Active shutters, what's the consensus?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

rule18

Admin
Staff member
Administrator
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2013
Posts
7,129
Reaction score
8,051
Location
NY
Ram Year
2017 Rebel
For anybody that does not have shutters I'm curious; do you have a factory tow package? Mine has the tow package and no shutters.
Yes I have the factory tow package w/o the shutters.
 
OP
OP
lAWROSA

lAWROSA

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2021
Posts
74
Reaction score
60
Location
GALIVANTS FERRY SOUTH CAROLINA
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Yes I have the factory tow package w/o the shutters.



Interesting, but you do have a 17.

I didnt have the tow package but im adding it. added the hitch and put factory brake controller in.

um I may take a look at trucks on the local lot and have a look.

Im choosing to leave the shutters for nowm but I have not towed yet with it
 

Ram Night

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Posts
443
Reaction score
203
Location
Southwest, Michigan
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I removed the lower half of my shutters to make room for the off road lights, and could not tell any difference on how fast the engine heats up.
 

Attachments

  • Lights Front.jpg
    Lights Front.jpg
    98.4 KB · Views: 6

Different Drummer

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2020
Posts
527
Reaction score
510
Location
North East
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Pentastar V6
There are two issues at play. The average parts guy today can't find his own butt without the last 8 letters of the vin. The days of expert and highly proficient parts department staff are long gone. If they can't do a computer search they are hooped.

As far as dealerships installing, u have the same problem. The average mechanic can't install anything that they can't pull up a vin specific drawing and instructions for. Computerised training and install instructions is the only thing they know. You have to find guys that are used to modifying vehicles to get folks that are comfortable adding or substituting parts.
How true this is. I remember the parts manager I did business with at the local Ford dealership when I owned a 1965 Mustang. Tootie Mellon. ( well his first name was probably something else but we all knew him as Tootie). There was a large shelf right behind him at the parts counter and it held at a ton of very thick parts references. I would tell Tootie what I thought I needed and he would turn around and pull down one of those books. I swear he could open it up to within 5 pages of where the part was located in the book. He would thumb a few pages and point to a diagram and say, "this it"? He almost always knew exactly what I needed and where to look. Never got the 20 questions game about the vehicle.
I get so frustrated at parts suppliers today. When they are all done with the questions they need answered so they can navigate the computer I will usually say, "oh yeah, it is white and had a dent in the laft rear quarter panel, does that help"?
 

Elvira

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2018
Posts
443
Reaction score
827
Location
Somewhere
I have active grill shutters but i also have the tow package...is this something because of a Canadian vehicle perhaps ? I have read many do not have AGS with tow package.

Items i copied off build sheet-

Active Grille Shutters
Trailer Tow Group
Trailer Tow w/4-Pin Connector Wiring
Trailer Tow Mirrors
Heavy Duty Transmission Oil Cooler
Heavy Duty Engine Cooling
 

ramffml

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2019
Posts
2,772
Reaction score
5,017
Location
ramforum
Ram Year
2019
Engine
hemi 5.7
I have active grill shutters but i also have the tow package...is this something because of a Canadian vehicle perhaps ? I have read many do not have AGS with tow package.

Items i copied off build sheet-

Active Grille Shutters
Trailer Tow Group
Trailer Tow w/4-Pin Connector Wiring
Trailer Tow Mirrors
Heavy Duty Transmission Oil Cooler
Heavy Duty Engine Cooling


I did not order the factory tow package. However I did add a brake controller, I have the following:

Heavy Duty Engine Cooling
600W Engine Cooling Fan
Upper Active Grille Shutters
Trailer Brake Control

What's missing on mine is the "Heavy Duty Transmission Oil Cooler". That is interesting, I thought we all got those regardless of tow package.
 

Doug Ram

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Posts
470
Reaction score
376
Location
Central NY, AKA Upstate NY
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Eco Diesel _3.0
I asked a question to get an answer. Not to be flamed. Im not about efficiency, Im about real world deletion of stupid items the engineers design to conform with political nonsense.
Its not nonsense. The engineers are building better vehicles. They responded to market demand for better quality and governmental regulations. As a result we have cleaned up exhaust and improved mileage and safety. So in 2021, you can buy a FCA truck with:

1. A 3.0 liter turbo diesel 1500 that gets +30 mpg on a long distance trip.
2. A 5.7 liter gas engine, with electric assist that gets over 20 MPG on the same trip.
3. A 3.6 liter gas engine, with electric assist that can get close to 25 MPG too.

