While driving, the vehicle’s frontal end is prone to certain damages such as dents, scratches, and minor collisions. A grille guard would be of great help in withstanding such deteriorations. It improves the vehicle’s overall appearance and protects the front end of the vehicle against unforeseen damages. Be it high grass or any degrading elements; the grille guard resists them all. Apart from this, it averts injuries that take place during an accident with another vehicle. Want to know how to install a grille guard? Look no further and follow the below-mentioned instructions.
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Process of Installing a Grille Guard on the Vehicle
Hardware needed to carry out the installation of grille guard
To install a grille guard on your vehicle, you would need the following essential hardware:
- Hand and ratchet wrenches
- Screwdrivers
- Sockets
- Penetrating lubricant
The following are the optional tools that one might require depending upon the vehicle type and accessory.
- Drill bits
- Die grinder
- Power drill
- Portable saw or a cutting wheel grinder
In addition to these tools mentioned above, it is recommendable to use an anti-seize lubricant on the fasteners before installing them.
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Installation of Lower Brackets
Firstly, you need to fix the lower brackets for the guards. However, there are also upper brackets in the case of full-width grille guards. You have to mount the lower brackets on the holes that are pre-drilled on the vehicle’s frame. Yet these holes also work as attachment points in some vehicles for factory tow hooks. In such cases, you need to unbolt and remove the two hooks. Besides, use a penetrating solvent to loosen the tow hooks. They are prone to deteriorations related to moisture and corrosion.
Some vehicles might have black-colored filler plugs made of plastic positioned in the holes. You can use a flathead screwdriver to remove the plugs from the holes. If the grille guard has additional bolt plats, then the lower brackets will be fixed onto these plates instead of the vehicle frame. The mounting of the lower brackets would vary as per the design and type of the vehicle.
The user needs to attach the bolts loosely to make the adjustments and movements easier. Lastly, one needs to tighten the bolts after ensuring that these are in the proper place.
Cutting the Pass-through Holes
In this step, you might need a helping hand to lift the grille guard and place it in the center of the bumper. After placing the grille guard in the exact central position, you have to cut the holes so that the lower brackets can pass through. Moreover, to make this process easy, mark the spots with a temporary marker. Then cut the bumper holes using a cutting wheel grinder or portable saw along with the die grinder. Now test fit the grille guard again and cut away if there remains an extra bumper plastic for precision fitting.
Installing the Upper Mounting Brackets
One must remember that this step is only for the users that are having full-width grille guards. The user has to fix these brackets between the frontal grille openings or under the bumper level. In some scenarios, the bracket end will be larger than the part that attaches to the outside guard piece. Due to this, the larger bracket end might not fit into the grille slot. To resolve this issue, the user has to fix the piece through from behind the grille’s assembly.
Apart from this, some vehicles might not support the passing of the brackets through the grille. So you will have to remove the grille temporarily. On the other hand, some cars have pre-drilled holes behind the grille frame or on the radiator poses. If this is the case with you, then fix the brackets through the pre-drilled holes.
After installing the upper and lower brackets, secure the grille guard onto them. Make sure everything is centered and aligned as per the requirement. The last step is to tighten all the nuts and bolts.
Installation of Winch with the Guard Piece
Some grille, as well as bull bars, contain trays exclusively for mounting the winch. In such scenarios, the support tray for the winch is fixed on the frame of the vehicle. Well, this process is quite similar to the sequence of bolting on the guard piece. Firstly, the user has to attach the lower brackets and then tray to them. In addition to this, bolt the upper brackets and tighten all of them for a secure fit.
Relocation of the License Plate
Some grille guards might obstruct the vehicle’s factory position of the front license plate. For this, one needs to purchase the relocator bracket. The fixing of the same would depend upon the model and design of the vehicle. Furthermore, attach the relocator’s bottom part to the factory provided license plate holder. In some situations, the user might have to remove the original license plate holder to fix the new bracket in its place.
Now position the new bracket behind the grille guard and fix the bottom part of it on the guard piece. You must ensure that the arms of the bracket are above the bars that are posing a blockade. The next step is to attach the license plate to the visible tabs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much time does it take to install a grille guard?
Generally, it takes around 30 to 60 minutes to fix a grille guard on the vehicle. For a swift installation process, follow the instructions precisely.
Are bull bars and grille guards the same?
The bullbars protect only the middle frontal part of the vehicle. On the other hand, a grille guard secures the complete front end of the vehicle. Apart from this, the grille guards even wrap around the headlights to protect them.
Which is more preferable: a bull bar or a grille guard?
If you want optimum protection for your vehicle, then go for the grille guards. Besides, the need for a grille guard or a bull bar would depend upon the vehicle’s type and requirements.
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Wrap Up of how to install a grille guard
When driving, there is always a fair probability of accidents taking place. A grille guard would be the vehicle savior in such scenarios, from hitting an animal to the debris kicked by other vehicles. Grille guards and bull bars are the two most useful accessories for vehicle protection. Though both of them differ in function, their installation process is quite similar.
Are you concerned about how to install a bull bar? Keep all your worries aside and refer to the process above. However, before opting either for a bull bar or a grille guard, you should thoroughly consider the model and design of your vehicle. After all, what matters the most is the safety of your vehicle while you are cruising.
