2016+ Raptor Style Grille and Hella Horn swap | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

2016+ Raptor Style Grille and Hella Horn swap

bigtexan99

Well-Known Member
Joined
July 16, 2017
Messages
157
Reaction score
26
Year, Model & Trim Level
2016 Explorer Sport
Ordered a glossy black grille off the ebay and installed it today. To remove the front grille requires removing the whole front clip. I had it done at a body shop. On the 2015 and down, you can remove the grill without removing the clip, but its impossible on the 2016+ The whole front clip must be removed.

There are some 10mm bolts on top of the grill and 2 push pins. , then you need to remove small bolts in the front wheel wells and then the fender trim. Jack/lift the front of the Explore. Then, remove all the bolts along the lower bumper. Finally you can reach behind the wheel well to get at 3 bolts holding the clip to the front of the car. They have a ton of threadlocker on them and are hard to turn. 3 bolts each side. Make sure to support the front clip then disconnect the headlight wiring harness on the driver front side behind the bumper. On the passenger side disconnect and temporarily plug the water line to the front camera washer.

Now the whole front clip including the grille can be tilted forward and removed. Now you have to remove a big bracket piece on the back side of the grille, and then all the clips holding the grille to the front clip.

While the front clip was off, I went ahead and replaced the factory horn with a Hella twin tone horn set TE16. They fit just fine in the factory location, and you reuse the same mounting hardware. I did have to cut the horn wires and re-wire it with new wire as the factory horn has a custom plug/pigtail. You could probably replace the horn without having to remove the whole front clip, just remove the bolts on the top of the grill and then remove the top piece, it might be a tight squeeze but I think it could be done. It was a piece of cake with the front clip off.

I wired the 3 leds in the new raptor grill into the lower fog lights, so they turn on whenever the fog lights are on.

IMG_20171214_100515.jpg
IMG_20171214_100558.jpg
IMG_20171214_101321.jpg

IMG_20171214_102039.jpg
IMG_20171214_104426.jpg
IMG_20171214_111239.jpg
IMG_20171214_122601.jpg
IMG_20171214_122645.jpg
IMG_20171214_122648.jpg
IMG_20171214_192609.jpg


New horn sound from youtube:
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





The Hella mod is interesting - might consider it for my 15. Too bad there isnt a plug and play harness though. The stock horn sucks, especially in NYC.
 






Ordered a glossy black grill off the ebay and installed it today. To remove the front grill requires removing the whole front clip. I had it done at a body shop. On the 2015 and down, you can remove the grill without removing the clip, but its impossible on the 2016+ The whole front clip must be removed.

There are some 10mm bolts on top of the grill and 2 push pins. , then you need to remove small bolts in the front wheel wells and then the fender trim. Jack/lift the front of the Explore. Then, remove all the bolts along the lower bumper. Finally you can reach behind the wheel well to get at 3 bolts holding the clip to the front of the car. They have a ton of threadlocker on them and are hard to turn. 3 bolts each side. Make sure to support the front clip then disconnect the headlight wiring harness on the driver front side behind the bumper. On the passenger side disconnect and temporarily plug the water line to the front camera washer.

Now the whole front clip including the grill can be tilted forward and removed. Now you have to remove a big bracket piece on the back side of the grill, and then all the clips holding the grill to the front clip.

While the front clip was off, I went ahead and replaced the factory horn with a Hella twin tone horn set TE16. They fit just fine in the factory location, and you reuse the same mounting hardware. I did have to cut the horn wires and re-wire it with new wire as the factory horn has a custom plug/pigtail. You could probably replace the horn without having to remove the whole front clip, just remove the bolts on the top of the grill and then remove the top piece, it might be a tight squeeze but I think it could be done. It was a piece of cake with the front clip off.

I wired the 3 leds in the new raptor grill into the lower fog lights, so they turn on whenever the fog lights are on.

IMG_20171214_100515.jpg
IMG_20171214_100558.jpg
IMG_20171214_101321.jpg

IMG_20171214_102039.jpg
IMG_20171214_104426.jpg
IMG_20171214_111239.jpg
IMG_20171214_122601.jpg
IMG_20171214_122645.jpg
IMG_20171214_122648.jpg
IMG_20171214_192609.jpg


New horn sound from youtube:

LOVE THE LOOK!
 






