Front license plate

[Big Dog Daddy]

I have to disagree with this. The simplest way to route airflow in a supercharged system (belt or exhaust turbine driven) is to have a pipe carrying air straight from the compressor to the intake manifold. Ford did not do that: they spent money and complexity to route air through an intake air to air heat exchanger to cool it off. This heat exchanger works on the principle of exposing the hot, high pressure charge air to cool ambient air without allowing them to mix; if the exposure to ambient air is reduced or stopped, then the intercooler is not a heat exchanger at all, but a badly designed charge air pipe. The intercoolers and radiators have slats, but they are movable slats. A permanent airflow obstruction like a license plate holder is a partial intercooler delete. If that were the correct answer, then why not make the intercooler 1/3 the size or just delete it altogether?

I firmly believe that there are parts on the truck, particularly the PB, that have a minimal function and can be safely removed. A longstanding, broad and well documented body of evidence tells us that intercoolers are valuable and that a full or partial delete is harmful to performance.

These are all valid points, and I completely agree with you, it certainly isn't the best way to do things placing the plate in front of the opening. As @Kanuck also mentioned previous versions did not have the plate mounted in front of the lower opening. It does make me wonder why Ford has changed this, it doesn't seem right to me either. I honestly wish all states would change to a rear plate only and get rid of the front completely. I don't like the look but I don't want to get caught without out it

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[Buyer2021]

.... but on further research and hearing it blocks the intercooler cooling.

Hmm, @Big Dog Daddy 's 2021MY plate

Seems to be mounted lower / 'covering' more of the intercooler opening than my 2022MY OE plate as it was delivered by Granger (notice on mine the plate clips are on the top, plate screws on the bottom ?)

I'll offer that 2+ years in Texas heat with a fair amount of towing, I've not noticed any indications of untoward heating of anything, and the bracket is tight / quiet. Yep, gotta show a front plate in TX.

YMMV.

 

[Kodiak]

That would be perfect if not for the price and free advertising for Builtright!

Builtright products are not a cheap date but they built like a brick s#&thouse. All top shelf items.

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

@Buyer2021

Ok, the mystery thickens. With all of this talk, I went out and took a closer look. The lower opening on my truck is completely blocked from airflow. The only openings in it are where the plate bracket tabs push through. There is no opening under the bumper in front of the air dam either. ?
The last photo is at the dealer moments after coming off the car carrier when it was delivered, completely blocked.

 

[Buyer2021]

@Big Dog Daddy

I just realized yours is a 5.0 with no OE intercooler vs my 3.5EB with OE intercooler, that and going for the slight 'aero-advantage' (grill openings hurt aerodynamics in theory) probably accounts for a lot of the difference in openings and plate mounting schemes.

Here's pics of mine showing the totally different mounting bracket and openings to both sides and below the plate

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

@Big Dog Daddy

I just realized yours is a 5.0 with no OE intercooler vs my 3.5EB with OE intercooler, that probably accounts for a lot of the difference in plate mounting schemes.

Here's pics of mine showing the totally different mounting bracket and openings to both sides and below the plate

Ah ha! I didn't realize that there was a difference there between engines. That certainly explains it. I can see now why people would want that open for airflow, but as you say it's been fine in the Texas heat ?

 

[Pelican]

I'm so thankful OH no longer requires a front plate; although, we're still paying just as much for one. Now when I'm running from law enforcement driving in reverse, they have no way of running my plate

 

[Parthery]

My 23 3.5 EB didn’t have the front plate bracket installed. I installed it so I can rep my favorite college logo. When I put it in, I initially did it with the clips at the bottom. The tag was low and angled down. Popped it off and flipped it over so the clips are at the top. Pretty sure this is how it’s designed to be installed as the top portion is notched to fit the bumper.

 

[Atlee]

These are all valid points, and I completely agree with you, it certainly isn't the best way to do things placing the plate in front of the opening. As @Kanuck also mentioned previous versions did not have the plate mounted in front of the lower opening. It does make me wonder why Ford has changed this, it doesn't seem right to me either. I honestly wish all states would change to a rear plate only and get rid of the front completely. I don't like the look but I don't want to get caught without out it

Amen on the single license plate.

