New Grill

[AltimaNewbie]

So I got a new grill for my 08 sedan. This one from ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...l1318

I really want to put it on but having a hard time taking off the stock grill. Can anyone help me out and describe what is holding the grill on other than the four plastic fasteners on the top? I don't want to break anything. Any help would be appreciated.

Also, did anyone else pick up this grill? How is it working out for you?

[Jose3.5]

You already got it? I'm still waiting for mine.All there is to it are a few clips, take off the top ones and then there are the ones behind it and then it should come out fairly easily.

[AltimaNewbie]

Yeah I got it couple days ago. But there are no clips or hinges on the back of the new grill that I noticed so I'm not sure how it attaches besides the four plastic pieces on the top.

What do the clips 'behind it' look like? Are you talking about the two on the sides that hook to the bumper? After that it just pulls straight out?

[Jose3.5]

I don't remember if they're clipped onto the bumper, I just remember pop out a few clips and a good tug on it to get it out.

[malnevets]

There are also 4 tabs that hold the bottom of the grille in. You'll need to push the tabs from the bottom and release all four of them to take off the grille.

and Jose, that front lip looks amazing

So I got a new grill for my 08 sedan. This one from ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...l1318

I really want to put it on but having a hard time taking off the stock grill. Can anyone help me out and describe what is holding the grill on other than the four plastic fasteners on the top? I don't want to break anything. Any help would be appreciated.

Also, did anyone else pick up this grill? How is it working out for you?

[AltimaNewbie]

Thanks for the help, I took it off today and tried to fit the grill in but I have no idea how i'm gonna make it work. There are no clips along the bottom like the stock grill so nothing to hold it on. To make it worse the angle of the grill is off so to make it fit right I need to bend it or something. Disappointing. Here's some pics of the back. Let me know if anyone has any ideas on how to attach it.

[Jose3.5]

Damit! so in other words it's a nice looking piece of crap. Maybe double sided tape or zip ties?

[malnevets]

Doesn't look like there are any holes on top for the push pins either. oh boy, this is gonna be a toughie

For the top, if there are no holes, then you can definitely drill some holes.

For the bottom, if you try to do zip ties seem like the way to go as Jose3.5 mentioned. If the grille does need to be bent to make it fit, then double sided tape would probably not be strong enough.

At first I was thinking maybe a small thing of expanding foam for the bottom inside of the grille and then connecting the zip ties through that, but after looking at the pics, you probably do not need to do that. Good Luck! Let us know how it goes

[AltimaNewbie]

Yeah there are grooves on the top where you need to drill holes for the push pins. For the rest of it, heres what the seller told me:

"As with most aftermarket parts, you need to do some works to install it, try to remove the metal mesh on the back of the grill and it will make the grille more flexible, you can bend it a little to fit better, if necessary use strong double sided tape, screws or glue to have the bottom part securely attached to the front bumper, it will close the gap, after that you can re-mount the metal mesh on the back. Let us know if it works."

Its not very helpful but at least he replied on a Saturday

What kind of "expanding foam" are you referring to malnevets and where can I buy it?

I guess I'll try again today and see what I come up with. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[malnevets]

I've seen the foam at Home Depot, it's a spray can and after you spray it, it expands and hardens. I couldn't find it on their website but I know I've seen it in the store. I'm not 100% sure if it sticks to plastic.It's something like this http://www.oldhouseweb.com/sto...shtml

I think you should try to make small slits, as small as possible but big enough to fit zip ties through near the bottom of the grille. Be sure to do it near where the tabs were originally suppose to be.

If this doesn't work, then maybe I'd try the foam

Yeah there are grooves on the top where you need to drill holes for the push pins. For the rest of it, heres what the seller told me:

"As with most aftermarket parts, you need to do some works to install it, try to remove the metal mesh on the back of the grill and it will make the grille more flexible, you can bend it a little to fit better, if necessary use strong double sided tape, screws or glue to have the bottom part securely attached to the front bumper, it will close the gap, after that you can re-mount the metal mesh on the back. Let us know if it works."

Its not very helpful but at least he replied on a Saturday

What kind of "expanding foam" are you referring to malnevets and where can I buy it?

I guess I'll try again today and see what I come up with. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[Importroller]

double sided 3M tape, or zip ties are your best bet. All the grills of that design on other cars as well have the same problem

[AltimaNewbie]

I bought some double sided 3M tape so I might try that after I get the grill painted. Zip ties might work but the lip on the back bottom isn't very big so I'd be scared to drill a hole. I'm gonna try glue pieces of sheet metal to the grill to slip through the bumper holes where the stock clips go and bend them up. We'll see how it works.

[07WinterFrost 3.5 SE]

My Carbon Fiber grill from AIT Racing is the same way. I actually left the bottom alone and it holds perfectly and very firm with just the top drilled out and installed with the factory push clips.

[AltimaNewbie]

Really so there's nothing holding down your grill on the bottom? Not even a hinge in the middle or anything? I would figure it would rattle. Yours probably fits well because it was professionally made. This ebay grill isn't. The curve of it doesn't even match the car and it doesn't sit flush, sort of receded. I just finished epoxying 4 metal pieces to the bottom to match up with the bumper slits. Probably let it dry tonight then finish up fitting it tomorrow. Hopefully it turns out half decent. Thanks for everyones input.

[eddie2.5]

can you post a pic of your grill winter? would like to see how it looks.

[AltimaNewbie]

Okay so here's my finished grill (except for paint). I know its not great but I'm no professional (obviously).



I epoxied some metal clips to insert into the bumper holes. It doesn't sit flush to the bumper

Thanks again for your suggestions and help. Hopefully this looks okay after paint. I was thinking dark slate to match the car but I wouldn't mind some contrast.

[Importroller]

I like what you did with the epoxied clips. Let us know how well it holds up

[Jose3.5]

where did you get the clips from? I'll probably just spray paint the grille just like I did with the OEM one.

[AltimaNewbie]

I just bought a sheet of aluminum and cut them out.

[Jose3.5]

I just got mine today

but there's an imperfection with it

What kind of sandpaper should I use on it?

[AltimaNewbie]

Sorry Jose, don't know about the sandpaper question.

Anybody use paint from paintscratch.com? Would their paint work for painting this grill? Or is it more just for touch ups? And how much do you think I would need for this grill?

[eddie2.5]

hey guys,where did you order your grille from? i want to get one for my car too but not to sure where to buy it from. i was looking at grilles from Ati and Stillen but Ati has a post in the middle of the grille and Stillen sells only chrome looking one. your grilles look nice but i guess some mods have to done to them.....zzzzZZ

[ursus]

y dont you read the first post by the author...

[toetruck]

love that grill for the sedan looks very nice

[3ugene]

problem solved thanks.
Modified by 3ugene at 8:03 PM 4/19/2009

[majishan]

yeah.. that's the only thing with these ebay grills.. there's also a modification required.. it doesn't actually even going to line up perfectly.. but far away it looks really nice! i had mine a while back.. lucky for me.. the only thing i had to do was to drill holes..

[gmont02]

yo jose. n what happened to your old one?

[bina12834]

yo jose. n what happened to your old one?

the grill in his sig pic is the one he he was waiting for. if you notice most of these posts are from 8/2008

[ohiostate]

See this is the reason why I dont buy crap of ebay...

However the finished product does look nice

[Jose3.5]

yo jose. n what happened to your old one?

You got some very nice rims My old grille is all cut up into pieces lol