Grille Replacement

Auto manufacturers are under increasing pressure to improve fuel economy. One solution is to use lightweight materials, so many parts that used to be made of metal are now manufactured in plastics. The compromises here are often durability and aesthetics.


Grilles used to announce their vehicle's arrival and help define its personality. Shiny, chromed slats with badges resembling an Eagle Scout's sash gave certain cars bravura that withstood the test of time.


These days, most appearance-related parts are made of plastic. Many grilles are now molded with polymers instead of being formed out of metal. Unfortunately, flying road rocks and out-of-control skateboarders can crack plastic grilles, and their inherent flexibility leads to their finishes becoming dull and damaged over time.

Aftermarket Answer
Instead of replacing a tired plastic grille with another OE unit, the aftermarket offers upgraded grilles for many popular vehicles. Metal models offer a few advantages over plastic: Obviously, they're more durable. Metal is also easily painted for exact color-matching and doesn't require a flex-additive in the paint pot. Manufacturing tolerance can also be more precisely controlled with metal than plastic. Many companies even offer kits made of ever-popular billet (components made of single pieces of aluminum) and even stainless steel.


The accompanying photos show how a 4-piece horizontal-bar billet-grille kit installs on a current-model Dodge Ram pickup. Included are grille pieces and matching foglight inserts as well as mounting hardware and instructions. Basic hand tools, a drill and a rivet gun are all that's required. A semi-competent home mechanic should be able to do the job in about two hours.