Radiator Bug & Debris Filters

[JSRT]

Many here have posted about the tedious and time consuming chore of cleaning the radiators. Bugs and other debris seem to collect pretty quickly and choke off the necessary airflow for proper cooling. I wanted an inexpensive, easy to clean filter that would catch the bugs and other junk before it got to the radiator. Here’s what I came up with:

I went to our local plumbing/heating supply store in search of a washable, re-useable furnace filter. For less than $10 I purchased a piece large enough to make 2 filters for the RT and 1 for my wife’s Ryker. The filter was only available in blue, but a light coat of spray paint was all that was needed to match the machine.

The RT was the easiest to fit. I simply made a paper template to fit in front of the factory grill. Once you fit one side, the other is just the mirror image. After tracing the template onto the filter, I cut to fit with a pair of shears. The edge closest to the center of the Spyder will fit best if you back bevel the cut to fit the angle of the body where it meets the grill. After fitting, I sprayed a light coat of flat black paint on the edges and front side. Because of the reverse flow of the cooling fans, I wanted to be sure the filters didn’t blow out if the fans engaged while sitting still. I pushed a 1/4” push-pin (smaller than the standard BRP push-pin) through the material near the center where I can easily see and access it for cleaning. The factory grill holes are perfectly sized to accept the fastener anywhere in the grill.

The Ryker was a bit more involved and required carefully drilling 5 holes in the plastic grill. Again, I started by trimming the filter to fit in front of the grill while rolling both the top and bottom edges back into the grill. I drilled 3 holes into the bottom edge of the top of the grill and 1 hole on each side near the bottom. After painting to match the Ryker, I installed three 1/4” push-pins through the filter from the inside of the material into the bottom edge of the top grill rail. Then aligned and installed the 2 pins near the bottom. Finally, tucked the bottom of the filter in to the bottom of the grill to hold the bottom edge in place.

I have tested the RT in 90 degree weather with no reduction in cooling efficiency. I was amazed at how much junk the filters caught and prevented from getting to the radiators. Cleaning was easy - just remove the filter and blow out using an air hose or wash if necessary. On the Ryker, the 2 front pins can be removed, filter lifted up and cleared using the air hose from the inside. Here’s a couple of photos. You can PM me if you have questions.