (same as used on upper grill) its a bit of a fiddle getting it back through the other hole, bit clearer in the photo below, pull the wire tight and twist a couple of times, then cut the ends short and push it all into the grove and push the two trims back together, job done.





Edited by: wakev