How to remove 07 FACORY GRILLE?? HELP PLEASE

My aftermarket grille arrived today.  The instructions say to remove bolts from upper grille section, DONE!  It then says to remoe the grille shell insterts by unclipping the remaining mounting clips., WHAT IS THIS?  I dont see exactly what clips they are talking about.  Can someont please help me ASAP.  Thanks.

Sorry, I cant help. But can you post pics when its done? Good luck.

Pics may not be coming! HAHA.  I havent had a lot of time to try and remove the grille, but in the short time I have looked I am almost clueless.  It would help to know where all the secure points are, and how to loosen each point!  The 2 inch gap to get my big arse hands/arms in isnt helping any!  By the time I am done I might not have a front grille at all.  It may end up getting ripped off in anger!

Remove 4 bolts along the top.

Then from the front release the clips along the side 1 on each side of upper grill 2 clips on each side of lower grill.

Be careul the upper and lower grill are connected by the bow tie in the center.

Thanks SUPER DAVE.  I got the new Grille Installed!  All I have to say, is it was a BITC*!  I wouldnt want to do another one.  Here are some pics.  They arent the best, I took them in my garage and couldnt get very good angles!  I really like the grille, this is not an overlay, I cut the factory honeycomb out! 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

that grille looks great! what kind did you say it was again?
i also like the stripper pole in your garage thats real nice!!

Looks good. How did you paint the bow tie? You have paint guns? Thats my next move after lowering. 

quote:

ORIGINAL: 1hot650r

that grille looks great! what kind did you say it was again?
i also like the stripper pole in your garage thats real nice!!

 
Yeah, the stripper pole.  It can be a pain in the arse.  But it does work great when you have a stripper show in the garage! 
 
I was looking for a very wide bar grille.  I want the "completely" closed look when meeting a car, or from a distance.  This was exactly what i was looking for.  It fits very well also.
 
The grille is a Precision Design Phat Billet Grille, I got it from www.streatbeatcustoms.com.  They had them priced well below anyone else, and free shipping at the time I ordered.  I think I even called them and they gave me another $10 bucks off or something! 

quote:

ORIGINAL: P_RsTahoe

Looks good. How did you paint the bow tie? You have paint guns? Thats my next move after lowering. 

 
I just removed the bowtie, used adhesion promotor, paint, clear coat.  I have painted a couple of them now and it is very easy! 
 
Here is a thread that has details about it, http://www.chevroletforum.com/m_18791/tm.htm.

Can you post your old one and the new one?  Other than the bars being a little thicker, not sure can see the diff.  Still has the cut bar for the bow tie also.

It is very hard to tell in the pictures.  It is so shiny and no flash!  The pictures done do justice!  I promise, it is 100% better.  It fits better, the bars look better, you can tell it is more quality.  It is also more recessed, which isnt visible in the pictures.  Yes it still has the emblem cutout but it fits like it should, hard to tell in the pictures.  I am very, very happy with it.  I promise Shark you would like it much better also. 

The bar thickness is the biggest thing I was looking for.  It almost looks completely closed from a distance.  Also, when close up you dont see the nasty stock grille through the billet grille any longer.  But I can tell you it is a chore to install a cutuout style!  But well worth it.

Old Grille Pic 1.




New Grille



New Grille Pic 2

Did you happen to discover what those tabs that come from the honeycomb and go into the grill surround were for?
 
Thanks for the before & after.

The metal tabs you see all along the back edge of the grilles are what holds the honey comb onto the chrome sections. You do nothing with those, leave them as they are.

ON the top section of the grille on each side you will see a chrome looking tab on the backside.  One on each left and right towards the top of each side.  If you look you will see a metal locking tab.  You have to get that removed!  To do so I took a putty knife through the front of the grille, inbetween the chrome grille surround and the white front grille section.  You can slide it in and pop those clips off, it is a pain but you will eventually get it.  Then, you will need to remove the factory grille emblem! 

All that is remaining are little raised plastic pieces around the edges.  You wont see them, you can feel them.  If you run your fingers along the top and bottom of each section you will feel them.  You will jsut feel a raised tab, they are white plastic (yours will probably body paint color).  You will need to push those down while at the same time push out on that portion of the grille so they dont pop back in and lock.  It is kind of tricky.  Just work you way all around each piece and it will eventually come out.  You will have to use some force and it will feel like you are going to break the entire grille!

All and all once I knew what had to be removed, and what didnt it wasnt bad.  I wasnt sure what HAD to be removed and loosened so I didnt want to break anything.  So in short:

Remove 6 10MM nuts on top of grille. 
Remove factory botwie. 
Remove locking clips from each side of the top section of the grille!
Push out all plastic tabs around the border/edge of the top and bottom sections. Pull, tug, yank, cuss, and tug some more and it will eventually come out. 

Sounds easy, but it is a pain in the arse.  The lack of hand/arm room and not being able to see doesnt help anything.  It is well worth it and I am very happy I did it.  I will guarantee you will be glad you no longer have an overlay if you do it. 

It finally was a little warmer and wasnt snowing or icing today.  I was vacuuming my garage and thought since I had the Tahoe outside I would get some more pictures of the new grille I installed.  Pictures still dont do it justice!  I love it!

 


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The last one shows it the best.  The others have some digital artifacts I guess due to the horizontal lines.
 
Looks good!  Would like to see it if you are ever in KC area. 
 
You didn't clear your tag numbers.

I know you guys are going to think I am going mad.  However, I am ready to sell my Precision Design Phat Grille that I just purchased and installed.  Nothing wrong with it, actually i love it.  However, I am going with the street scenes bumper.  Therefore I want my top grille section to match. 

I will sell the Phat billet very reasonable!  In fact, if you guys dont want to mess with having to cutout the honeycomb I will just ship my entire grille to you.  Obviously you have to ship me your factory one in return!  Just let me know if you guys are interested.  I just paid 140-150 for the phat billet grille.  Make me an offer!  Thanks, Landon. 

SHARK??????????????
 
SOLD 1/30/07!