Front grille removal

[Jackal01]

Does anyone know how to? I removed the two clips that holds the top plastic guard. I then removed all the (6-8 can't remember) bolts that hold the top part of the grille in place. Something is holding the lower portion in place and I cannot tell what it is. I am not removing the entire front bumper and fascia just the center portion between the headlights; the small grille with 3 slats I guess.

Anyone with experience with emergency vehicle installs please PM me. I do not have the PPV version but I am adding emergency warning equipment to it and need some help with speaker placement. My 2007 was a breeze but this one...not so much. Thanks

 

[Jackal01]

Bump!

 

[tropicvi]

I put a detailed post on this earlier. It is quite simple. the two clips you mention, just pry up the center portion of the clip, which lifts the lock pin that spreads the lower part of the pin. finger nail pinch will do it. Then you ease the top forward enough to reach down in and remove the four nuts at the lower edge of the grill... check back in the treads to find details.

 

[tropicvi]

In preparing to install strip LED in the grill openings, I needed to remove the grill. On the top, once the hood is opened, is a row of bolts holding a cover between the grill and the rad. Also there are two push lock pins. The center of the pish pin can be lifted with finger nails, so the whole pin cane be removed. Remove all 9 bolts - (I think it was 9) and lift off the cover. Now the grill can be gently tilted away from the rad somewhat. Looking down behind the grill, just above the bumper, there are 4 bolts with nuts visible along the bottom. With a carefull long armm reach and a 10mm short socket, remove the center two nuts, they will come off easily. The outer two will be under tension the whole distance undoing them. Once they are all off, there are two tabs each side lower outer ends of the grill that pop out, and grill is free, no bumper cover removal. Reinstalling, the trick is to get all four lower bolts lined up. Place and tighten the inner two (the first ones removed). That will bring the outer bolts into their location with enough thread to finger add the nut. then tighten them. Re attach the top cover with the bolys and push pins. Be carefull not to drop anything behind the grill in front of the radiator, as it will not fall through to the ground.

 

[Jackal01]

Thank you so much.

 

[dco43054]

Sorry, but I don't recommend this at all.

I just did remove my grill, and busted off about 4 clips in doing so and cracked each side of the grill assembly in doing so.

The clips are not designed to be released from the outside. They are not like the push clips on the side of the fascia. They have quite a large lip and even when trying to carefully release them from the back with a long screwdriver, I still broke one on each side. On the bottom of the grill there are two clips inboard that go in and lock downward. Broke at least one of those as there is no way th easily release them.

As with everything, you do it at your own risk and I recognized I stood a chance of breaking the clips off when I forced them a bit more than I wanted to, but after the first one it was WTF time.

FWIW - I released the outboard nuts with a long screwdriver and a 10MM combination wrench attached, then spun the nut off with a long screwdriver and caught it with a magnetic shop pickup.

 

[metallicpea]

Glad I found this thread. I will be giving this a try this weekend. Wish me luck.

 

[jonredcorn]

Glad I found this thread. I will be giving this a try this weekend. Wish me luck.

If you do, please take pictures / careful notes and such! I will be doing this soon and I would greatly appreciate it!

(I will wait until it's warmer than 24 degrees here)

 

[metallicpea]

Well, I did this on Sunday, and it was not fun.
Screws and 2 plugs on top - no problem.
Then there are 4 nuts across the back of the bottom slat. The center two are fine - get them with your hands through the bottom opening of the grill, but the outer two are bad. Had to pry the grill assembly forward and with my longest 10mm open end wrench try to get them. Scratched my forearms pretty good.
Then there are 3 clips on each lower corner. Two into the bumper cover just on either side of the corner, and 1 in the middle of the black detail at the outer edge of the bottom grill opening. These were not easy either. Tried to pry between the grill and bumper cover at the location of each. Was careful and still managed to break one off.

 

[metallicpea]

x

 

[metallicpea]

Here is the car with the grill removed showing the location of the 4 nuts and 6 clips:

Here is a close-up:

Here is the back of the grill assembly:

And a close-up:

 

[NAYDAMO]

Thanks for posting these pictures,I'm planning to remove my front grille and paint it.

 

[metallicpea]

That is exactly why I took mine off.

Once you have the grill assembly off the car you will have tro pry a whole bunch of snap clips to seperate the black reinforcing part and the chrome slats off of the painted piece of the grill assembly. Just start at one end and slowly work your way to the other side. I was able to do this without any damage.

Reassembly is much better - except for those 2 nuts in the corners. This is designed for easy assembly, not disassembly. Good luck.

 

[NAYDAMO]

That is exactly why I took mine off.

Once you have the grill assembly off the car you will have tro pry a whole bunch of snap clips to seperate the black reinforcing part and the chrome slats off of the painted piece of the grill assembly. Just start at one end and slowly work your way to the other side. I was able to do this without any damage.

Reassembly is much better - except for those 2 nuts in the corners. This is designed for easy assembly, not disassembly. Good luck.

Do you have pictures grille painted?

 

[metallicpea]

Here you go:

 

[petermimickiii]

WoW! Nice Job......looks AWESOME!!

 

[NAYDAMO]

Good job! Looks good!

 

[chimoman]

Isn't that the color that already matches the grille?

 

[VinceL]

Isn't that the color that already matches the grille?

I was wondering the same thing... Color me confused

 

[metallicpea]

not quite. I have the base, and the grill is sort of a flat gray color. does not match the silver in color or texture. the xlt might match better as it,s grill is silver