I just received my HD grill (early Xmas present) and 48 minutes later it is installed.

There have been some posts that didn't seem to reflect the tools needed so I thought I would add some input.

To just change the grill and surround as a unit, (for those with black trucks) is a 10 minute job if you take your time.

There are the four strut bolts and six along the hood nuts. All are 10mm.

But if you add in the changing of the surround it's a bit of a bear.

There are 4 number 20 Torx screws to remove on the STX grill, Six on the HD.
There are two braces on the STX, Three on the HD. You swap the braces over, so there are now three on the truck.
The two holes are already in the surround for the third brace.

Separating the surround from the grill if you want to save both parts is a real pain.
If you don't care about saving the new surround or the old grill, a moto tool or small dikes can remove the plastic clips on the old pieces in a couple minutes.
I used three or four screwdrivers, a heavy pair of needle nose pliers and an extra set of hands. I still broke two or three of the plastic tabs between the two grill/surround combos. Two were already broke. One on my STX one on the HD grill.

The tabs are the locking tabs for the press in clips. It's a very rigid setup, not intended to come apart. Or why you can not buy the parts separately...
However, the two (or three) braces with the Torx screws also hold the grill in place. This is a very redundant system. You could lose most of the actual holding tabs, all the locking tabs, and it would still stay put.
Better than several more expensive brand cars I have worked on.

Putting it back together after you separate the two assemblies is a snap, literally.

The hood is held in place by dowels and studs when you take the 4 bolts and 6 nuts off so there is no danger of dropping it while putting the nuts/bolts on or taking them off. Unless you are in a high wind.

I got some pics of the tabs, and the back of the HD grille and will post one or two later.
The STX grill is off, with the black surround if anyone wants a picture of any of the parts, let me know.

Fastener/tool list;
6 number 20 torx screws on three brackets.

There are six studs with 10 MM nuts in the top of the surround.

There are the two arms that have two 10MM bolts each.

There are 14 plastic tabs, each of those have a plastic locker tab.

Chris

 

Yo wa da pictures at?

 

I think it looks pretty good. My wife, who didn't want me to do it, says it looks better. She hated to admit it, as "I don't want to encourge you".
Her car has 0.0 mods...

I'm going to post a couple close ups of the darn plastic clips in a little while.
Chris

 

After assault by two screwdrivers. This is on the leftover STX grille



This clip snapped off when I touched with my finger, before the job!
Apparently was bad from the factory on my STX grille.


This is the HD grille with the three brackets off, but before I pulled the surround.


Chris

 

Hi Chris,

I am not a fan of the Harley Grilles, but I must admit I like it on your truck A LOT. It ties in with the silver perfectly. I think it looks even better than the actual Harley truck!

Great job!

 

Thanks for the kind words, 928gt. I'm very pleased with the results.
I must say that your F150 grille is one of the very best I've seen.

Off topic, what is the life expectancy of the V8 in the 928, assuming you treat it right?
Thanks
Chris

 

Wow that looks great. It really blends well w/ your color and those rims. money very well spent.

 

Hi Chris,

>Off topic, what is the life expectancy of the V8 in the 928, assuming you treat it right?

I have a friend who has a 79, he bought it new. It has "only" 650,000 miles on the original engine (valve stems seals replaced once) AND his wife has an 81 with 350,000+ miles. All of this on an aluminum engine.

Another story that is actually in the later 928 brochures is about a salesman in Europe who bought an 87, proceeded to but 300,000 miles on it in a short time due to constantly driving for his job. He called the Porsche museum and asked if they wanted to put it in there because of the mileage...
They laughed and told him this was what they expected from that engine and when he had doubled it they might talk about it.

All of mine have over 100K miles and still test at factory specs (compression, dyno testing etc,). I am currently running a 7psi Intercooled Twin Screw on my 90 with a totally stock engine with 110k miles on it (never been opened up) and it doesn't faze it at all (over 500 crank HP and torque).

OK, back to truck stuff...

 

Chris
I just installed my HD grille tonight and I only had one support, the center one, that had to be removed. Behind the center support is one tab that you can't get to without taking it off. The supports on either end do NOT need to be removed.

PS-I have an XLT and a FX4 grille center, which one do you think would be easier to sell?

 

I believe you on the two outer brackets. I thought they went into the surround and took off all five brackets before doing the first one.

Not too bad a waste of time though, as the whole job took under 45 minutes.
I'm thinking of e-baying my old STX grille and the new black surround, but I'm figuring they will be a glut on the market right now...
And worse after Christmas...

What's different between the XLT, STX and FX4 grilles? I know my STX is the big bars, black honeycomb. Isn't that what FX4 has? The XLT is mostly just honeycomb? Was the chrome surround a Lariat only thing?
Chris

 

The STX and FX4 grilles are identicle, maybe even the same as the XL grille as well. The XLT grille is black honeycomb with bodycolor surround whereas the Lariat has a chrome surround with a 'bronze' honeycomb.

 

ChrisAdams:

Your silver paint looks SICK in that picture. Any secrets? I've applied a couple coats of NXT and mine still has never been that glossy looking. BTW nice choice on the harley grill/silver truck it's a great combo! haha check sig.

 

The Nikon D70 he used to shoot the picture has a lot to do with it.

:santa:

 

I was thinking the same thing!

Have you thought about removing the front license plate bracket? I think some XLT/FX4/Lariat mirrors would clean it up a lot too. JMO!

 

The Nikon helps, but not much, frankly.

I don't use it; my wife has a couple Nikons and takes pictures if I ask nice.
Most of my pictures were taken with a little beat up Nikon 4500. Some with the D70.

The paint really does look that good. I get nice comments in parking lots all the time; I've even been accused of having repainted it.

Nope, just followed Rockpick's instructions and cleaned it up his way.

In the detail forum there is some great material.

On my truck I have clayed it, NXT waxed 3 coats, then using my Porter Cable, I applied five coats of Prowax Cherry.

Funny thing is I did that last July.

I have washed the truck about once a week with nothing but high pressure water, no soap. Never touched up the wax and it still looks good. Don't know when the wax will wear off, but so far, so good.

Funny thing though.
The wax is Cherry scented so flies love my truck.
If I park it in the front yard in about ten minutes it has a dozen or so flies walking around on the hood... Very annoying. It's the dang wax. This started the first coat, and continues to this day.
Chris