I like the fact that cars are safer, more comfortable, pollute less, start immediately in all weather, AND are more reliable than they were in 1970.

I know we are all nostalgic for the "good old days" of unrestricted muscle cars and power, but seriously do we need a refresher on what what driving a 1970 pickup (or car) was like? It had loose steering and too soft (or too hard) suspension. Half ton truck suspensions consisted of super stiff leaf springs that bounced up and down when not fully loaded. Automatic transmissions had only three forward gears. To engage the 4wheel drive (if you had one) you had to get out and engage it by spinning the hubs, manually. Many trucks had manual chokes that you pulled on the dash. You might have had a accelerator controlled "automatic" choke that you had to push and hold on the floor before starting in cold weather. But remember what it was like to "flood" an engine? The exhaust from gas and diesel alike was noxious, sometimes dark gray or black, depending on how out of tune it was.

OH YEAH, Not only did you really have to change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles, you had to do a real tune up once a year or so. Remember cleaning, gaping and/or changing the spark plugs every 12,000 to 25,000 miles? How about adjusting the timing? Or cleaning and filling the battery? How about adjusting the carburetor and timing before high altitude towing? Oh, I forgot, the seat and shoulder belts were not integrated into a simple 3 point belt and no airbags. Very few walked away from a head on collision above 30 mph.

Folks, these are the good old days for cars and trucks. They have never been as sweet and fun to drive and never been as reliable or as efficient as they are today.
 
Last edited:

Doug Ram

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Posts
470
Reaction score
376
Location
Central NY, AKA Upstate NY
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Eco Diesel _3.0
So I got a 2020. I live in the south. Whats up with the active shutters?

Keep em or remove some of them to run cooler?

Its winter now, but not that cold here in SC. If I was back in Jersey I may find a benefit, but I tow a camper.

Just wondering what benefits are yall seeing if they are removed. Temps?
The shutters also help with vehicle aerodynamics at high speed. They help improve gas mileage.
 

Dean2

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Posts
2,718
Reaction score
3,941
Location
Near Edmonton
Ram Year
2021 2500
Engine
6.4
Doug Ram

I agree with you. My Lexus GS WITH A 4.3 LITRE normally aspirated engine will kick the butt of the 1968 Charger 440 6 pack I owned back in the early 70s, both in accelleration and handling. It also gives me 30 MPG on the highway, rather than the 10-12 of the 440. Back then 100,000 miles was a huge milestone. Very few cars made it that far on the first engine. Now vehicles regularly go 3 or 400,000 miles on the same engine and transmission. My V10 has over 150,000 miles and it doesn't burn a drop off oil between 12,000 mile oil changes. Cars are definitely far better built, way safer and far more fuel efficient than they were even 20 years ago. My new 6.4 hemi puts out more hp and torque than the V10 and gets 60 percent better gas mileage, along with being far more civilised to drive.
 
Last edited:

Doug Ram

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Posts
470
Reaction score
376
Location
Central NY, AKA Upstate NY
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Eco Diesel _3.0
Doug Ram

I agree with you. My Lexus GS WITH A 4.3 LITRE normally aspirated engine will kick the butt of the 1968 Charger 440 6 pack I owned back in the early 70s. Back then 100,000 miles was a huge milestone. Very few cars made it that far on the first engine. Now vehicles regularly go 3 or 400,000 miles on the same engine and transmission. My V10 has over 150,000 miles and it doesn't burn a drop off oil between 12,000 mile oil changes. Cars are definitely far better built, way safer and far more fuel efficient than they were even 20 years ago. My new 6.4 hemi puts out more hp and torque than the V10 and gets 60 percent better gas mileage, along with being far more civilised to drive.
What I don't like is that cars and trucks now look more boring and alike than they did 40 years ago. How many times have you had to look twice at a car's hood mounted logo/ornament/plaque thingamabob to know for sure that that Toyota is not really a Nissan. I noticed when I bought my latest Gen 5 Ram that the front end lost its distinctive Mack truck look. The latest aerodynamic designs are all pretty boring. And please, why are we faced with ever more boring shades of white, gray, silver, and black? Then there are the dark browns, blues, and greens.... all so dark that they might as well be faded black. When I went shopping a year ago there wasn't even a red truck on the lot. Take a look at Ram's web site for 2022. There's fewer colors than ever and it seems there are even fewer colors as you select the more expensive trim levels. Really Ram? The only bright color is flame red? No yellow, orange or lighter blues?. Are we really that depressed? Bored? Scared of getting a speeding ticket? Booooring!

