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How To: Chrome Billet Grill Install

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Old 08-08-2011, 08:06 AM
BIG DOG D's Avatar
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How To: Chrome Billet Grill Install

This is for people who have an Hbar or honeycomb grill and only have the new main grill piece(no shell). It'll let you use the original grill shell and combine it with the new billet grill.

I looked around on a few different sites for a how-to but didnt find anything. I bought a grill this morning and didnt realize it was only the metal billet grill and no mounting shell or anything. I figured out how to make it work without having a new surround and shell. I just winged this one, and did what I thought made sense. It turned out well and was a day well spent.

Tools: needle nose pliers, flat head screwdriver, dremel/sawsall or hand saw, 10mm socket + extension, drill bit/hand drill, sand paper (i used a mouse sander).

This is all I had to start (and the lower piece)



1. Remove the grill - (4- 10mm bolts on underside of hood, 6 10mm nuts on the backside of the grill at the top.



2. Separate the grill surround from the main H-Bar or honey comb grill. Try not to break the tabs because you are going to re-use that mounting shell.





3. cut the middle of the main grill section around the very last edge. This picture was just before I took the remaining 1/2" off with a saws-all.



4. sand down the cuts leaving only the inside wall of the original grill. Make sure you sand down the edges so that the top edge is flush with the side of the wall. Mine was rough so I used a wood peeler to bring the plastic down to the right level.



5. Snap the main grill shell to the front grill surround.

6. Take the new chrome billet grill, and put on the 2 top hanger bolts. Mock up the front of the grill so it is flush with the surround. Drill holes in the mounting shell for the new chrome grill to bolt in. I used 2 small screws and 2 bolts to hold it tight.







7. Remove the top 2 hangers and install the full grill assembly back on the truck. This part is pretty tough because you need to put the 2 top-middle hangers BEHIND the hood lip. I jammed a basketball between the hood and the winshield fluid box to keep the hood from flying up by the hydraulics.

8. Tighten the 4- 10mm bolts back to the hood, and install the six 10mm nuts to the top of the grill.






Good luck with it, and I take no responsibility if you **** anything up.
 
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Old 08-08-2011, 09:00 AM
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Nice job on the install, it looks great.



Originally Posted by BIG DOG D
Good luck with it, and I take no responsibility if you **** anything up.
^^^I almost spit Mtn Dew all over my desk and monitor when I read this comment though.
 
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Old 08-09-2011, 11:45 AM
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Mine was an overlay billet grill so it took all of 5 minutes to install over the honeycomb. Stainless steel, I take it on & off to wax it from time to time, came with the bumper grill as well. Your looks good just glad I didnt have to go thru the hassle.
 
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Old 08-11-2011, 09:49 PM
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Good job I did mine the same way to get rid of the h/c and emblem but I left the grille on the truck and cut it all with a jig saw.
 
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Old 08-15-2011, 11:56 PM
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Here's mine. Bit more of a pain in the *** then I was hoping for, but got it done.
 
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Old 04-04-2012, 08:53 AM
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Jerrybizzle that looks great
 



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