Looks great. I installed the grill and a led light bar today. I am wondering where I can get a signal for all lights. Iwant the grill lights to be one when the lights are on. Also does anyone know a location I can pick up the high beam signal for the light bar?
 






Looks great. I installed the grill and a led light bar today. I am wondering where I can get a signal for all lights. Iwant the grill lights to be one when the lights are on. Also does anyone know a location I can pick up the high beam signal for the light bar?
I am all done with mine. I love the fact the grill is so open. Tons of fresh air gets into the air box now

F21432CA-71BA-467D-AD13-BD203FC99F23.jpeg
 






Sweet! Welcome to the club. Where did you end up wiring your grill lights too?
 


















Ordered a glossy black grill off the ebay and installed it today. To remove the front grill requires removing the whole front clip. I had it done at a body shop. On the 2015 and down, you can remove the grill without removing the clip, but its impossible on the 2016+ The whole front clip must be removed.

There are some 10mm bolts on top of the grill and 2 push pins. , then you need to remove small bolts in the front wheel wells and then the fender trim. Jack/lift the front of the Explore. Then, remove all the bolts along the lower bumper. Finally you can reach behind the wheel well to get at 3 bolts holding the clip to the front of the car. They have a ton of threadlocker on them and are hard to turn. 3 bolts each side. Make sure to support the front clip then disconnect the headlight wiring harness on the driver front side behind the bumper. On the passenger side disconnect and temporarily plug the water line to the front camera washer.

Now the whole front clip including the grill can be tilted forward and removed. Now you have to remove a big bracket piece on the back side of the grill, and then all the clips holding the grill to the front clip.

While the front clip was off, I went ahead and replaced the factory horn with a Hella twin tone horn set TE16. They fit just fine in the factory location, and you reuse the same mounting hardware. I did have to cut the horn wires and re-wire it with new wire as the factory horn has a custom plug/pigtail. You could probably replace the horn without having to remove the whole front clip, just remove the bolts on the top of the grill and then remove the top piece, it might be a tight squeeze but I think it could be done. It was a piece of cake with the front clip off.

I wired the 3 leds in the new raptor grill into the lower fog lights, so they turn on whenever the fog lights are on.

IMG_20171214_100515.jpg
IMG_20171214_100558.jpg
IMG_20171214_101321.jpg

IMG_20171214_102039.jpg
IMG_20171214_104426.jpg
IMG_20171214_111239.jpg
IMG_20171214_122601.jpg
IMG_20171214_122645.jpg
IMG_20171214_122648.jpg
IMG_20171214_192609.jpg


New horn sound from youtube:

did the grill come with the F&R if not where did you get them
 






Yes, my grill came with the F&R. Not all of them do, check with seller.
 






Is the Hella Horn "that much louder" over the stock one? Watching the video you linked the hella horn sounds like my stock one. Is there a db increase with it? Or are my ears playing tricks on me and there is a huge difference that I am just not noticing though my 3/4" laptop speakers? LOL.
 






I neglected to record the previous horn before installing the new one, so I don't have audio proof. The factory horn to me was not loud. The Hella horn is louder and a different pitch. Its not super super louder. I've been thinking about installing the factory horns on my motorcycle so I may be able to do a sound test later. I'm going to be at the dealer on Tuesday, maybe I can do an audio test of a different 16 Explorer to my current one.
 






Hey Bigtexan99 & MegaCleanCab I was just wondering if your Explorers were under warranty and did replacing the grille void your warranty
 






Hey Bigtexan99 & MegaCleanCab I was just wondering if your Explorers were under warranty and did replacing the grille void your warranty
A warranty is only void on a part if the part's failure was directly attributed to the modification that was made. Meaning that only the warranty on that part is void, not the vehicle warranty. It is all explained in your Warranty Guide brochure.

Peter
 






thanks Peter appreciate your response
 






looks great! Gotta love FORD, have to take the whole damn bumper off just to take the grill off, ridiculous...
 






looks great! Gotta love FORD, have to take the whole damn bumper off just to take the grill off, ridiculous...
There was a Cadillac in the late 1950's that required removing the rear bumper to replace a tail light. How often does one have to remove a grille compared to a tail ight bulb?

Peter
 















Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Guessing there is not much difference to the 2018 model either that if it says 2017 it will also fit the 2018?
 






Back
Top