I'm looking to change my 6 Bar FX2 grille to a 3 Bar FX4 grille.


Can the center bar section be separated from the painted surround? If so, will the 3 Bar FX4 center section match an FX2 surround that had 6 Bars? This would save me from having to repaint the surround. TIA.

 

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What color is your surround ?

Mine ... black.

Want to swap ?

BTW ... The STX grille is the same as the 2009-10 FX4.
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Mine is red. So the surround can be separated from the center bar section?

 

Yes Beach it can. The biggest challenge you will find is getting the grill off the hood. The clips are very tricky, and hidden, with a retaining "finger" on each side of the tiny slotted hole in the hood. Small clips, tight spaces. Most who attempt it break the tabs off the surround that the clips first slide onto. My advice to you is if you are not a bodyman with the proper tools..... find one.

The bolts on the inside that you can see are the easy part.... maybe stop by your dealer and as if they have any other grills in stock. Make the parts guy think that you are going to buy a lariat or platinum grill, whichever they have in stock, and look at the clips before you attempt to remove them from your truck.

They're tough. I've been doing bodywork for 16 years, and I broke one of the clips the first time I took one of these grills off.

Good luck.

 

im not sure about the FX4 model but on my XLT when i installed a billet grille i had to cut the section out. it didn't just pop out

 

Thank you for the excellent advice! I didn't realize there were clips in addition to the bolts holding the grille to the hood. When I order the new one, I'll study exactly where the clips are, and if I don't feel comfortable doing it, I'll take it somewhere.

 

just take your time. you must pinch the clips one by one starting on the outside and moving in. it can be very tricky but if u do break the clip don't worry to much about it because the bolts will hold the grille in place and there is no difference in look whether its broke or not. Good luck

 

Will do. Thanks

 

True but not true Griff, if you re-install it with the clips busted off, the constant vibration of the top of it against your hood will rub through your paint quicker than you think. Wind is a powerful force, and at 60 miles an hour, that grill top will vibrate more than your girlfriends... well... u know what I'm getting at. The key is, just don't break them. If ya happen to snap a couple of em, try some jbweld or equivalent, but make sure you get them in the exact same spot, and angle.

 

well i broke almost all of mine and have had it done for about 5 months now and no problems yet but now that u mention that i'm gonna take a closer look at it. thanks for the info

 

what color red do you have? i have a candy apple red metallic with the black 3 bar grille, i'd like to find someone to swap out with the same color with 6 bar like yours.

 

I'd love to swap, but mine is race red