 

[ReverendQ]

Folks - I found the front license plate bracket under the rear seat on my f150 2024 powerboost. I snapped it on but on further research and hearing it blocks the intercooler cooling. So I am trying to pry it off but it's not coming off. Should I leave as is and mount my plate to it or do I take it off and do I use a zip tie to hold it more secure if I leave it on?

Swarfworks.com

 

[Snakebitten]

Texas requires a front plate.
Yet I don't have one on the Porsche or the Powerboost. I'll just pay the fine if I can't talk my way out of the ticket. (haven't had to in the 4 years I have driven sans plate)

I also removed the louvers from in front of the intercooler. (@Big Dog Daddy, you now know that you don't have a hole there, nor the louvers)

By the way, removing the louvers and license plate doesn't do squat for lowering IAT's on the Powerboost if you aren't on the interstate or you aren't in either Sport mode or Tow Haul, because when the Ecoboost/ICE is in EV mode the IAT's skyrocket. There's no airflow through the intake, so the intercooler and the intake just sit and heat soak.

Still, I have no intention of having the louvers or the plate blocking that heat exchanger.

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

New Jersey isn't so forgiving if the front plate is missing. The police here set up check points during the day and conveniently set them up in front of an empty parking lot, without a front plate, you are flagged into the lot and issued a ticket no matter what you say. $200 first offense and up from there.

I've cringed at the dealer multiple times watching the guys drill holes for the plate in a brand new Audi my wife leased.

@Snakebitten ? I never really payed attention to that lower grill until yesterday, I always figured it was open until I took a closer look.?

The lower grill on your 2021 was a nice piece, If NJ ever abolished the front plate law, I'd install that instantly.

 

[anonymous1977]

New Jersey isn't so forgiving if the front plate is missing. The police here set up check points during the day here and conveniently set them up in front of an empty parking lot, without a front plate, you are flagged into the lot and issued a ticket no matter what you say. $200 first offense and up from there.

I've cringed at the dealer multiple times watching the guys drill holes for the plate in a brand new Audi my wife leased.

@Snakebitten ? I never really payed attention to that lower grill until yesterday, I always figured it was open until I took a closer look.?

The lower grill on your 2021 was a nice piece, If NJ ever abolished the front plate law, I'd install that instantly.

I am in NJ too and installed with the provided license plate holder. The way I figure is if it was really going to be an intercooler issue, Ford would not have given me the holder to mount there.

 

[Snakebitten]

New Jersey isn't so forgiving if the front plate is missing. The police here set up check points during the day here and conveniently set them up in front of an empty parking lot, without a front plate, you are flagged into the lot and issued a ticket no matter what you say. $200 first offense and up from there.

I've cringed at the dealer multiple times watching the guys drill holes for the plate in a brand new Audi my wife leased.

@Snakebitten ? I never really payed attention to that lower grill until yesterday, I always figured it was open until I took a closer look.?

The lower grill on your 2021 was a nice piece, If NJ ever abolished the front plate law, I'd install that instantly.

I do run a plate on the Mazdaratti.
I do so because it's likely to get pulled over for several reasons., ???

Red.
Looks, sounds, and is driven like the go-cart that it is.
I often have the cowboy hat in the passenger seat (top-down) wearing a do-rag. So I get profiled very differently than being an old cowboy heading to the feed store, if you know what I mean.

By the way, no holes drilled. It's a quick-release plate holder that mounts below the front lip.

 

[Snakebitten]

I am in NJ too and installed with the provided license plate holder. The way I figure is if it was really going to be an intercooler issue, Ford would not have given me the holder to mount there.

I'd like to agree, but Ford did move the license plate to the left on the Gen12 3.5 Ecoboost F150. Exactly for the obvious reason.

However, as technology has been added to the vehicle, there's now sensors that reside behind the plastic facia in the bumper. Ford can't mount a piece of tin in front of the multiple sensors and options on these trucks.

Again, on the Powerboost I don't think it's that much of difference. But a 3.5 Ecoboost absolutely could prosper with removing the plate from in front of the intercooler. My opinion anyway.

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