There. OK I feel better now. Rant mode off. You can resume your normal every day (boring) life now.
 

Dean2

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Posts
2,718
Reaction score
3,941
Location
Near Edmonton
Ram Year
2021 2500
Engine
6.4
What I don't like is that cars and trucks now look more boring and alike than they did 40 years ago. How many times have you had to look twice at a car's hood mounted logo/ornament/plaque thingamabob to know for sure that that Toyota is not really a Nissan. I noticed when I bought my latest Gen 5 Ram that the front end lost its distinctive Mack truck look. The latest aerodynamic designs are all pretty boring. And please, why are we faced with ever more boring shades of white, gray, silver, and black? Then there are the dark browns, blues, and greens.... all so dark that they might as well be faded black. When I went shopping a year ago there wasn't even a red truck on the lot. Take a look at Ram's web site for 2022. There's fewer colors than ever and it seems there are even fewer colors as you select the more expensive trim levels. Really Ram? The only bright color is flame red? No yellow, orange or lighter blues?. Are we really that depressed? Bored? Scared of getting a speeding ticket? Booooring!

There. OK I feel better now. Rant mode off. You can resume your normal every day (boring) life now.
Look at the profile pics of what I drive. You don't have to drive generic, boring vehicles. There are still lots of distinctive units. The Porche, Corvette, Lexus LRF, Mercedes G Wagon and a host of others are still very distinctive units. You don't have to drive the plain Jane's.
 

sandawilliams

Senior Member
Joined
May 29, 2012
Posts
2,799
Reaction score
5,528
Location
Pueblo West, Co.
Ram Year
2021
Engine
6.4 hemi
What I don't like is that cars and trucks now look more boring and alike than they did 40 years ago. How many times have you had to look twice at a car's hood mounted logo/ornament/plaque thingamabob to know for sure that that Toyota is not really a Nissan. I noticed when I bought my latest Gen 5 Ram that the front end lost its distinctive Mack truck look. The latest aerodynamic designs are all pretty boring. And please, why are we faced with ever more boring shades of white, gray, silver, and black? Then there are the dark browns, blues, and greens.... all so dark that they might as well be faded black. When I went shopping a year ago there wasn't even a red truck on the lot. Take a look at Ram's web site for 2022. There's fewer colors than ever and it seems there are even fewer colors as you select the more expensive trim levels. Really Ram? The only bright color is flame red? No yellow, orange or lighter blues?. Are we really that depressed? Bored? Scared of getting a speeding ticket? Booooring!

There. OK I feel better now. Rant mode off. You can resume your normal every day (boring) life now.
I ordered my truck in January and had a lot of color options. Dealers say they buy trucks with one color as no one wants two tone anymore. I must be weird. IMG_20210312_115653652_HDR.jpg
 

Dean2

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Posts
2,718
Reaction score
3,941
Location
Near Edmonton
Ram Year
2021 2500
Engine
6.4
Like you, I prefer two tone, can't even order them as an option here in Canada.
 

CPTII

Member
Military
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Posts
32
Reaction score
23
Location
Wisconsin
Ram Year
2015 2500
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Its not nonsense. The engineers are building better vehicles. They responded to market demand for better quality and governmental regulations. As a result we have cleaned up exhaust and improved mileage and safety. So in 2021, you can buy a FCA truck with:

1. A 3.0 liter turbo diesel 1500 that gets +30 mpg on a long distance trip.
2. A 5.7 liter gas engine, with electric assist that gets over 20 MPG on the same trip.
3. A 3.6 liter gas engine, with electric assist that can get close to 25 MPG too.

I like the fact that cars are safer, more comfortable, pollute less, start immediately in all weather, AND are more reliable than they were in 1970.

I know we are all nostalgic for the "good old days" of unrestricted muscle cars and power, but seriously do we need a refresher on what what driving a 1970 pickup (or car) was like? It had loose steering and too soft (or too hard) suspension. Half ton truck suspensions consisted of super stiff leaf springs that bounced up and down when not fully loaded. Automatic transmissions had only three forward gears. To engage the 4wheel drive (if you had one) you had to get out and engage it by spinning the hubs, manually. Many trucks had manual chokes that you pulled on the dash. You might have had a accelerator controlled "automatic" choke that you had to push and hold on the floor before starting in cold weather. But remember what it was like to "flood" an engine? The exhaust from gas and diesel alike was noxious, sometimes dark gray or black, depending on how out of tune it was.

