so i said screw it and bought a billet grille. I prefer the bar style like carriage works, street scene, etc.... not the mesh. Anyway i havent seen this on a 09+ truck. if i dont like it im not out much, and i also thought about plasitdipping it if i decide to black out my truck. anyway should be here in a few days.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/09-11-Ford-F...ht_3625wt_1051

 

ok. so grille has arrived. i actually really like it. The 8mm bars i think look neat. vs. the normal 4mm. Anyway i removed the grille shell and the dreaded 5 tabs at the top and removed them without breaking any of them. I used a painters tool and put some tape on it so it would scratch anthing and just slowly worked my way around the surround prying really gently and they popped right out. Only issue now is I gotta go get a cut off wheel, mine is junk. so hopefully in the next day or so ill get some pics up.

oh and for a 67 dollar grille, its nice quality. I wish it was made in the USA, but not much is anymore.

 

I like the light mounts built into the grille. I wish I had the sack to cut some holes in my FX4 grill and try it out with some Hella Black Magics.

 

Not bad, I might get one if I like how yours turn out.

 

I'll be the odd man out here. Yikes

 

I like the looks of the grill but I wouldn't use that style of light. The light itself needs to be bigger or maybe the piece around the hole needs to be black. Some nice Hella 700's maybe ?? How is the quality of the materials ?? Price wasn't bad at all.

 

Im digging it. I see they got a black one. Might jump on that depending on how yours turns out.

 

Well dont get too excited....of course the blackout guys wont like it. I like both styles.
anyway im waiting to see if they will take a return. maybe i got a bad product, but it doesnt match the shape of the grille shell. and to flatten it by hand like they say to if it needs to be adjusted. however if it gets flattened a little to match the shell both sides of the grille are touching.They are already touching to begin with. So i hope to send this sucker back. so now i got a cut up grille..haha! hello carriage works i guess!

 

So it didn't work?

 

Doesn't surprise me at all that an ebay grill doesn't have the right curve to it. I had the same problem with mine back in 2010 when I got it. Although I didn't have lights to contend with, (which is a problem in of itself), I simply layed it down on a doubled up piece of cardboard, happy face side up, and stood on each end, even bounced a little on it. They will straighten out with a little massaging. Although a few of the aluminum welds snapped under the stress, a couple dabs of JB Weld on the back side and it was good a s new.

That said, your bars are bigger, and you have those bug eyes to contend with......

 

No it didnt work. Still working on sending it back . May have to contact ebay...Oh well...I pick up my carriage works tomorrow. I have always used them in the past, as they are made about 20 miles from my house in Grandview,MO. So I like to help the locals out. It wasnt my favorite grille anyway just wanted to try something different. Also couldnt bend it much for the simple fact it wasnt even billet aluminum, it was chrome plated metal....crap! Stupid CHINA!!

 

Here's some different grilles...very wild, just not my style. Made in the USA


http://www.royaltycore.com/home/roy/...2009_2012.html

 

I have this in the wings ready to install. Just waiting for the set of nylon pry tools to arrive.

 

Got the Paramount Restyling grille bolted up this afternoon.

 

Yah ive seen a lot of those. I kinda like those styles but they are too pricey. I was wondering about the mesh styles bending from anything hitting them. Anyway ive always been a fan of carriage works...this makes three of them that ive put in now and theyve always held up good and the detailed installation and ease of install has always been there. I put mine in last night and if i can find my SD card for my ghetto camera i will post some pics later tonight. turned out nice. i think i want to do a light bar next, like desert dawg did on his.