OH YEAH, Not only did you really have to change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles, you had to do a real tune up once a year or so. Remember cleaning, gaping and/or changing the spark plugs every 12,000 to 25,000 miles? How about adjusting the timing? Or cleaning and filling the battery? How about adjusting the carburetor and timing before high altitude towing? Oh, I forgot, the seat and shoulder belts were not integrated into a simple 3 point belt and no airbags. Very few walked away from a head on collision above 30 mph.

Folks, these are the good old days for cars and trucks. They have never been as sweet and fun to drive and never been as reliable or as efficient as they are today.
You know, I can get behind the tech improvements because it’s accurate. However, no vehicle made now has the lasting power of older vehicles because of all of the tech. Whether it is the electronic controls and computer chips to the lightweight materials used to make the vehicle. It has now become cheaper to junk a vehicle than fix them over the long run. I mean, yes tech has made some improvements for convenience and motors but made a wasteful society more wasteful too
 

Docwagon1776

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Posts
2,175
Reaction score
3,564
Location
Midwest
Ram Year
2012, 2021
Engine
5.7, 6.4
You know, I can get behind the tech improvements because it’s accurate. However, no vehicle made now has the lasting power of older vehicles because of all of the tech. Whether it is the electronic controls and computer chips to the lightweight materials used to make the vehicle. It has now become cheaper to junk a vehicle than fix them over the long run. I mean, yes tech has made some improvements for convenience and motors but made a wasteful society more wasteful too

Statistics don't bear that out. The average age of cars on the road continues to get older and "lifespans" continue to get longer.

100k miles used to be trashed, now it's nothing. And most cars don't get tossed out because they aren't repairable, just not desirable. There's this curve of "new" to "used" to "old junk" to "classic". A lot of cars fall out of the system at the "old junk" stage. Square body pickups used to be scrap value, now they are collectable again.
 

augiedoggy

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2021
Posts
92
Reaction score
45
Location
western NY
Ram Year
2015
Engine
3.0 Ecodiesel
Not every trim level had them, Tradesmans didn't typically come with the shutters for example.
My 2015 tradesman ecodiesel has them (which makes sense since they provide more benefit on a diesel) its also an 8 speed with 3.92 gears and towing package though...
 
Last edited:

Doug Ram

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Posts
470
Reaction score
376
Location
Central NY, AKA Upstate NY
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Eco Diesel _3.0
You know, I can get behind the tech improvements because it’s accurate. However, no vehicle made now has the lasting power of older vehicles because of all of the tech. Whether it is the electronic controls and computer chips to the lightweight materials used to make the vehicle. It has now become cheaper to junk a vehicle than fix them over the long run. I mean, yes tech has made some improvements for convenience and motors but made a wasteful society more wasteful too
I think I agree. While they are more reliable and fun to drive when made, I doubt that it is going to be as easy to keep my 2021 vehicle on the road more than 25 years due to parts availability. Although maybe I might be wrong. I heard from the guy who bought my 94 Cherokee. That thing was loaded with tech -- for its time. Computer controlled antilock brakes, electronic computer controlled fuel injection, timing and transmission shifting. He hasn't had trouble with any of the electronic stuff, even the stupid 12 disk cd changer still works. He did replace the transfer case 5 years ago. My nephew also has a 94 Jeep Cherokee, the electronics work great still, but he had to replace the engine due to a bearing and rod failure. I expect that parts for vehicles that sold well, like our trucks, will continue to be easy to get, even the electronic junk, for as long as I want to keep it, or can drive. Time will tell.
 

Doug Ram

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Posts
470
Reaction score
376
Location
Central NY, AKA Upstate NY
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Eco Diesel _3.0
I ordered my truck in January and had a lot of color options. Dealers say they buy trucks with one color as no one wants two tone anymore. I must be weird. View attachment 477970
Go look at the website today. I could not find that color blue in a 1500. You still can in a 2500, and I see your truck is a 2500. What I'm saying is that the higher selling model has fewer options...Ram 1500 Colors.png
 
Top